I’m just so glad this cat’s out of the bag, so I can officially boast that I used LonelyGirl15’s Visine in the dressing room. Too bad the set was closed to cameras. In one of those moments I wish I had on tape, I had to ask the star of LonelyGirl15 what we should call her, because I couldn’t remember if Jessica was her real name or stage name.
Says the Hollywood Reporter about the HBO Labs web series debuting October 1, “”Hooking Up” could prove groundbreaking for the nascent webisode genre by amassing a sizable viewership, given its aggregation of Internet personalities who can promote the production to their devoted audiences of millions of young viewers.
Tilzy called it “a small scale Ocean’s 11 for the YouTube set.” I don’t know what I’m allowed to say or not say about this production, so I’ll keep it safe and say that some of the people that work for HBOLabs are so cute and talented I’d buy McDonald Happy Meal toys of their likeness. And this post is not a McDonalds or Visine promotion anymore than yesterday’s Twinkie post. I got contacted last night by a Forbes.com guy writing about sponsored blog posts, and I groaned at the thought that anyone would think my pop culture references have backdoor incentives. Ewww!
YouTubers of the HBO web series include whatthebuckshow, sxephil, lonelygirl15, kevjumba, charlestrippy, smpfilms and nalts. Honestly I thought I was an extra, until I was walking off the set and I saw some people I didn’t know. “They’re extras,” someone explained.
And for the record, this isn’t the first time all of us have been scripted. In a grade school production of The Wizard of Oz, I was the soldier that leaned over upon the dying Wicked Witch of the West and said, “she’s dead… you’ve killed her.”
“Hooking Up,” by the folks who brought you RunAway Box, can be seen at www.hookingupshow.com or www.hbolab.com. The YouTube channel is here. See more coverage of the series in The Huffington Post, Tilzy, TechRadar, and Silicon Alley Insider. NewTeeVee is the only publication that didn’t bury its lead (Chris Albrecht used my name in the headline a opposed to “the show also included…”). Hee hee.
What do you think? Do Jessica (LonelyGirl15) and Sxephil have chemistry?
Congrats, Mr. Nalts!
See, everyone? That wasn’t so hard. Try it!
They’re all so young. I’m thinking you’re gonna play a dirty old man. Maybe a dirty old professor. I don’t see where you fit in. Frankly, I think you ARE an extra.
I love crushing your dreams.
P.S. I’m gonna miss you so much when you give up this blog for your HBO fame.
LOL #3 @sukatra…ditto. We’re gonna have to bring him back to this blog as proof that we were his friends back in the day. That’s if he doesn’t it take it down! I can hear it now, “sukatra, who?” DAMN!
wickity wack is what I say! :o)
@#1MM here we go…
Way to go Mr. Nalty (that’s what we have to call him now) Hope you blow up in a big way! (and I mean in ratings…not into little pieces)
:o)
How nice for you. I wish you the best. You go, guy. You deserve it. You are in! You worked hard for this. You are in the fast lane now.
But please, don’t pretend the same could happen for any of us. We’re not worthy. 🙂
I had the same initial reaction as sukatra in comment #2 above. Nalts? He’s too old. Not in the same demographic. But you broke the glass floorboards, Kevin. You did it! I knew you would. Said so 2 years ago in my blog. You know the post.
What do they say? Make new friends. But keep the old. One is silver but the other’s gold. That’s the WVFF family, folks. I’d do anything for you except loan you money or respond to e-mails.
Hey- how’d you guess I’m an old professor? Well I’m chummy with another professor. And neither of us knew the other was cast as the other until right before they flew us to LA.
And don’t think for a second that I think I’ve made it. Until something pays my mortgage, it’s just play.
I’ll throw in my Congrats too and tag on to mdj’s words – bout time I say! Hoping this will lead to bigger and better mortgage payments and maybe college tuition, you’re kids are gonna need it!
I’m going to keep my mouth shut about the series, (oops too late) even though I think it’s a plus for you and the buck, but the comments on Phil’s channel will be highly entertaining, unless there’s some hbo naked sex scenes.
I wanted to do something like this, only it’d be more Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind rather than Saved by the Bell.
One day somebody will give me a million dollars to make a film. I can’t wait to waste it!
Hey, can you get me a job as a writer for the show? For that clip where they’re talking about their favorite TV shows, I think it would have been funny for somebody to throw in “Leave it to Beaver.”
This is old news to me.
Meh.
But I guess I have to praise you and make you feel special all over again.
WOO WOO…
:oP
Nalty, this is where I met you in person at AFI!
-Punchy 😉
so, nalts, since you’ll do anything for us except lend us money or respond to our emails, then you’ll give us (me) money, right? it’s not lending, it’s giving, it’s charity, see? DO IT FOR MY FUTURE, KEVIN!
what brindle said.
Hoooooooo hooooooooooo! Jesus gonna be here, gonna be here soon! Hollywood be thy name.
🙂
Can I get a loan Mr. BIG Balla? Mr. Deep pockets!
LOL…Kev, I get paid everytime I watch your videos! :o)