Two years ago, YouTube did not exist. Thousands of videos of teenagers hurting themselves, or of miraculous golf shots or of dreaming beagles were simply the sole domain of their owners. No one really saw these videos, and maybe more importantly, nobody really cared about them. YouTube, along with the ability to upload videos via a digital camcorder, gave people an outlet to express themselves and provided a forum for people to comment. Only in YouTube could "LOL" be considered a witty rebuttal.
That said, there was a YouTube far before this version and far before the explosion of digital video cameras. People shared their videos with the public and the public shared their comments. Often, these videos contained scenes of hilarity, comedy and other funny situations. And this forum, as primitive as it may be, is still going strong, accepting videos on a weekly basis.
So, what is it?
America's Funniest Home Videos, of course! Send your video, share it with the public and perhaps become a minor celebrity. Isn't that the objective of uploading a digital movie on YouTube - to gain popularity and notrierity? People aren't recording movies with their digital video camcorder to make a political statement or to make earth-shattering proclamations. They're there to upload a video of someone getting bagged, and get some giggles out of it. Same with America's Funniest Home Videos.
The digital camcorder, rightly or wrongly, has made a moviemaker out of everyone. While some people are quite talented with a video camera, there are others who should have a restraining order put against them. America's Funniest Home Videos and YouTube does not discriminate between the talented and the mundane. They both only seek content. And, if the popularity of YouTube and the longevity of America's Funniest Home Videos are any indication, there are thousands of people willing to provide that said content with their camcorders.
People use their camcorders for a variety of reasons: to document, to remember, for evidence, to embarrass. Not just a means of recording and saving a moving picture, the digital camcorder is just as much a medium as the Internet or radio. It's now become a transmission for all within broadcast range to catch. And since the Internet has an almost unlimited reach, everyone is literally watching everyone else's movies. Tom Arnold only wishes he had that kind of exposure.
America's Funniest Home Videos promised cash as its reward. YouTube promises fame, which can be considered a more precious currency. There are YouTube celebrities who, with nothing but a digital video camcorder, have their videos watched almost religiously. The camcorder makes movies for all, and stars out of some.
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