Snowman Video In YouTube Debate Chills Some Politicos

[question everything]

The Wall Street Journal

July 31, 2007

Snowman Video In YouTube Debate Chills Some Politicos
Brothers Who Created It Are All the Rage, but GOP Doesn't Entirely Get It
By AMY SCHATZ
July 31, 2007; Page A1

MINNEAPOLIS -- Just a week ago, Nathan and Greg Hamel didn't know whether their talking snowman would be picked to ask a question during the CNN/YouTube Democratic presidential debate. Now, their 18-second video, which asked candidates about their environmental policies, has turned "Billiam the Snowman" into a cold, wet symbol of all that's good and bad about efforts by voters and politicians to use the Internet to reach one another.
The "snowman" video has become an online sensation, but some Republicans aren't amused, Kelsey Hubbard reports.

"Snowman Wins," declared the Chicago Sun-Times after the debate. MSNBC personality Tucker Carlson, wrinkling his nose at "these homemade videos," nonetheless declared: "This is the future." The unemployed Hamel brothers, who live with their parents in a suburb of Minneapolis, have done interviews with local television, snagged a spot on the Wisconsin Public Radio game show "Whad'Ya Know?" and are working on a line of "Billiam the Snowman" T-shirts. They've also launched a "Billiam the Snowman" presidential exploratory committee -- online.

(snip)

Meanwhile, the snowman has cast a chill over some Republicans, who were scheduled to get the YouTube treatment in September and aren't quite sure what to make of it. The Hamel brothers couldn't be happier about the attention. At last count, the question has been watched 130,000 times on YouTube. "It means our 15 minutes of fame may stretch to 30," says Nathan, 26 years old, who created the snowman with his 23-year-old brother, Greg, who does the voice. Greg graduated from college last year and is now applying to law school. Nathan recently returned home from Japan, where he taught English for two years.

Before Billiam, the brothers' YouTube videos borrowed heavily from Hong Kong action movies, the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and their favorite videogames. Their titles include, "Sandwich of Rage" -- which is about a killer sandwich -- "I Learned to Fight From Videogames" and "Lawn Chair Jousting." Billiam made his first appearance in February, when he starred in a Hamel video about a snowman with a squeaky voice who gets decapitated -- in slow motion -- by a sword-wielding warrior. At the time, the snow in the family backyard had begun to melt, and the tangerines used for the snowman's eyes kept popping out. The brothers named their creation Billiam because of Greg's longtime annoyance with people who shorten the name William to Bill. "Why wouldn't it be Will?" he asks.

(snip)

"We wanted the question to be totally serious," Nathan says. The brothers didn't think CNN would use a funny question about global warming. So Billiam asked: "As president, what will you do to ensure that my son will live a full and happy life?" gesturing to a mini snowman at his feet.

(snip)

URL for this article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118582060979882460.html (subscription)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0BPnnvI47Q&mode=related&search=

[NewJeffCT]

1. If the Republicans are afraid to face You Tube...

How can they face Al Qaeda?

Sorry, had to be said.

[opihimoimoi]

2. Poor Pubs...revealed as the WIMPs they truly are...always yelling Crap about others when their pants

is FULL OF SHIT

The GREED BREED has peaked....their numbers are diving and their power to do evil is short....