YouTube Stars!

Happy Memorial Day! In the USA, we take this day to remember all the men and women of the miltary who have lost their lives. They made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could live in freedom. Here are three videos - 2 about Memorial Day and one about children who need our help - without comment by me this time! Just watch and consider the message. Thanks!

Labels: charity, day, juststircrazy, Memorial, military, soldier, TiffanyJoAllen, ytshadowknight

posted by KennyCrane at 5/26/2008 12:15:00 AM 0 Comments

Recently, K80blog made a video discussing the state of the vlogging community on YouTube. She said that YouTube has become a bit boring and has lost it's edge. People seem to be playing it safe and not taking risks. Katie said that she came here to express her opinions, stay honest and to make the most of her channel. She challenged the community to keep YouTube interesting. So far, there have been 75 Response Videos to her vid. Here is her video. After that, there are two response videos and then a video from a new and interesting vlogger!




Paperlilies remembers the earlier days of YouTube when it was interesting to watch people talk honestly about their real lives. She agrees that YouTube has become dull and that people are less honest. In her case, Bryony has to limit what she can say due to deals she is considering as a result of her previously honest and popular videos.




Tlg847 is always good at providing perspective on YouTube issues and larger cultural trends as well. Here, Tom talks about horse racing and how the sport has become "big event" motivated. People are drawn to spectacle. But the mundane was once interesting on YouTube as people were newly able to peek into lives of ordinary people. He finishes by observing that poets have always been able to make something special of the mundane - and reads a poem to illustrate his point.




YouTube has only been around for a couple of years. Some people have already made interesting and entertaining videos that have created a following. They have many subscribers, and may have also used their YouTube success in other mediums such as TV and Music and the Arts. Stevie Ryan (LittleLoca) hosted a TV show, HotForWords has been on Bill O'Reilly's show (and will be on it again soon!), Esmee Denters was signed by Justin Timberlake's company, Paperlilies has sold paintings on eBay.

But for every person who has already "been there, done that" on YouTube, there is someone new, just starting out, just becoming popular. One such person is JustStirCrazy. Audra is 24 and lives on the West Coast. She has had some real life drama; she was in the military and survived a bomb blast in Iraq. She also has an equally attractive twin sister named Dael Anne who has been in a few of her vids. Audra has fiery red hair and a personality to match. She says what is on her mind, and people love to listen because her rants are often poetic! Check out this rant/poem and also, don't miss this other rant and this honest expression of 5 things Audra hates.

Labels: audra, dael, juststircrazy, k80blog, Paperlilies, tlg847

posted by KennyCrane at 5/18/2008 10:45:00 PM 0 Comments

Back in February, YouTuber JackDanyells announced a contest to help promote Art and Writing on YouTube. In his video about the contest, "Do you support the arts on YouTube?", Jack asks the question, "Is there a place for art and writing in the digital revolution?" So far, there have been 353 video responses! Finalists in the contest are to be announced on May 9th. Links to official rules of the contest are in the description of the video. There are two $500 prizes up for grabs!

Here at YouTubeStars, we consider the entire range of videos posted on YouTube as works of art. We have supported YouTubers and their videos for TWO years now! In this post, we'll have a look and listen to two poets reading a sample of their work. We'll also watch two unique music videos - one is a classic hymn set to a classic rock song, the other is a collaboration/duet between two YouTubers.

First, some News! There is another popular contest going on, and several YouTubers are contestants. The TotalPopStar contest is in the Final stages. The winner gets a Record Contract and Prizes worth over $150,000! We have written about three of the top six Finalists in the past: bexboop878, jsanchezfan, and kristaheartzuz. Go to TotalPopStar and vote, NOW!

Last month, our new friend Marina (HotForWords, #33 this week!) appeared on The O'Reilly Factor with Bill O'Reilly on Fox News. They talked about the origin of five words that Bill likes to use on his show. I was very happy to hear him mention how many Total Video Views Marina has received on YouTube! He got that data from our Total Video Views widget, which appears front and center on the www.HotForWords.com website. Excellent appearance, Marina! And thanks, Bill O'Reilly for indirectly promoting our Total Video Views widget! As people like YOU add our widgets to their websites, we are adding their Testimonials to our website. Go see who is using our widgets!

Last time, we mentioned comedian Fred from jklproduction (#23 this week). He spun off his Fred character to its own channel on May 1st. He already has over 4o Thousand subscribers and entered the Top 100 Chart at number 83! Watch his Mayday video. It's so stupid, it's funny!

Now, here are four videos for you!


Charming Nikki, babyporriidge, made this entry for JackDanyells' contest. It's an amazing poem with great visuals. Here is the poem:

dear inspiration,

we have not kissed for days.

you disappear with the ease of the ghosts i pretend not to believe in, & you slip through the loopholes of my jargon & thought patterns, as if your only obligation is to slide through space.

the days were kinder then, & you taught me to speak with the diction of the skies. you taught me to write about charisma like a broken record where everything was muted against the infinite repeat of charm & of charm & of charm & of charm.

sometimes, in your absence, you take my clarity. sometimes, it's my sanity. always, you take a piece of me with you.

i have looked for you under tea-cups & between the lines of someone else's pride. it would help if you were not so nameless & not so faceless.

there is a place, much like you, where inertia & gravity do not apply.
i only have open arms for you & like my skin & my soul are territories already marked with your name, there is a place like a smooth canvas that waits for your calligraphy.

there will be a place for us here.




Talented Stefani, livingpassion, has been sharing her excellent poetry with the YouTube community for over a year now. She has 143 videos on YT! Here is the poem she recites in this video:

I love you

I wrote you a poem,
Comparing my love
To the dangerously enticing
Face of the fiery sun...

I called you my songbird--
Lamenting your silence
And seeking your song...
Wishing I had clipped your wings.

When I wept for you,
I spoke of storms
Wreaking havoc on my heart
And freezing my very soul.

Like the prophet,
Seeking a still, small voice in an earthquake,
In my pedantic, poetic rambling
I think I forgot to say,
Simply...

I love you.




Inspiring VioletKitty411 recently uploaded this uplifting video. She sings "Amazing Grace" to the music of "House of the Rising Sun" which was a hit for "The Animals" in the '60s. Enjoy this music video and be sure to check out more videos on the VioletKitty411 channel!




Bridget Hermano teams up with Jennifer Newberry on this duet/collaboration video collage. Both ladies are beautiful and talented singers! You'll enjoy watching and listening to this one! Don't miss "No Air" towards the end - WOW!

Labels: art, babyporridge, bexboop878, bri3jet, contest, fred, hotforwords, JenniferNew21, jsanchezfan, KristaHeartzuz, livingpassion, poem, violetkitty411, widget

posted by KennyCrane at 5/07/2008 03:46:00 PM 3 Comments