YouTube stardom is s0 flimsy and youtube stars are living proof to its frivolity. A single movie posted online can be shared, loved and downloaded by millions for no apparent reason. And some Youtubers got really famous for a while at least.
What happened with those Youtube superstars that were all the rage like Obama Girl, Rebecca Black, Antoine Dodson, Tay Zonday, and Chris Crocker? Some of them were single button famous while some others were and still are a sensation that made the leap from the internet virtual world to real life recording, acting and filming. Let’s catch up with the viral sensations who brought us such pleasure once (and usually only once) upon a time. Here are youtube’s 10 most famous stars update.
10| The Homeless DJ | YouTube views: 16,229,804
The Columbus Dispatch put a video report online that had homeless man Ted Williams basically doing a “Will Do Deep Radio Voice for Money” schtick. It was as if you suddenly found the guy who says “In a world where…” in movie trailers trolling for spare change on your street corner. Everybody loves a redemption tale, and former DJ Williams seemed primed for one, but as anyone who’s followed the news over the last few years knows, it hasn’t been that simple for the Man With the Golden Voice. He was hired for voiceover gigs by MSNBC, Kraft, and the Cleveland Cavaliers, among others, even as he appeared to have detoxed. But in January 2011, he admitted on the Dr. Phil show that he’d relapsed, and immediately entered treatment, only to leave after 12 days.
9| Obama Girl | “Crush on Obama” Youtube views: 24,937,605
It seemed strange that 2008′s presidential pinup girl told the Daily Caller in early June that she was “not as excited as last time, that’s for sure” and keeping her voting plans “to myself. If I’m not making videos, I’m not sure it’s anyone’s business who I’m voting for this time around.” And if she’s not making videos, what is she doing? “Going back to school full time, acting and developing my jewelry line.”
But the erstwhile Obama Girl tipped everyone off to her discontent early in 2012 when she made a video calling out the President, sung to the tune of “You”re the One That I Want” from Grease. Sample lyrics: “”You better step up, ’cause I need that man, if my old crush on you was true…/’Cause across the land all our hearts were bet on you.”
8| Keyboard Cat | YouTube views: 24,965,169
Keyboard Cat has been dead since 1987. That’s right, “Fatso,” the original Keyboard Cat, who was made by owner Charles Schmidt to appear to be cranking out a tune in 1984, met his maker decades before becoming a viral video star in 2007. It was Brad O’Farrell who had the idea to use the footage to “play off” less deserving stars. The footage became such a meme that Weezer actually used the clip to play themselves off each night on tour.
7| Rebecca Black | “Friday” YouTube views: 34,508,048
Like it or not, she’s “in the studio recording an album right now,” Black told reporters as she attended the premiere of Katy Perry’s new movie—adding, “It’s a little bit different than what I have put out so far.” Which may come as a relief to the tens of millions of non-fans who found “Friday” to be an unforgivable ear worm.
Weirdly, she’s also gotten involved in presidential politics—Mexican presidential politics. The just-turned-15-year-old from Anaheim made news last month by going south of the border to hold a press conference endorsing Enrique Peña Nieto, a decision that seems just a little less odd when you learn that her uncle is also a member of the candidate’s Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) party.
6| Chris Crocker | “Leave Britney Alone” YouTube views: 43,904,395
He’s the only one of our viral video sensations to merit his own HBO documentary, which premiered last week. The New York Times said it was “affecting.” The Atlantic Wire called it “a strange and depressing look at Mr. Leave Britney Alone himself, Chris Crocker.
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