Lisa on Lonelygirl15
The melodramatic angst of a teenager named Bree absorbed millions who viewed her videos at YouTube.com throughout the summer. Out of the blue, everyone was talking about the home-schooled girl, forwarding video links to friends, and obsessing over the tiny details of her life and relationships. Early last week, we learned that Bree was, in fact, the fictional “project” of three under-30 filmmakers named Miles Beckett, Mesh Flinders and Greg Goodfried.
This revelation sparked an entirely new discussion: Should the young Lonelygirl15 masterminds be applauded as savvy marketers and self-promoters – don’t forget that they’ve now been signed with Creative Artists Agency – or is this yet another fabrication in our James-Frey-and-Stephen-Glass culture?
Everyone’s got an opinion. Check out this Associated Press story by Karla Starr and see what Lisa Johnson has to say about the Lonelygirl15 phenomenon. Wherever you stand in the controversy, it’s clear that underground networks have more power than ever before. Those little bits and pieces that we find and share with our friends, families, and colleagues drive and inform mainstream culture. What will be next?
This post was written by Cheri Hanson
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