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The modern news consumer ignores Weblogs and online citizen journalism at his own peril. But not everyone has the time to keep track of what's going on the Web. With this blog we hope to track the highlights of what's being discussed online so when news breaks from the Web, we're ready.

Will Femia is a Weblog enthusiast who, through good fortune and dumb luck, was introduced to the form as his position as chat producer for MSNBC.com careered into obsolescence. On any given day, Will can be found having already spent an unhealthy amount of time squinting at a computer screen.

Send a message to Will at spotter@msnbc.com



A strange rash of celebrity Web spectacles

Posted: Friday, August 22, 2008 1:31 AM by Will Femia

I guess because Roseanne Barr has decided to pick on Brangelina in her blog. Some gossip outlets have turned their attention to it, creating a cascade that has brought the link onto the Clicked radar.

The Britney mic feed video may be scandalous to some but it makes perfect sense to me and it's something I always wondered about those dancey singers with the headset mics. How do they exert themselves physically like that and still sing clearly? Hell, I can't even walk fast and talk without sounding winded. Of course the next question is why bother with the illusion if all they're really doing is gasping and croaking?

You may have read about the David Hasslehoff social network this week. Apparently the guy thinks that love for him can be a point of bonding and unity between strangers. On the one hand it may be the most absurd idea ever. On the other hand, doesn't it seem like people who are so fanatical about David Hasslehoff that they'd join his social network might actually share some hard-to-define commonality?

What's remarkable about this video of Tiger Woods walking on water isn't the video trick or even the naked blasphemy but that it is apparently a video reply from a massively popular and powerful video game company starring a massively popular and powerful athlete to an utterly unremarkable video game fan YouTube clip. Here's the original video. A new twist on the ancient lesson: You never know who's reading what you put online.

Jay Leno to U.S. auto makers: It Ain't That Hard, Folks. Make Better Cars.

This one is kind of a non-celebrity celebrity item. He's not Michael Phelps but I guess being a tall white guy is close enough as far as some Chinese are concerned. (I should say, a tall white guy with a camera crew, which probably flags him as famous whether he's Phelps or not.)

And depending on whose campaign ads you believe, Obama may qualify for the celebrity list. He's now the most followed Twitter user. His Tweets are just announcements of where he is, usually with a link to watch him online. I confess I signed up for his vice presidential text message announcement. So far no spam but I find it hard to believe they're going to amass that database and not try to make use of it later.

Speaking of politics and celebrities, W. the film has a site now - and posters and new trailers and stuff.

Oh, and of celebrity Twitterers? How 'bout John Cleese?

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Comments

I've listened to the Britney mic feed video and as much as I try to attribute her horrendous singing to to the fact that she's winded from all the dancing, I just can't. I grew up with a sister who could sing, and not just sing, but carry a tune and sing WELL. She sang practically all the time, regardless of what she was doing, even when she was doing her aerobics (yes, this was the 80's). When she was winded, her songs came out breathy, and she couldn't hit high notes or hold a note for long, but she was still IN TUNE. And my sister wasn't a professional singer with years of experience either.

Windedness doesn't even come close to explaining Britney's awful vocals. The only explanation is that she can't carry a tune to save her life.

JE, Detroit (Sent Friday, August 22, 2008 9:35 AM)

Performers on Broadway dance and sing at the same time without any problem.  Pop singers who can't are either untrained or lazy.

 

Jay - Blacksburg, Virginia (Sent Friday, August 22, 2008 1:25 PM)

So it's now official...Nigel Incubator-Jones--a.k.a. John Cleese--is the winner of the "Upper-Class Twitter Of The Year Show".  His best friend (a tree) must be very proud.

My brain hurts...

Michael T, Hollywood, CA (Sent Friday, August 22, 2008 1:50 PM)

"It's not a glitch.  He's just that good."  This sounds like meme of the month.

InJM, Japan (Sent Sunday, August 24, 2008 8:22 PM)

Does anyone really not believe that major-party presidential candidates--all of them--have celebrity status?  Celebrity implies fame and recognizability, which are part and parcel of being at this level of politics.

And that guy does look a little like Phelps.

Jack Weber (Sent Thursday, August 28, 2008 11:34 PM)



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