☆ YouTube Stars! ☆

YouTubeStars recently had the pleasure of interviewing a most interesting and attractive YouTube member who goes by the name of CelestialSam. Sam is a beautiful young lady with flowing blonde hair who lives in Michigan where she attends a community college. She enjoys acting and writing, has eclectic tastes in music and loves movies such as Sherlock Holmes and Sweeney Todd. Sam has 20 videos currently on her main YouTube channel and another 13 on her secret second channel, VixenVivacity. She loves to watch videos as well as make them and she has written about many of her favorite videos right here on YouTubeStars!

Now, here is our interview with CelestialSam.

Hi, Sam! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview. Please tell us a little about yourself and your background.
Hello, there. And thank you for taking an interest in me! Hah hah.

I am eighteen years old and my full name is Samantha Rosalyn McNamara. Ever since I was young, I have hated the name "Samantha." Whenever my mother took me on vacation, I always told any new acquaintances I'd make that my name was Onoosh Dolmathakia or Alastriona. Now; of course, I just tell people to call me "Sam"....most of the time.

I am part Irish, Scottish, English, American and Gypsy.

Despite desperately wanting to become a professional actress, I am actually attending college to become a librarian. Realistically, not many people make it in the acting world. A steady, well-paying job is my primary concern at this point in my life. I regret the fact that I cannot afford to chase after my dreams....yet.

I attended a private Christian high school and graduated as the salutatorian of the senior class. Next week, I will be officially inducted into my college's Phi Beta Kappa honor society.

About two years ago, I had anorexia nervosa. It was horrible. I weighed 80 lbs at 5'8 ¾". Currently, I am working on a book detailing my personal battle with anorexia. I hope it can open the eyes of those who suffer from this nervosa and inspire them to recover.

There. That was a good scattered mini-biography. Hah hah.

We love your lipsyncing videos and your recent artistic mini-movies! How long have you been interested in acting?
Well, thank you very much! I'd like to think that I have been interested in acting ever since I exited the womb. I did not really start to develop a passion for it until my second year of middle school though. I have always been an extremely shy person. And when I was forced to take a drama class in seventh grade, I nearly had a panic attack. The mere thought of getting up in front of my classmates sent me into a fit of violent shaking, sweating and numbness. Because I am such a perfectionist; however, I wanted an "A" in that class. The only way to get an "A" was to follow through, face my fears, memorize my lines and practice, practice, practice. I did just that.

The final test for that class involved participation in the school play at the end of the year. I was assigned the supporting role.....but ironically, I received the "Best Leading Actress" award for my performance that day. The class had unanimously voted me "Best Leading Actress"! Needless to say, I received an "A" in the class. After that, I began to see public speaking and all variations thereof as means to project my creativity and to apply my perfectionistic nature. Acting provides me with a much needed escape from reality and grants me the opportunity to be someone else for a while. Since I don't like "Samantha", this works out very well!

How did you first hear about YouTube?
I don't even remember. I suppose I just stumbled upon the site one day whilst I was looking for something or another. The rest is history.

What made you decide to put your own videos on YouTube?
I believe it was a combination of boredom and an effort to overcome my shyness. Then again, maybe I was just sucked into it......like MySpace....but that's another story all together! Hah hah hah.

What's the best thing you've put up, in your opinion?
I think the best thing I've put up so far is "Enchantment in Chicago." It doesn't have many ratings or views, but I will always cherish the memories it triggers. The way God created aqua-life is simply amazing to me and this video showcases just that. It features so many vibrant colors, beautiful close-ups, subtle irony and Toby Markham. What can I say? I love Chicago!

How have your friends and family reacted to your videos?
Most of my friends wonder how I ever escaped from the funny farm. Hah hah. They do derive some entertainment from my videos though. My family; on the other hand, doesn't really take any vested interest in my video making. My aunt; however, really got a kick out of my "Math Magician" video. She still quotes lines from it on occasion.

Are you on any other websites besides YouTube?
Yes. I'm on Myspace, Facebook, and LiveVideo. I have my own website as well: http://www.celestialsam.zoomshare.com/ This site features some extensive photo galleries; my personal journal and other tidbits.

There is a lot of talk about "community" on YouTube. Have you made friends on YouTube? Have you had any problems with haters?
I am pleased to say that I have made several friends on YouTube, a few of which I've actually had the pleasure of meeting in person. Why just this past December, I met up with Toby (tobymarkham) in Chicago. We went to the zoo; he was delightfully charming.

I think that YouTube is a fantastic way to breach the barrier between different cultures around the globe. It also provides enriching learning opportunities for its users.

As for haters, yes, I have definitely encountered more than my fair share of them on YouTube. I try not to pay them any mind though. People will say anything online. They can hide behind a screen name and neglect responsibility and direct confrontation. It's disheartening to know that there are people out there who actually feel that they must take it upon themselves to rip apart and belittle another human being merely to pass the time. Thankfully, YouTube created the "block user" function. I cannot tell you how many times I've had to use that feature.

You have a great personality and it shows in your videos. According to your profile, you have an eclectic range of loves and interests including Christianity, acting, firearms, eating healthy and achieving your ideal weight. Could you please tell us more about some of these?
Awe, well, thank you. Thank you very much. I am a Christian, but I am by no means perfect. I am a sinner. I try my best to ask myself on a daily basis "What would Jesus do?" He is my Creator; Redeemer, Friend, and Savior. Without Him, I am nothing.

Ever since I began my recovery from anorexia nervosa, I have made a consistent effort to eat healthier. It took that extreme to teach me the importance of good nutrition. It was an invaluable and almost fatal lesson. I thank God for opening my eyes. If you're in a grocery store, chances are you'll find me in one of three places: the organic section; produce department or exotic foods aisle.

Oh, I'm a vegetarian too...or rather, a pescatarian. I do eat seafood. I've just never really cared much for the taste of meat.

Throughout my entire life, my weight has always yo-yoed. I've been more than pleasantly plump. I've been skin and bones and everywhere in between. My ideal weight is 125. I'm still working on reachieving it and most importantly, maintaining it.

I am amazed by the diversity of the music you employ in your videos. Could you please tell us about some of your favorite kinds of music and how you go about finding new music to enjoy and to put in your videos.
My taste in music is definitely eclectic. I'm a sucker for a classic voice (e.g. Josh Groban, Frank Sinatra, Celtic Women or YsabellaBrave). I enjoy Bach, Tchaikovsky, Django Reinhardt and Cab Calloway. I adore musicals ranging from the bloody and vengeful "Sweeney Todd, the historically derived "Evita" to the romantic "Funny Face" or silly "My Fair Lady." And with soundtracks by Quentin Tarantino or Guy Ritchie, you can never go wrong. I listen to Hippie music, '80s music, Latin music and even Bollywood. I also find that I enjoy obscure or really off-the-wall, oddball artists like Kate Bush, Rufus Wainwright, Natalie Merchant, Emmanuelle Seigner and Tori Amos.

Finding new music today is relatively simpler. Because YouTube allows me to make friends from different locations around the globe, I have a greater exposure to much broader range of music.

There are scenes in your videos and sometimes in the description (Ms. Vanity Lost Her Sanity) that could be totally random or might be some sort of symbolism or expression of things going on in your mind or in your world. Could you give us some insight into your state of mind when you created and filmed videos such as "Ms. Vanity Lost Her Sanity", "Daft" and any other video you care to discuss.
The two primary contributors to my video making are feelings and music. I generally get the inspiration to create a video after hearing a song on the radio or after reflecting on something in my personal life.

When I created "Look at Me", which I recently renamed "Ms. Vanity Lost Her Sanity", I had heard the song by Geri Halliwell earlier that day. The song served as the base or cornerstone for my video. I analyzed the lyrics and decided to tell a story using my video footage and Geri's lyrics. "Look at Me" is a song that screams vanity and because I don't hold vanity in very high esteem, I elected to poke fun of this vice for comedic effect. The description you read to the right of the video has the same premise.

I approached the making of "Daft" from an entirely different route. I wanted to create a video that was significantly different from the rest of mine and I knew I wanted to include a knife in some way (it was a bad day and I needed to channel my frustrations). I held a knife and turned the video camera on. From that point on, it was all impromptu. I sat down at my computer and uploaded the footage I'd taken. I watched each clip a few times and then selected a song I thought would set the tone of a knife-wielding woman in black. The only suitable song that came to mind just so happened to be from one of Quentin Tarantino's soundtracks.

What else do you like to do in your free time, besides making videos?
Absolutely nothing. I get up every morning at the crack of dawn and spend the entire day shooting and reshooting footage to splice together at night. And when I go to sleep, I dream about creating innovative videos. YouTube has consumed my life. No, I'm just kidding. Hah hah hah.

On a typical day, you'll find me curled up on the couch with my nose in a book....a textbook. College really does suck the life out of you! I really enjoy theatre though. I don't care if I'm on the stage or in the audience, the theatre is my utopia. I enjoy amateur photography, writing poetry, cooking, church fellowship, and hiking as well.

What are your plans for the future?
I love to travel and one day, I hope to visit every country at least once. Perhaps, Lord willing, I will become a professional actress and move to my beloved Windy City.

Labels: Celestialsam, interview

# posted by KennyCrane @ 3/21/2008 02:53:00 AM