fangirls unite.

Ok, i know i'm late to the party, but when i discovered this particular occurrence, it became imperative that i add my 2 cents in. and i don't care that it happened a few months ago now, this is my blog and i get to say what i want, when i want, on it.
so, Jenna Marbles VS Good Morning America (heretofore referred to as GMA because i'm lazy)

so apparently Jenna Marbles, who a lot of us know and love as a youtube comedienne, has attracted so much attention online, that the television people decided they could ignore her no longer, and in true television fashion, they decided to feature her in one of their tv shows so they could pretend they're all hot and happening, when really Jenna Marbles and her magical youtube videos have been around for quite some time. the result? a horrendously disrespectful, ignorant and insulting interview on GMA wherein Ms Marbles was belittled, patronised and portrayed in a completely misunderstood light. basically they implied that she is popular for no reason, her videos are stupid and inappropriate and she is a bad role model for misguided teen girls who "live on the internet" (a quote from the New York Times, who also did an article on her). here are some links to paint a picture if you, like me, are only recently hearing about this:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/14/fashion/jenna-marbles.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&

http://jennamarblesblog.com/oh-great-job-good-morning-america/

watch, shock, rage, come back and finish reading my blog please :)

and now for my thoughts on the matter.
as Jenna so beautifully said in her own defence, it's obviously a case of the tv people not understanding the internet machine and how it works. 
Jenna's videos are so popular BECAUSE they are the way they are: low-budget, down-to-earth, and yes, sometimes a little silly. silliness is one of the sole reasons why people watch youtube videos. another thing about Jenna's videos: there are a lot of youtubers out there who use higher-tech equipment and editing techniques that i don't really understand, and yes their videos are great, but what's so great about Jenna's type of video is that it looks achievable to those of us who are not as skilled technologically as the 'pros'. some of us might be considering startingup their own youtube channel, but maybe they feel intimidated by the amazing-quality videos already out there and what holds them back is that they feel like making videos themselves is not possible without a really expensive camera and equipment and a crew. Jenna Marbles, as well as other popular youtube personalities such as Alex Day (nerimon), Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), and even Carrie Hope Fletcher (itswaypastmybedtime) show aspiring youtubers-to-be that this is not the case. all you really need is a camera, somewhere to film and something to say. it's youtubers like them that inspire other people to start making videos of their own. and while some people may view a career as a youtube personality as, shall we say, illegitimate, in this day and age, with the internet becoming more and more accessible and so much a part of our everyday lives, it may not be such a bad choice as a career path. and if not a whole career, then simply a platform to voice your thoughts. 

one suggestion i have for people like the unfortunate souls at GMA, or concerned parents who feel that videos such as Jenna's are inappropriate for their teenage kids to be watching, is to go and watch the various 'draw my life' videos that many of these youtubers have made. in nearly all of these particular videos, the youtubers who make them cite other internet personalities who came before as inspiration and role models. many also tell of times in their lives when they felt lost or without direction and purpose, and thus started out making videos, not really expecting this to go anywhere, when BOOM they find success and fame and happiness. these particular videos represent hope to so many people within the internet generation, who, like them, feel their lives lack direction. these videos show so many young people that they are not alone, and that picking themselves up and getting back on track can be as easy as picking up a camera and making silly videos. 

the appeal of these youtube personalities such as Jenna is that they are normal, down-to-earth young people who are not afraid to put themselves out there, in all their awkward, silly, young-person glory. there is something refreshing about a role model who does not necessarily have it all together, but can be seen actively trying every day to work towards something. a lot of young people find it much easier to identify with this than the highly airbrushed and over-edited and scripted TV personalities, whose lives seem so ridiculously out of reach. yes, Jenna Marbles and others are successful now, but they (for the most part) started with nothing but an idea, and they are still on their own journeys. most of them speak in their videos about working towards bigger things, and having goals and ways to stick to them. they talk about schedules that they make themselves meet, and they even use their audiences as a way to be held accountable in terms of meeting their personal deadlines. Alex day is writing a book, Charlie McDonnel is making short films, Carrie Hope Fletcher has scored herself the role of Eponine in a production of Les Miserables, Dan and Phil have their own radio show, and Jenna is just trying to show that life goes on, after her breakup with a long-term boyfriend, and dealing with having recently moved to a new state where she doesn't know many people. i don't know about you, but to me that sounds like a LOT of young people out there, trying to make their own dreams happen, kick-start their careers, or wrangle with the difficult situations that life throws at us all every day. these youtubers show that such things are achievable, they give others something to aspire to.

so what if Jenna Marbles swears like a sailor, makes frequent sexual references, rants about things that annoy her and acts really silly a lot of the time? life's too short to be super-serious all the time, and again if you defer to her 'draw my life', which i personally found a little bit heartbreakingly beautiful, you'll understand why she just needs to laugh and make other people laugh. maybe that's the thing that helps her get through her day-to-day life. as for the swearing and ranting, this is what makes her real and identifiable for so many young people. she's colourful and funny, her humour is mostly self-deprecating and if you really watch her videos properly and are smart enough to read between the lines of her sometimes shocking but generally brilliant comedy, she makes some excellent arguments and is actually a kick-ass feminist role model to boot. 

so for those stupid TV people or panicked parentals who have been so busy judging and complaining, just chill out and take a moment to try and understand what these people really represent. and i'm sure, for those not of the internet generation, there were icons in your day who were just as 'controversial' in the eyes of your elders, but who you really just loved.