The utopian ideal: an alternative to the existing culture. (Punk rock, independent music, the 60s counter-culture...
The bar is lowered.
If it's dum, it's affirming?
Fresh, original, unexpected.

I call it a break-through.

"It came from nowhere, it made no sense at all, and yet it's so strangely compelling." -- Salon.

Novelty: Pop culture caters to musical tastes -- in this case, of a different culture.

It's a CD of Pokemon songs.
"151 friends is just right."

The form is an artifact of the technology

While we all own a press, there's minor issues like access to other technologies. It's easier and more effective to animate existing photos than to create original animation.

Soundtracks are easier to find - any wacky tune can be synchronized to the animation.

Behind the scenes.

Hyakugojyuuichi was created by a 14-year-old, 9th grade, home-schooled student.

Visionary? Immature adolescent? A little of both?

Provokative. It raises that question.

Cited in a University of Texas course on "Technology, Literacy and Culture." ("Is there something inherent to the way people use the web that facilitates or even drives people to participate...")

There's some ambiguity.

Is it a conscious act of pop culture deconstruction?
Or ego and vanity.

"Because they can." If the bar has been lowered; then what's going to crawl across.

Conscious rejection of the media

Has 28 clips from various stations.

(Richard Simmons, "The Price is Right," Jerry Lewis telethon, heckling a street preacher...)

Gloating commentary "What turned out to be a marginal hax at best was instantly shot to 'tops' status when the anchorgoobs at the desk did a little newsy chuckle and mentioned the hax during their segue banter!..."

Microphone guy (over shoulder)
Koalie the other shoulder)
Enamored with work: New Year's Eve (Watch the tired reporter's face)

Not because they're good, but because -- they're bad.
Everyone is a curator -- an empowered pop-culture critic -- showcasing the good, the bad, and the ugly.
And besides, we promised to torture celebrities.

Frank's Vinyl Museum

Easy targets like Donna and Marie, the Banana Splits, Goldie Hawn

Disco albums.

For Christmas
By Count Chocula
By Ethel Merman

Abba in Spanish

Telly Savalas singing "You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling"
Jack Klugman and Tony Randall sing Carly Simon's "You're So Vain"
Muhammad Ali vs. Mr. Tooth Decay

Superfriends

A detailed critique of each character

Incensed that Aquaman Sucks (Official t-shirt)

Illustrated with Clips from the series. ("Giant squid creating monster fish")

Sixty-four 1970s comic book ads

"Mayor! That giant frog has cut off our Twinkies(R) supply!"

Interview with a D.C. comics executive.

Other bad comic book ads.

"You kids deserve a medal! Where did you get that 22" rifle and that bow and arrow?"

"We earned them selling White Cloverine Brand Salve"

"Wow! I'm gonna sell some of that salve too!"

Now writes a column for an alternative newsweekly in the Bay Area called "The Wave" -- writing reviews of bad movies.

Foods Lileks party cakes
Unbearable sadness of vegetables

Greeting cards
Flotsam on eBay

Mr. T

Mr. T vs. Everything
Mr. T vs. Christina Aguilar

"Mr. T! Help! Some new singer is trying to impersonate Britney!"
Part II

Threatened business models.

In the early days, the mass media mis-represented the online world.
There was no censorship / adult content / pirated software / exploratory hacking

This was cast as a threat. Time Magazine's Cyberporn cover story.

Anti-blogger articles, Doonesbury

While alternate interpretations of copyrighted images may be unethical and even possibly illegal -- it was also pretty easy.

Starbucks parody

Meat of the Loom

Shows of support

"I support free speech. Even against large underwear companies."

"Keep your looms off my loins"

"Freedom of speech doesn't end at an elastic wasteband"

Mentos

Domain goes to fan

The Church of Mentos ("They're NOT just ads...")

Anti-AOL sites like The hacker vs AOL

Web-a-Sketch

EFF vs. entertainment industry this Spring.

Fun with President Bush

Re-contextualize
Media-saturated culture
Reflexive, self-conscious irony.

Never underestimate the value of humor.
From the Burning Man FAQ: "You will know that you are in a community if you ofter hear laughter."

Rubber Duckie: Bathtime fun with Michael Jackson