Sunday, August 13, 2006

You Tube Goes Geriatric


I never, ever, EVER thought it would happen but it has, and even more amazingly, the TOYT (Teens of You Tube) have actually responded positively to it!? A new era is dawning and a window has finally been cracked in the claustrophobic and stifling environment that has been the WYTU (Webcam You Tube Universe) up until now - the fresh air feels wonderful!

The event of which I speak is that there is a new YTKP (You Tube King Pin) in town and he is not who you might expect. The NHSOYT (New HOT STAR of You Tube) is a well-spoken, elderly gentlemen from England named Peter! (see his videos here)

Watch out you Aussie hussy Emmalina, Peter the British widower is hot on your trail with almost as many suscribers as you - almost 7000 and counting! Peter is also the #11 subscribed channel of ALL TIME!!

How is this possible, you ask? You Tube has been a teenage wasteland from its inception and suddenly, out of the blue, their champion is 78 years old?

After skimming the thousands of comments (there are also hundreds of video responses which is a sure sign you are a You Tube hit) it seems many of the kids relate to Peter like a "grandpa" and encourage him to keep making videos. While there are the occasional, "go home old man comments," on the whole, the overwhelming response has been positive - pretty rare of You Tube unless you are LisaNova.

And this warm bath of You Tube love is much appreciated by Peter. His most recent video has dear, sweet Peter of the melodious voice tearfully thanking the You Tube community. As he puts it, "My email In Box has over 4000 messages of people subscribing and commenting." He was almost too touched for words.

Peter lives alone and his wife is dead. It is possible that, like many old people, he has felt socially isolated and lonely (this is pure conjecture on my part). In this sense old people and teens are not so different. Yes, they may be at opposite ends of the spectrum, but aren't most teens stewing in their own juices feeling misunderstood and unappreciated?

We all want attention and love and validation - and You Tube is the perfect placce to get it, whether you are a teen or a geriatric.

This is You Tube at its best. Forget the naked teens in their bedrooms complaining about how no one will ever understand them. Forget the dull as dirt dirty whores droning on and on in monotones about nothing. Forget the wannabe actresses impersonating the ghetto fabulous and forget the Aussie hussies who like to dance for dirty old men.

Hopefully, Peter is the new era of You Tube. Perhaps the doomsday predictions are wrong, perhaps it is not too late to save ourselves from ultimate destruction (which could mean being destroyed by the comet or living empty, vapid, meaningless lives). There is still hope for this little rock of ours.

Cross your fingers that the youngsters attention span lasts long enough to keep Peter on top of the pile for just a little bit longer. Please let him be more than just a flash in the pan - too soon replaced by butt shaking videos! If he lasts long enough, perhaps he can bridge the gap between young and old and bring us to a new integrated society?

Makes me think of my dear sweet granny in an old age home in Strawberry Point, Iowa. It is less than likely that she will be posting on You Tube anytime soon so I put her up there myself (see granny video). Here is Peter's first video:

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