fifteen minutes

"See that girl sitting over there? She said she thought she recognized you from a picture on my blog. She said she thought you were my boyfriend, but she wasn't sure."

"Really? I guess I'm an internet celebrity. I teach pop culture, and now I'm part of it."

***

The internet has a great way of taking the proverbial 'nothing' and turning it into something, or some thing, at least. Early last year, I was sent to an interview at MTV. All I was told was that the subject was getting her own reality show, and that she had become popular over Myspace. As it turns out, the person in question was actually Tila Tequila, the squat, bogus bisexual that (somehow) charmed her way onto two seasons of a bungled dating show. Yes, I got out of bed for that interview, and many others like it. May that job rest in peace.

Then, of course, we can't forget ludicrous cyber legends like Cory Kennedy, Chris Crocker, lonelygirl15, and that kid who had his finger bitten by Charlie. Unfortunately, my old job didn’t afford me the opportunity to chat with any of them.

The best part is, though, that most of these people had no intention of hitting it big and hurtling toward useless notoriety. And for those who did forecast fame after uploading their first Youtube video, I consider them even more piteous than the others.

For example, I was cruising craigslist as a means to pacify my unemployment anxieties today, and I came across this advert below.

(click the image to enlarge.)

The job op is obviously good for a giggle, but it's also really quite scary. Public distinction is no longer a concession reserved for those who are actually important.

I learned today that New York magazine writes features on Olivia Palermo, and that Amber Lee Ettinger is actually getting a record deal. Shocking, I know. And all thanks to the ol' world wide web. But, people in glass houses should not throw stones, just like girls in front of lap-tops, happily blogging on a Saturday night (maybe hoping to be discovered by Graydon Carter's assistant, while he links through the blogosphere on Monday morning, maybe not...) should not discredit the phenomenon that is the internet celebrity.

So, job-1004530926, if you're out there, maybe your big break can also be my big break. Let me know if you're interested in getting famous with me, and maybe one day I'll have my own MTV show too. Dream big.