Auto-Tune the News: Bed Intruder Song
If you ever believed that white TV journalists reporting stories in African American communities conspired to seek out the loudest, most ignorant, inappropriately dressed 'eyewitness' as a means of shaming the black race, look no further than this youtube video which uses actual footage from a news telecast of Antoine Dodson who intervened when an intruder broke into his sister's bedroom and tried to assault her. The resulting youtube clip is an autotuned version of Dodson's account of the previous night's event set to music. All at once, funny and ridiculous, the video is heighten by Dodson facial expressions and hand motions.
P!NK - Glitter in the Air
I usually enjoy watching live performances on youtube. It's one of the few places where you have unlimited access to some of your favorite artists' shows. This clip from the 52nd annual Grammy Awards was, in my opinion, the performance of the night. Despite being in the music business for over a decade, P!nk (nee Alecia Moore) stole the show with a career defining performance that literally raised her to new heights. It was a risk taking rendition of a surprisingly subtle song from the errant pop singer, from the choice of costume to the acrobatics above the crowd. But interestingly enough, despite everything there to distract, P!nk's (live) vocals keep your attention the whole way through…although the trick in the end is pretty cool.
Newsroom- Portable Sewing Machine….
Before the Daily Show and the Colbert Report, there was the Onion, the place on the web for insightful, incisive satire. Originally produced as a free parody newspaper, the Onion has evolved to include videos and a podcast. While many of the clips featured on its youtube channel could be spotlighted, I chose this one because it shows what the Onion does best, take a serious issue, and flip it on it head. Warning: some of the content on the Onion channel are not for the uptight, faint of heart or underage. View with caution.
Man Forced to Marry Girlfriend
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This is the sole non-youtube video on the list and it's a good one. I can't confirm whether the source is real, but this clip is apparently from an Indian news broadcast and the title speaks for itself. It is terrible to laugh at someone else's pain, but the man does himself no service as he cries, writhes in pain, pulls out his hair and faints. Bonus: the narrator does a wonderful job describing the absurdity of the scene without a hint of sarcasm or judgment.
West Coast Swing
Not that you were looking for this particular type of clip, but I had to include it because this style of dance is becoming a favorite of mine. It's not the kind of swing that you would expect: brass heavy sound with high flying aerial dance tricks. On the contrary, this dance is much more grounded and smooth; a slotted dance, as it is called, because the pair moves up and down on a 'line' on the floor. Unlike most other dances, it can be performed to a variety of music styles: fast and slow, classic and contemporary.
Marvin Gaye Sings the National Anthem
Ever wonder how the Star Spangled Banner would sound if sung like a slowed down love song? No? Then clearly, you've never heard Marvin Gaye do what only Marvin Gaye could do with our beloved anthem. Sung at the 1983 NBA All Star Game, the balladeer takes a bold step forgoing the usual trumpets and drums for a keyboard and a smooth syncopated beat. Watching this clip, you'd have thought members of the audience were at one of his concerts rather than a sporting event. For a moment, I thought the man would be showered with some lady's unmentionables rather than applause.