Monday, May 07, 2007

GoodBye YouTube, Hello Tulip


I never was too good with goodbyes - or endings for that matter, especially abrupt ones.

As of Saturday night, my evadeadbeat account was suspended due to copyright infringement. I am still a little numb - kind of feels like I got sucker punched in the gut.

After one year, almost 200 videos, 1700 subscribers (granted, most were just thanks to dumb luck), and countless hours spent building and working on my YouTube home - it is all gone in the click of a mouse. Poof.

I almost expected my Blogspot, Gmail and MySpace accounts to be deleted as well. It seemed like the invisible and all powerful internet gods had deemed me unworthy to exist in this strange new world and kicked me back to dull ol' meet space to pay penance.

Is this what life is like without YouTube? Colorless and gray? Generic and tasteless?

Do they make Hallmark cards for this sort of thing?

"Sorry to hear your YouTube account was suspended due to copyright infringement. Bummer. Now all those videos I embedded are worthless black holes of meaninglessness. Damn you."

According to the rules of YouTube, once you are suspended, you may never open another account ever again. Who knows how strictly they police this or if I will bother to try to get around it.

Maybe it is a message from the gods that I need to spend more time in the garden and less time clacking away at my computer. Perhaps this is the excuse I need to make time for knitting and baking?! After all, it is almost summer and think of all the outdoor time I could soak up if I wasn't glued to YouTube all day long!?

Still, I think of all the internet friends I made who share similar interests to my own (Digibudi, Junk Thief, Tonci, James, Tony, Parisa, Zach, Sadia, a Japanese school teacher) - all these people from all over the world whom I never ever EVER in a million years would have met had it not been for my little slice of the YouTube pie.

After just one year of existence on YouTube, I had become accustomed to an email box full of comments and messages and YouTube notices. My lonely email will feel funny without YouTube crammed inside it.

It is sad to think those internet socializing days are over. My home away from home on the internet was washed away in a flash flood, never to be seen or heard of again. Do they do disaster coverage on this sort of thing? Is there national relief aid on its way? Perhaps a benefit concert organized by Bono is in the works?

It remains to be seen how this major life change sinks in. I am too busy caking on make-up and rehearsing steps, lines and costume changes to think about it too much. And besides, have you seen the red tulips that are blooming in our yard? Hello dolly!

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

'Tis sad to hear you're persona non grata in land of youtube. You shall be missed. Your channel was one of the few I subscribed to. Usually your image welcomes me when I sit down to go youtubing, now it's an empty box.

I leave you with the words of the great Duffman, "Whatever happened to fair use?" (pelvic thrust) (pelvic thrust).

Anonymous said...

Aw man. I'm really crushed that your You Tube goodness has gone. I wish I had the cunning foresight to rip all your videos before they went down. Gagh. It was by far my fave subscribed channel and having your little video letters from Vermont was akin to, I don't know, a younger and more attractive Alistair Cooke informing England based me of life on the new continent.

I hope you can find some cunning alternative to bring back the DBC goodness. Perhaps Googlevideo? Or some other obscure alternative? Maybe even little downloadable videos from a blog page? I know it won't be as easy to use and as visible, but still, selfish me will be getting something.

Your taking this very well, actually. I'd be all, "Rage, rage against the dying of the light!"

Unless of course behind the scenes and away from your internet persona, you are secretly throttling your sister screaming, "It's all your fault, jezebel!"

Anyway, enough rambling from me. I'm still supposed to post you a mix CD. Is there a cunning collection point addy I can mail it to?

Anonymous said...

this really sucks. i can't believe it! i feel like i've just been slapped.
my favourite vlogs, mix tapes and dbc intro are gone. i had a habit of watching them every now and then. if it wasn't for you, i would never have started listening to all those amazing groups and singers you mentioned and i would never have known that people actually clog in johnson, among others things :)
well, i hope you'll find some alternative to youtube eventually.
i'm glad you're at least thinking positive. summer, tulips and all :)
think of this as a break and do something else for a while. and keep us informed!

Suzanne Lowell said...

i am appalled. can i write a letter to someone somewhere? why can't they just take off the videos that are copy-right infringements? how will the world get to see the offasty and stuck in vermont? why did they do this to you? why? why? why? can't you write "i'm sorry i copied pieces from john cusack's videos and of moulin rouge and of all those other movies without their permission" like a thousand times or something and they let you have your account back on a probationary period until you prove to them that you are worthy and talented? i guess getting mentioned on their front page made them notice you TOO much. BUMMER! i'm sorry eva. how bout i treat you to your first creamee of the season (i actually had my first yesteray -- black raspberry and vanilla with rainbow sprinkles -- yum) some time this week?

tinycat said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
tinycat said...

Whaaaatt?!? Did they specify which copyright you supposedly violated?

Just make up a name and carry forth.

Eva the Deadbeat said...

All I can say is shucks and golly and thanks you guys. makes me glad, and sad, but mostly glad.

a creamee sounds lovely Suz and yes Tonci, a break is always good thing. change can be good, right?

good quote scott (so there youtube powers that be!!) and lani, you may be onto something...hee hee...

and nervous pete, HOW DID YOU KNOW!!??? I HAVE been "secretly throttling my sister screaming, "It's all your fault, jezebel!" wow, i thought the windows were closed whilst i was indulging in that though...

oh, and a mix cd sounds lovely unless youtube takes away my PO box as well:

the deadbeat club
po 132
burlington, vt 05402

xox love you guys!

Unknown said...

I am SO fucking pissed at youtube right now.Aside from you, who was my clear fav of all of our 37 subscribers, they bounced 7 others. I expect we will be next, since our music beds are.. well, pirated. I will continue to watch your seven days stuff, though I like yer deadbeat stuff better.

Stay strong.

Much Love

Stech

MSJ Variety

Ladrón de Basura (a.k.a. Junk Thief) said...

Gosh darn. What will I do with my Saturday nights now? Oh, yeah, get out of the house.

This is definitely a case of Goliath picking David (or Davida), and maybe it will lead to some new creative outlet. Who knows, my own channel may be next!

It sort of reminds me or Richard Carpenter banning Todd Haynes "Superstar," but that did not keep folks from seeking it out and Todd rising to greatness. I predict the same for Eva and DBC.

I'd send you roses from my garden if I thought they'd survive the continental trip, so maybe a mix CD instead out of sympathy.

Anonymous said...

Dear Eva, I am truly devastated at this news. I only found your little corner of internet heaven 2 weeks ago through You Tube and all too soon the copyright Nazis have taken away your funny and insightful videos. This injustice cannot be allowed to stand! Please Eva you must find a way though this impasse or all colour will drain from life (o.k. maybe thats overstating it but you take my point). No surrender!

Yours in hope,

Rich.

Anonymous said...

You should start your own youtube... DeadBeatTube.

The webhost I use comes with a flash player thingamajig and a handy file converter, so you can host your own vids -- it's like the youtube player. They also offer tons of space for cheap.

If you want, I can test it with my account to see how it works. Also, I can get you a promo code for a free year. Let me know.

In case you're wondering, no, they're not paying me to advertise.

Jeff said...

Wow Eva, my condolences. My one and only youtube subcription is *gone*. Hope you find a new platform and move on to bigger and better things. On the bright side crazed and mean spirited Green Day fans will need to find something else to do now. But it was fun while it lasted, and good luck, and as you note in your post, enjoy some time in the 'real world'... especially now that spring has sprung, finally. (tried to post this last night, & it didn't go through, I must not have been paying attention).

Anonymous said...

This is way super depressing... It's obvious how much effort you've put into your videos. I asked youtube if they could consider reviewing your channel and consider putting it back up... In any event, I feel very, very grateful to have had a chance to witness the jeanyussiness before it was banished from the land..

Anonymous said...

Eva, i'm so sorry, this sucks. I loved the DBC. I was looking forward to more material. Oh well, sounds like you're taking it in stride, still though, it s harsh. ...Hey, you could apply for the Director or Programmer position for the Olympia Film Festival - ok that's not very realistic geographically speaking but...
It sounds like you're having lovely weather to be outside, and same here in Oly. Cheers. -palu

Eva the Deadbeat said...

You guys are the best, the uber best, the bestest of the mestest! I am babbling here. But really, thanks for giving a damn. Makes me glad, and also, sad.

I will miss YouTube but I guess events change for reasons and maybe this will push me toward that vaudeville tour of Europe David is suggesting. What do you think? Me, an accordian, and 2 others who can perform a variety of talents. Bumming through country after country. Watch out Tonci, we are coming to sing and dance for YOU!

cc said...

Whaaaa-?!?! Oh man sorry to hear this. This stinks. I'm imagining that they are way over-erring on the side of caution here. Curses.

Anonymous said...

happy day :)))))))))
wouldn't that be awesome!!! ;)
i admire you so much for your energy and optimism. if i was only a bit more like you.
all i do is sit and stare at the stupid screen these days...
this youtube situation might just turn out to be a good thing for you.
i've been thinking lately about how numb i've become. i think the more i know, the more books i've
read, the more films i've seen and places i've visited the more bored i am.
but you give me inspiration, you really do.
i have to get a grip and start doing something creative like you or i'll blow my brains out.
at least i have something to look forward to now ;)

Eva the Deadbeat said...

Tonci, stop staring at the evil screen, you should tour Europe with us, we will need a translator! creative is good!

digibudi said...

I'm still in shock.
And I'm so angry at YouTube, for deleting everything, without a word.
I'm grateful though, that I've met The DeadBeat Club. But so sad, my god, so sad.. It was my cup of coffee in the morning, my cigarette after sex. I just can't believe it's all gone. Let's make a bigger DeadBeat Club, without YouTube. I don't like YouTube anymore, it's become boring.. very boring.. who needs it anyway? We've got more than YouTube could ever give, and that's eachother. The tullips are so beautiful!