The Monetization of Internet Celebrity

Sure, Internet celebrities have been around for a while. We all remember the Star Wars Kid. And back in the day (about 2 yrs ago) they seemed content in their relative obscurity. But have you noticed lately how some of these self-made stars are cashing in on their 15 min? Who needs an agent when you have YouTube?














1. Tila Tequila
Ms. Tequila started off a simple hottie on MySpace.com. Her bodacious (yes, I used that word) body graced the pages of many a "friend" thanking them for the add. And now she's into her second round of reality TV bliss on WH1's A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila 2. And what has she done? Nothing but offer up her friendship. Awww. How generous. And how lucrative. Being nice pays off...



2. My New Haircut
How could these Jersey Shore "broskis" predict over 17 million (and counting) YouTube views of their infamous, "My New Haircut" video, a spoof about working out, drinking Jager-bombs and dealing with "Skanks." These guys are laughing all the way to the bank because now they are actually being paid to make appearances at bars to promote Jagermeister and Heineken specials and presumably start fights, pop their collars and take steroids. And you know what? They are calling these appearances the "Skanks and Broskis Tour." Seriously, they are getting paid for this. Ah, America.
















3. Chris Crocker
Where to begin? Chris Crocker's YouTube Channel is one of the top 20 viewed channels on the site and his combined views total more than 45 million. His most famous video, "Leave Britney Alone" defends pop star Britney Spears' uninspiring performance at the VMAs. That video has lead to public appearances, cameos on music videos and reality shows, and even rumors of his own reality show. This is what happens when you have something to say and you can work your webcam!

Those are just a few extreme examples...but I'm sure you could find tons of similar folks that are cashing in. Even blogger friends of mine are getting paid to host ads on their blogs. So cool. I love the Internet's shift from primarily an information source to a self-promotion tool. As always, curious to see what will come next...any thoughts?