Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Internet Celebrity

Just some food for thought:


I recently found a video by a youtube user called LadyEvar who is talking about the idea of the YouTube Celebrity, and uses Liam, Min, Charlie, myself and Alex as examples.

She brings up a particular situation from my SkyMall Fiesta video where someone left a comment telling me that since I am slightly taller than Alex, we look strange together and our relationship is wrong. I got a bit defensive telling them that my personal life and relationship is my own business and I don't need people on the Internet deciding whether Alex and I look good together. He told me that since I put up videos, I therefore have to deal with criticism. I told him that by all means I welcome criticism of my video, of the fiesta movement, of that particular video, but not of my relationship because it's irrelevant.

Until I post a video called, "What do you think of Alex and I together?" I don't want to hear a damn thing from anyone about whether or not Alex and I should be dating. We should be, is the final word, because we're choosing to be.

LadyEvar's video was about whether or not people have the right to judge "YouTube Celebrities" because we put ourselves out there. We make videos about our lives for people to watch, and then in return, everyone who watches feels like they get to have a say in what they think of our lives. But if I make a video about what I thought of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, do people have a right to comment on how my arm jiggles a tiny bit when I move it? No. I don't think so.

As I said in an e-mail to another user, the one who brought LadyEvar's video to my attention, I never set out to be become well known on YouTube. I never ASKED to have 22,000 subscribers. I didn't go out and MAKE people watch my videos; I never changed what I did to attract people to my channel. I may be friends with people like mememolly and Hank and John Green, but these friendships happened naturally. I didn't start dating Alex to gain subscribers. I didn't start fievawesomegirls as a ploy to get famous. I was just lucky. These things just happened.

And while I do ENJOY having a large audience, I would still be making videos even if I only had 10 subsribers. Honestly.

I started as a girl with a handful of subscribers who were mostly my friends, and now more people watch my videos, sure, but I am no different as a person. I may have gotten better at editing, I may talk faster, but I am still the same girl who started on YouTube two years ago talking about Harry Potter.

I am not a celebrity. I am not conditioned to deal with that kind of scrutiny.
I have a normal day to day life free of paparazzi and then I am expected to go online and deal with that kind of hyper-critical response from complete strangers. Regardless of how I am viewed, it's all VERY new to me.

Someone may look at my channel and see that I have thousands of subscribers and assume I am used to being well-known. To tell the truth, that's just a number. Making videos doesn't feel any different on my end, no matter how many people watch. In general only a few hundred people comment, so it already feels smaller.

If someone has 15 subscribers, makes an excellent video, gets featured and overnight they gain 20,000 subscribers, are they expected to, overnight, learn how to deal with the public viewing them as a celebrity? No. So why should it be any different when it happens over a year? 2 years?

I don't have a solution, or even a "so what?" to end on with this. I just want people to understand that to me, it doesn't feel like I am talking to 22,000 people. I don't get stopped in the streets. I still have homework, and chores, and struggle to pay rent sometimes. I walk into my University and nobody knows who I am.
I still make videos in my bedroom. It's not like I suddenly have a studio audience, a manager, a flashy camera crew, and autograph signing as I enter and exit my house.

My subscriber number has changed, but I haven't. I know what's happening on my side of the screen, but yours? I have no way of knowing. It's completely out of my hands. It's like people are saying once I reach a certain number of subscribers, I should not only accept but welcome people judging every aspect of my life because I did this to myself, becoming "famous" on YouTube. I don't want to stop making videos, but at the same time, my continuing to make videos isn't an open invitation for every judgemental person on the Internet to come and tell when when I should lose weight, who I should date, what I should talk about and when I should let go of Harry Potter and grow up.

What do you think?

51 comments:

Sydney Swift said...

i think that if there was a Team Kristina fighting against the inappropriate and downright mean people on youtube/in the world. i'd be on it.

Ashley said...

I absolutely agree with you Kristina, 'famous' YouTubers aren't objects of scrutiny, they are people too.

I personally view my internet life on youtube as a completely separate section of my life because if or when I tell people that I make videos and post them, I immediately get this look of distaste followed by "How many subscribers do you have?" and when I answer, "About 30, why does it matter? I enjoy making videos," people give me another look as if asking, "Why are you making videos if no one watches them anyway?"

Video comments should comment objectively about the topic, editing, or ideas presented in the video. NOT how the person looks, acts, suggestions for cosmetics, comments about who or who you shouldn't date, etc.

I can't help but completely agree with you. We make videos to have a voice no matter whether there are 2 people or 30,000 people are listening.

Hayley Hoover said...

I'm not going to get into a detailed response here, because we've had this conversation before and certainly will again. I do, however, want to tell you how great you are. I'm still a Kristina Parselmouth/italktosnakes fangirl, but I'm a Kristina Horner fan ten times more.

Alex Day said...

So in my opinion, free speech is brilliant and all that and if people want to judge me, I can't stop them - they are exercising the negative sides of something that I would choose to keep because its positives are worth the bad bits.

HOWEVER - the problem is that people are just rude, and impersonal, and that's the bit that sucks. I feel they have every right to judge me - I just wish they would be a little more sensitive and stop.

Still, most of those people are internet idiots that I just ignore cos of their being twats ^^

Me said...

I completely agree with you. I can't say anything that hasn't already been said, either by you or someone else, but people do seem to think that they have the right to make comments on every aspect of your life that you reveal on YouTube purely because it's out on the Internet. I hope these people start to back off and give you a bit more privacy. :)

Indigo said...

I think it's cool that you accept criticism on the things you say, it's good to be open minded. But people definitely shouldn't be rude about it, let alone criticize your personal life. That's just mean.

Unknown said...

Just as a side note, my ex-boyfriend was an inch shorter than me too ;) We also had people say it was weird for me to be taller than him. It's annoying, but it's not the end of the world.

I think it's completely ridiculous that most people think that just because they let you into their lives for 3+ minutes, that they have the right to say you should change something about yourself just because they decide to let you in for those three minutes.

Anonymous said...

I can't say anything that hasn't already been said, but I can say that you do have a life outside of Youtube, and people don't have the right to criticize it. I don't know you personally, Kristina, but from your videos, you seem like a really cool person. Not just as a Parselmouth, or wrocker, just as an all around cool person. And no one has the right to say these things, just because you're considered famous. I would still watch your videos even if they had no subscribers whatsoever. This comment probably doesn't help much, but that's really all I have to say. Don't worry about the ones that have to say something negative, or want to judge you. =]

IFTBA said...

The only right a person doesn't have is the right to take away other people's rights. People can think, feel, and say whatever they want. The only control you have over your world is how you decide to act. The wise option is to decide to let people have their opinions about everything under the sun. That's how we live together on this planet (if that is our fate). It's called harmony. The alternative is to try to tell the world how its relationship with you works. But you can only control one side of that relationship. Yours. You can yell or you can run away, but you can't make people decide how they're going to act.

Your problem is not that some idiot said you look weird with Alex. Your problem is that you decided to try and tell an idiot what's what. You can't change that guy's problem. You can only change your own.

Tolerate comments or disallow them. There isn't a third option that yields a result. Yep, you can complain about them, but it leads nowhere. That's the sad truth. Everyone should be so lucky as to learn it sooner than later.

Caitlin said...

I completely agree with you.

I get defensive when people judge famous people like Britney Spears and such, as it's her life and up to her how she lives it, and it will just stress her more to know millions of people sit at home criticizing her.

A person who takes time out of their life to point out things wrong with others needs to take a good look at themselves.

Obviously, people will criticize videos, and that is expected, but unless you film yourself 24/7, and have literally your whole life on youtube; unless you give up privacy and post videos of the parts of your life that are private, people have no right to judge you on things such as this.

It does not effect them in any way, and as long as you're happy, there's no need for them to pay attention to any other part of your life.

mycupofbooks said...

Hi,

I'm one of those annoying subscribers who never leaves a comment, but I just wanted to tell you I agree.

I think it's really easy for other YouTubers to look at your number of subscribers and see just a really, really big number. People think "oh jeeze, half the internet is following her" and for some reason that changes their perception of you. Maybe people think because you're so popular, they can say whatever they want in the comments, because you have 22,000 subscribers and what are the odds you actually read your comments?

It's silly logic, but I think that's what is going on through people's heads when they write thinks like you and Alex not being a good couple based on height (which is really dumb by the way).

Also, there are just some really rude people out there on the internet who thrive off internet anonymity and use it say every nasty thing they would never ever say in real life. You probably attract more of these types because your videos are being watched by more people, but even my YouTube channel (which only has 50 subscribers) gets the nasty comments about my appearance, my interests, etc. I figure that's what the "remove" button is for.

I got started watching your videos because I was a Parselmouths fan, and so from my point of view, I don't really understand what's the big deal about the fact that your have 22,000 subscribers. I mean, I certainly don't watch your videos because of that number.

I watch them because I like the videos you make.

alyson said...

I completely agree with you and you are absolutely justified in thinking every aspect of your life shouldn't be scrutinized.

For someone to say you and Alex shouldn't be together because of your heights is not only beyond me but totally ridiculous. Since when did the guy have to be taller? Does he have to be older too? Some people seem to be behind the times a bit.

But alas, you can't stop what people say on youtube so you just have you remember that these people don't really know you and what they're saying isn't based on any solid facts and only you and Alex can be the judges of your relationship.

Crystal said...

I know others have said it before, but I think people see vloggers as a a reality show, and with reality shows, it's like we're allowed to comment on and make fun of the actors and actresses because they're on TV, like TV is a mythical land that no one's ever returned from and so we make up all these stories and say whatever we want because how would they ever find out anyway? And it's not like there'd be any kind of consequences or anything.

But with YouTube, it's more face-to-face, in that there's no middle man. You do everything, we watch and comment on it, and you read and listen to those comments. If someone says something hurtful, they might not realize it could hurt you or upset you because they see YouTube as the fantastical neighbor to TV land, while YouTube land is actually right next to us.

Okay, I'm rambling, and I don't think this made too much sense. If I can come up with a better way of describing it, I'll reply again. xD

Kristen said...

I think when it comes to people who like to state "you have to welcome criticism" to not only the topic of your video but yourself as a person are people who are only interested in antagonizing and spreading hate. I do not tolerate these people. I'm with you 100 percent on that they may critique the topic of the video but everything else should be off limits. I only break this rule if I have something positive to say like "gee, your hair looks terrific, what products do you use?" but I leave it at that. Hope the rest of your week gets better!

ThePeterIs said...

I know that you don't ask for it, but you still allow for it, by putting out videos and continuing to be be in the public.

I think it that everyone always has the right to say whatever the heck they want at any given time on any given topic. But you also have the right to ignore them.

I fully agree how ridiculous and downright rude/stupid some commenters are, but it's their right to be moronic, and your right to ignore them.

And honestly, I know the hater comments sting, but try to realize that for every one of those, you have 10 people that love you. When I watch your videos, I usually glance at the comments and find haters to be in the extreme minority.

Don't let a few idiots spoil the fun of hundreds.

Anonymous said...

i actually blogged and vlogged about how much i hate irl ships. if they are fictional characters, so be it, but i actually used you, Alex, and Becky as examples.

Rachel said...

I agree with you Kristina. Just because you are 'famous', it doesn't give people an opportunity to criticize your life. Comments are supposed to be on the video content, not about if your boyfriend is shorter than you. [And by the way, I know it doesn't matter to you, but I think Alex and you look very cute together].

It doesn't really matter if there's only 1 person, or if there's 1 million people watching your videos, because like you said, you're going to keep making them whether that one spiteful person wants you to or not. If they hate the content so much, they should just stop watching, shouldn't they?

I would be on Team Kristina, fighting against the mean and hateful people if there was one. Oh wait, there is.

*Nerdfighter hand motion* Nerdfighters!

Don't let those mean people bother you Kristina [=
*Virtual Hug*
We all love you. XD

Caitlin said...

I was going to write something terribly profound, but all I can do is agree with you. You didn't ask for so many people to watch your videos or relate to you, and your relationship with Alex is in no way anyone's business to judge. It's yours, and it's his, but not anyone who watches your videos. I mean, they can judge you, but it's really not very nice and I don't see the point in watching a video only to bash someone's personal life. I watch you and read your blog because I find you interesting and relate to you on numerous things, and that is because of fiveawesomegirls. Do I find it my place to make judgements on your life? Absolutely not.

Ana said...

Unless the user presents their relationship openly, like you gave the example of making an actual video about their relationship, that matter is extremely out of bounds. We have nothing to do with "YouTube Celebrities'" lives - nothing at ALL.

I personally watch the 5AG and your personal channels and Alex, Charlie, Molly, etc., because you've had impacts on me. You make my days a bit better. You make me laugh, you're part of the awesome Nerdfighting community, and the maximum thing that can happen is getting to know you better, become actual friends and such, but even if that would happen I personally would never, under any circumstance butt into your lives.

You have thousands of people watching you every day for a reason, and my reason is what I just said: you make my days a bit more entertaining and better just by making videos related to Harry Potter or whatever you talk about, and I thank you for that.

Haters really don't deserve attention. <3

Unknown said...

Did people comment on your arms? That's just rude. I guess I kind of feel like if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all. Being rude to you serves no purpose at all, and I don't know why anyone should be.

That is not to say that I have never said anything mean. I have been bitchy about co-workers when at home, or when another co-worker has brought someone up, but I don't see how telling my co-worker that I don't like her would make working with her anything other than worse, so I don't.

Unknown said...

Hmmm... I dunno, I think that in the end, you are putting yourself out there to the world and people have the right to say what they want. It doesn't mean that they are RIGHT, though. Whenever I read comments of YouTube videos, esp. on featured or really popular videos, I'm just amazed at the stupidity of comments on there. It actually sort of depresses me to think that anyone could write something as dumb and ignorant as that. But that's sort of beside the point. You may not be asking YouTube what they think of you and Alex, but people are gonna comment on it no matter what. I think that's just how the internet is.

I feel like people have the right to leave moronic comments. But you, on the other hand, have every right to delete them.

I can see it being frustrating with instead of giving constructive criticism or even just not leaving a comment at all people feel the need to say (type?) things like "u suck! go die in a hole, i just wasted 3.45 minutes of my life watching this" etc etc, I'm sure you've seen it all.

But you know, on the other hand, i was just looking at you channel and there's a whole string of comments about how you should grow up and how it's dumb for a 21 year old to "devote their life to Harry Potter". I mean, what gives some random internet idiot the right to judge you? He doesn't know you and what gives him the right to say you have the mind of a five year old?

Well, I think this is pretty long... I'm not sure what exactly I think about this, but in the end I think you just need to ignore dumb comments like that because in the end, those people are idiots are don't deserve the time of day.

Unknown said...

I guess that sadly, people putting forward their unwanted opinions is not something that can be stopped, whether or not it's right.

So the options really are to do your upmost to ignore them or not to make videos. The second option would be very sad though.

Not that it isn't worth a debate - it's just that it's kind of unstoppable. Also, you talk about not wanting to be 'famous' and just being lucky to have a lot of viewers. But celebrities aren't as different from this, they too do whatever it may be that they enjoy (music, film), as making videos is something you enjoy - they too got lucky and successful, but that doesn't automatically mean they asked for critics to scrutinise them in magazines etc. They just have to learn to live with it (even when it's wrong) as part of their profession.

Sorry for a wildly pessimistic comment! In other words: screw those people!

Afton said...

Kristina don't listen to rude people.

So you know, you and Alex look adorable together.

KaraDawlish said...

i think people are WAAAY to oppinionated and quick to judge you people. Actually specifically with you Kristina wierd things have been happening lately. People are saying some realllly funky things to me about you (people that know you from the parselmouths& YT alike) and they will like judge you straight up they think they know who you are and I don't know you either obviously but im like defending you to these people because how are they randomly going to decide you deserve to be talked shit about. IDk they judge you so much harsher and immediatley because people know who you are. OMG SORRY FOR THIS BEFORE HAND; its like twilight since so many crazy fans love it and are into when people hear about it they are going to immediatley have an opinion even if they havent read it. While other books less attention is called to it so people coupd care less. Am i making ANY sense? im having a hard time putting this comment down and getting out what i have to say without actually REPEATING what this person said so i think im just going to stop now because i cant get anywhere unless i say it and ssaying it would just not help at all so w/e Your Cool people need to Stfu. comment done.

KaraDawlish said...

You just need to decide for yourself which comments are called for and which comments are innapropriate and deserve to be ignored whatever you do you can not let these people get to you& you also cant get them to go away. Thats how people are. People are all Hobos and EVERYONE gets that. You just have a wider audience so your Bound to get more of the stupid people than the rest of us :P Theirs no way to get rid of them without completely getring rid of of all the thoughtful, helping, awesome commenters too. It sucks but unfortunately yea thats what ya gotta live with =/ stupid people :P

Sean said...

I think with any amount of "fame" there are going to be those people who think they know you and think that they know what's good or bad for you. But ultimately only you get to make that decision.

We, the viewers/readers, can have our opinions, but we have no right to tell you what is best for you because we are not you. Even if you ask us what we think, it's still up to you in the end.

Sile said...

everything i think has been said already, by you and in the comments too.
the whole "internet celebrity" thing kind of reminds me of how we follow actual celebrities around and read gossip magazines or whatever about them (of course by we i mean just people... i don't) we forget that they are actually real people. and i think a bit of that comes in in what you're talking about. its not acceptable, even if people do it sub conciously.

Manda said...

I think Mike Wesch puts it well, in that the anonymity of youtube watching and commenting creates a free space for the performance of either fandom or hating. In real life if you were sceptical about someone's relationship you would unlikely go up to someone and tell them something ridiculous like "You are the wrong height so you will never work." But on youtube we don't have to whisper and gossip, we can just be rude and obnoxious because we aren't going to get personally called out about it.

The difference is that you are vulnerable since we know who you are and "we" as commenters are not, since we are anonymous (to an extent). Having said that of course I am not a hater - I am fan like everyone else who is commenting here.

But you raise interesting points Kristina. I was thinking about this a couple of months ago from a different perspective as well. When you are a fan of someone on you tube it isn't like being a fan of a musician because you feel you know them much more. You feel that you are kind of their friend. But that relationship is almost always one way. So the definition of celebrity on youtube is inherently different to what it is in the broader media...

It is discussions like this that make me want to change my PhD direction next year! Thanks Kristina!

Sydney said...

I completely agree with you. Everything that has already been said is exactly the same thing I would have said.

Comments on videos should be about the video itself, not the life of the video maker. Unfortunately there is no filter or a way to prevent stupid haters from commenting on your videos.

nicoleeeyyynyquil09 said...

I find it idiotic when people go around leaving hate comments on peoples videos criticizing them as people. That somehow just because its the internet, they have the right to judge people and their videos. I wonder if these people go around in there day to day lives being just as critical to other "strangers" they may see on the street. Just because you do make videos and are popular on youtube does not give people the right to judge you cuz honestly they dont really know you and dont matter anyway.

Sarah said...

Totally, it's unnecessary (and very rude!) to comment on things about your life that you didn't ask or talk about to your audience.

Don't worry about it. Those people are just wasting your time.

And people who talk about Harry Potter like that are missing out!

Sam Y said...

Pretty much I agree with what you and what a lot of people in comments said.
People have the right to say what they want, but really, why say something mean? I don't feel that people have the right to judge your relationships or your looks or whatever. If they have something to say, it should be in relation to the video.

Unfortunately, the internet can be very mean, though. We just have to accept that.

I think you are amazing and I love your videos.
And I loved this comment:
"i think that if there was a Team Kristina fighting against the inappropriate and downright mean people on youtube/in the world. i'd be on it."

I'd be on that team too :)

Melody said...

Well even with my "only" 6,200 subscribers I get the same crap from people. I don't understand it.

Unknown said...

i think...that you are right :D
<3

SweetZ-- said...

I usually never comment but , i felt like it .
i completely agree with what you said.
people can't tell you who you can date .
it's your life . your decisions
people are just rude and i think they should suck less.
i still think your awesome.
- :)

but the name is Tarah. said...

I completely totally aboslutely could not agree with you more. You haven't changed at all, you're still the same Kristina you've been from the beginning. The Kristina we all know and love.

If anyone has changed, it's the subscribers. They feel that just because more people have chosen to subscribe to you it gives them a right to label you as this youtube whore, when you're SO not that.

These people don't matter, Kristina. The people that matter are the ones that see you for the humble person you continue to be even when your subscriber count skyrockets.

And about the people telling you to move on from Harry Potter, words can't even come close to describing how dumb they are. Anyone who disagrees with the fact that the fans of Harry Potter will remain fans of Harry Potter until they're 90 years old, in a scooter, and no longer possess the energy to chase down Daniel Radcliffe, is a person you don't even want to give a second glance.

janitorbud said...

I wish the internet could be more of a real life interaction.
and i agree with you completely.
and i still look up to you, even though you're "only" a youtube celebrity and even though you probably don't want to hear it.

..yea

Anonymous said...

Okay, so I'm late on commenting on this, but yeah, I agree with you. I do my best to always be kind in comments and if I have critisism, to make it constructive.
Personally, I have a few silly videos on my channel which have somehow gained tens of thousands of views, and often, the comments are rude, mean, or just idiotic. But I do my best just to laugh and ignore it. These douchey internet-people don't know me, and they really have nothing to use against me. So, I just smile and feel bad for the person who is reduced to putting mean comments on videos.

On the other hand, I get a lot of nice comments, and when I read those, they do make me really happy. So I think it balances out, in the end.

-alex

kaitlin said...

I think since there isn't really a prerequisite for stuff like this, people handle it differently. Subscibers, who don't know you on a personal level, or people who just stop by and watch your video, are presented with your video in a similar way they are with a TV show, or a movie. Personally, I know when I went to LeakyCon, I kept being caught off guard by the fact that all of these people from the internet were real. It would be impossible for you to know every single one of your subscibers on a personal level, so you end up having people who treat you as someone intangible, and comment on your life like one of their favorite TV characters. It doesn't make it right, and their opinion doesn't matter.

RhianonLives said...

There's always mean rude people in everyone's life... And since you're a lot more "public" than most, there are more of those for you_ plus, you don't even know them! So I understand how horrible it must be... But still, you should focus on the positives of it all: like the way you make your 22k subscribers' lives a little better! We love you, Kristina... Even if you arms "jiggle"...

Anonymous said...

Hi, Kristina! First time commenting. This OpenID business is nifty. :O I just wanted to add that, as weird as it may sound to you (or not), I myself as a fan don't generally think of you as a celebrity... and I actually wonder if other fans don't think the same when they're watching you on YouTube. While I realize you can't get to every comment on YouTube and I definitely don't fault you for this considering you get, like, close to 500 or more at a time, I always leave comments like I would for a friend I talk to on a daily basis knowing they will most likely read it and comment back. Again, I don't always expect you to get back to me, but I don't like coming across as a fangirl. I think you're a cool person (why else would I continue to watch you on YouTube and read your blog every once in a while if I didn't?), so I treat you like I would a friend... not a celebrity. I don't mean for that to sound strange, so hopefully it doesn't. I just mean that when I'm commenting, I try and pick out the stuff you're talking about that we have in common. Like you said. The stuff you're talking about in your video. Just like if I were commenting on a friend's blog.

Personally, I think there must be fans out there that think like me and I would hope you get more good comments than bad. And if a person really did consider you to be an average non-celebrity girl, I don't see why they would scrutinize the way you live your life with harsh, judgmental comments. You would never do that to an actual friend.

Yeah, my thoughts are all over the place, so hopefully you understand what I mean. XD;

Anonymous said...

i'd just like to say that when LadyEvar said that you got defensive on that comment that you had every right to. if he is stating that because you put up these videos then its your fault and people can say there opinions on everything. but you have the power to counter those comments rather than this commenter to say whatever he feels

George O'Donnell said...

Absolutely agree with you, though I see it more simply and in less words. We are all human, so should just get on with our own lives whether people watch our videos or not - so superfluous conversation about your relationship is irrelevant because people don't know you!

So be happy and ignore stupid comments, because your videos are very good and original! You have a lot of supporters who watch your content :-)

Unknown said...

i definently agree Kristina. i have watched your videos for a some time now, and i think it's cool that you like Harry Potter. i think it's cool you put yourself out there for you and not care what bad critics say. please keep making videos and stay your self.

~a faithful subscriber
Kelly

Mackenzie said...

You haven't changed since you started 2 years ago. Sure you may have more subscribers, or more channel veiws, but your still the same Kristina who started making videos about things that matter to you. When it all comes down to it, it's not going to be about the hateful, or unwanted comments, but about how you choose to ignore them, or find some way to get past them. You have the choice to not listen to those people. Yes, we are subscribed to you, but that doesn't mean that the reasoning has anything to do with fame, we just enjoy your videos and love your music:) But it's not all about that. Even if we don't really know you, every time you make a video, we know you a bit more. We think that you are interesting, a sweet, cool, awesome person. Even before you had 20 000 subscribers. :) Think about the positive things in life, continue to make videos for you, and not anyone who thinks that Harry Potter is stupid or the you and Alex shouldn't be together, just because you don't look right. Just have fun, and keep living life that way you want to live it:)

Jazzy Jazz said...

It's okay, Kristina. To me, you will always be that girl who made her first YouTube video, not some famous person who signs autographs everyday.

Anonymous said...

I'm surprised that no one mentioned the idea of YouTube reading one's comment out loud before it is posted, so here:
http://xkcd.com/481/

There is an urban legend says it was developed and tested.


As much as people envy celebrities, they like tearing them down even more.


There is this NY state public radio show that deals with the ethics and business of the media. Some points brought up on last week's "Media Project."
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wamc/news.newsmain/article/658/0/1531181/Media.Project/The.Media.Project.946

Ira Fusfeld, newspaper publisher.

- The great middle is rarely heard from.
- Those who are high profile have to be careful with email.


Dr. Chartock, President of a public radio network, answers every phone call and email.

- Some people try to take advantage of that you respond to them
- governor Cuomo used to call reporters who wrote stories he disagreed with. When he started.
- There are those who are not nice out there.
- They are interested only in making themselves taller in their own minds.
- It only takes a few to sour you.


YouTube is much like local politics in how people respond to the news makers despite its global reach.
A guy's lady friend? Totally fair game.
Including being publicly attacked by the governor.
It is a matter of being polite or not.
Will Kristina move to an invite-only drop.io feed?

You can amuse yourself by imagining the haters sounding like the woman who yells about Obama not being a US citizen.
http://public.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/totn/2009/07/20090722_totn_02.mp3
Which had me thinking: "Wow, I do not believe I live in the same world you do."


Remember: The only thing that will redeem mankind is co-operation 8)

Norman said...

I agree with you.

It's just hate. People are jealous of a lot of things. My suggestion to you is to take it in stride. You may have some butt wipes out there who are rude and stupid, but there are many more of us that love, adore and respect you. Look at it this way, with any amount of love, there comes some hate. Remember, that person has watched and will watch your videos again. You'll keep making videos and making money, and he/she will keep watching. It's just the nature of the beast.
Don't get me wrong. You have a right to be peeved with these types of comments, but I say to you in the words of many TV and film mobsters...
"Forget about it"

alexis julian. said...

Kristina,

I am a reader of your blog and am subscribed to you on youtube. For a time, I also followed you on twitter.

It's taken me until recently to admit that I actually am a 5AG fangirl, and I hope you won't just brush this comment off because of it. There have been things that really put me off from the 5AG at various points, but I just want to throw in my two cents of actual opinion, not just a 49th "I AGREE!"

1. Youtubers do not have things like publicists and agents making their real lives prettier for the publics viewing. As a viewer of nerimon, nerdfighterlike, and your channels during Alex's and Becky's break up, I thought it was a tasteless, public exchange of girlfriends. If you were living a Hollywood life, no doubt it would have gone down differently. But you're all just normal humans, under 25, doing what you think is best... but it did come across negatively to me.

2. Regardless of whether or not it is near the same scale, youtubers are making their lives public. Some do not - many of the makeup gurus I follow on YT don't disclose much information. Take, for example, allthatglitters21. She has more than three times the number of subscribers you do and all I know about her is her first name, that she likes makeup, and is interning in NYC this summer, and I've been a subscriber for several months! It's just not something she choses to disclose. Many YTubers opened a can of worms when they decided their disclosure policy. The more you expose, the more there is to judge you on... and the more personal those judgements are going to be. I know next to nothing about the personal life of LisaNova, sxePhil, etc. The judgements they get are very surface level because they reveal very surface level facts. Just think of the number of facts the girl in the video that sparked this discussion was able to list off. She knows so much about your life, doesn't that make you squirm, just a little bit? It would me.

But you put that information out there Kristina! The information is there for the taking. You might not have asked for 22,000 subscribers, but you have them and you should embrace them. This entry comes off as extremely defensive, and I don't blame you, but do not claim to be a victim here. You're in a band (of which you're very proud and has been featured on MTV -- another fact of which you're very proud), you applied and were granted partnership, and are making money off of these youtube videos. You've extended just the video portion to sponsored videos. Don't pretend that it all amounts to creative license. None of your videos have ever been particularly creative, you've been extremely lucky and your charisma and confidence have definitely been an aide to you as well.

alexis julian. said...

3. I don't think you get a very real perception of italktosnakes fans on your blog. I read your blog, but I'm not all fan. I'm also a critic. And I would really hate for you to have your head explode from the ego that the kind of comments above breed. You may be right, you may not. You're certainly entitled to feel however you want. But I also think its good to step away from the brown nosers and actually acknowledge the criticism that comes from your actions on Youtube. Things like how you and Alex aren't a physical match made in heaven are SO trite I can't wrap my mind around why you'd pay them any mind.. who CARES? (and this, coming from a plus sized girl dating a boy Alex's size!) other criticisms have been valid and I've read your reactions to those - they're posts like these or comments in the same format that just get on the defensive. I do the same thing, so don't think I'm hatin' (would I be writing this novel if I really was a "hater"?) but maybe you should really analyze what's being said, or choose to ignore it... but like IFTBA said,

"Your problem is not that some idiot said you look weird with Alex. Your problem is that you decided to try and tell an idiot what's what. You can't change that guy's problem. You can only change your own.

Tolerate comments or disallow them. There isn't a third option that yields a result. Yep, you can complain about them, but it leads nowhere. That's the sad truth. Everyone should be so lucky as to learn it sooner than later."

It's a lesson I've been trying to learn a long time, but I think it's one that you really need to learn as long as you are (and you ARE) inserting yourself into the public eye.

Norman said...

I have to repeat, these are just haters with no life.

(To some recent commentors)
Until you start paying to watch Kristina's videos, you should not feel like you own her and have a right to say whatever you want to her. Not even if you paid to watch, should you filled entitled. You have a choice, you can watch the videos or not. If Kristina does or says something you don't like, then unsubscribe. It's not a difficult concept to grasp. It's not for you to decide if how she's running her life meets with your standards or not. Screw you, and the horse you rode in on!

Now beat it, haters. You're making me itch.