Oh, YouTube. You’ve given us Justin Bieber, the guy who just wanted Britney left alone and now Rebecca Black.
For those able to avoid the Internet for days at a time, Rebecca Black’s music video (in only the most literal sense) Friday has blogs, geeks and music fans in quite a tizzy. Produced by Ark Music Factory, who claims to have more “undiscovered talent,” the song, the dance moves and the entire idea is little more than a very shiny, very polished turd, but the quality of the piece is irrelevant.
The idiots claim the internet fame game has changed. Anyone, anyone that is with $2,000 to spend with places like Ark Music Factory, can fund their child’s way into fame and fortune. Ignore the fact that the online backlash surely is absolutely too much to subject any teenager to, popularity often has a price. The single is sitting at #46 on the iTunes top music chart and has surely earned its initial $2,000 investment back a few times over.
So a young kid sang a fairly stupid song and then had/asked her parents to help her make a music video, right? I understand that part. I also understand Ark Music Factory’s role in all of this, as they see “undiscovered talent” as a great way to make money for everyone.
What I really, really don’t get it the horrible, vile and just mean public backlash over this. Gawker, Techcrunch and just about every geek/tech/gossip site out there has seen, publicized and trashed this video and I’m not exactly sure why. Granted, it’s bad, but is it so catchy bad that it deserves this level of scorn? Ke$ha sucks, but even she didn’t get raked across the coals this way.
Jealousy? Envy? Disappointment?
I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I do know this: I hope she has access to a helluva PR team, because her time in the spotlight surely can’t last the much longer.
I mean, who would want to watch someone embarrass themselves?
4 Comments on “Rebecca Black Ain’t No Quack”
I’ve been pretty quiet about TDH’s posts the past month but I have to say, after what I consider a sketchy start, he’s started producing some interesting pieces for Valley PR Blog. (But don’t tell him I said so.)
I made myself watch this video and I have to say about this also: I don’t see that it’s any worse–as a video that is–than most of the other videos I’ve watched on MTV and elsewhere. Of course I’m not a music video afficionado so perhaps I’m not tuned into the nuances of what separates dreck and dross from gloss.
The song is, well, catchy, if mindless and I kept hoping for some redeeming lyric or shot that would take it out of the realm of a child’s nursery rhyme. But even Curt Cobain (and his intimtes) said that his lyrics were just there to give an excuse for the music.
Maybe that’s just a sad commentary on the nature of music videos.
But the big question is: Why does she go to the bus stop when she knows her posse will be coming along in a few minutes?
I don’t blame Rebecca, her parents, or even Ark Music Factory for this musical turd (which, by the way, isn’t much worse than half the crap on the Billboard Top 40). This is about consumers — we as a group have bad taste in culture and an inability to not rubberneck at junk (see Charlie Sheen and Sarah Palin).
Last night I actually watched a show on VH1 called Top 40 Fails (laughing at other people’s stupidity is America’s new pastime). Why else would Snooki be famous? Don’t tell me you don’t laugh at Tosh.0?
It’s our fault. We deserve Rebecca Black. She’s not the one who clicked on her video and sent it to a million other people — we did that.
Jim – lowering expectations is an integral part of any long-term success plan.
Len – I didn’t finish watching the Rebecca Black video, nor did I share it with anyone. I also don’t watch reality TV. Can I look down on everyone that does?
Think Rebecca Black “Friday” is bad…listen to this one…Jenna Rose “My Jeans” Click on the link for the video http://tinyurl.com/4uns9ty