Number 6 in the “Top 10 Posts to the Blog” was about YouTube. Since I don’t have anything going on at the current (but will tomorrow as I’m shooting with new model Gracie…pics to come!), I figured I’d take you for a lengthy walk on one case of YouTube nuttiness…my favorite one, really…the insanity/drama surrounding one Eric Douglace and his “campaign” to rid the world of Justin Beiber haters. I may wind up missing tons of details, but this is MY ACCOUNT of the nuttiness as I saw it, years after the fact.
I was just wandering thru YouTube one day, and saw this video uploaded about some kid who thought the world of his idol, Justin Beiber, and was declaring war upon a society that didn’t agree that Justin was the greatest. The fact that he SEEMED to have actual ability behind the threat was what was so “drama-fascinating” about the whole thing…
First Strike:
WAR is declared upon Justin Beiber Haters
Man, when I first saw this vid, I was stunned. Was this kid serious? Could he do the things he said he could? Track IP addresses, find names, street addresses and then post them to a website? He DOES say he’s got access to his uncle’s INTERPOL software and FCC connections to help him along… He says within the video that he’s gonna find out IP addresses of all the Justin Beiber haters, find out real names and post them to a website in order to shame people into removing anti-Justin comments/commentary. Radical and extreme, no?
The “Declaration” video goes viral. The YouTube community is suddenly abuzz with this brash kid who’s lashing out in the name of Justin Beiber. The kid’s ego has prolly been fed, so he continues his “War”. He’s added an ally (the video opens with the new kid), and a new video style…he’s wearing ostentatious sunglasses and does this video shirtless. The “War” intensifies…
The first target of the “War” is named…YouTube user “LifeInATent” becomes the first named in the campaign. His sin? Making YouTubers aware of the war, and uploading a video of Justin Beiber getting hit with a bottle. The uploader threatens to get his YouTube account suspended, and his own website pulled…also to have him arrested. Things start getting weirder by the second…
Impending “Legal” action against two YouTube members
Now the kid makes a 2 minute open letter statement against his now two main targets, LifeInATent and OutbackZack. Talk about publicity empowering young minds…YouTube should have an early age limit and keep kids from uploading… As a side thought, as I was watching all this, it was starting to seem a bit real…but I should’ve known better. 😛
Eric takes a break. His buddy starts making videos, including this one about the reactions the kids’re getting from their campaign. Crank calls waking them up at 4am are getting to their young minds and weakening them… Eric is in the background, hacking OutbackZack and LifeInATent’s accounts…apparently. Here’s where the shit hits the fan:
Another YouTube user went into the frey and EXPOSED it all. It was just a giant TROLLING done by Eric, LifeInATent, and OutbackZack. All done for publicity, grins…and just for the sheer hell of it. The “war” is pretty much over, but Eric still has more to say.
Interesting video. He says he’ll leave YouTube…if we the public APOLOGIZE to HIM. Eric’s been having an interesting life lately (Mounted Police at the door [Eric is Canadian], ISP’s calling him, reports to the FBI), and this is his response to it all. Fascinating to watch someone so wrong justifying themself. Wild.
WOW…this one’s the icing on the cake. He completely breaks down and says all the stress and strain from it has gotten to him. One other thing…he did this all for the sake of a HOLLYWOOD CAREER. Yup, this gigantic troll was for the sake of getting a career in ACTING…or so he says. COMPLETE and utter FAIL…but it also makes one wonder.
This whole thing (and my cataloging of it here) was a FASCINATING human relations study. Watching all this was like an episodic drama…and it was all really happening. This was completely unscripted…this actually HAPPENED. The power and possibility of fame was enough to draw this young person to utter and complete ruin. FASCINATING and compelling drama, and one interesting story.
Tolstoy