YouTube Awards

Posted: Sunday, March 25, 2007 11:40 PM by Jen Brown

[By Roberto Bailey, TODAY associate producer]

Hi Everyone,

I’m Today Show Associate Producer, and I’ve worked at this show for almost five years.  By now, you’re probably wondering, “Exactly how many people work for this show?” The answer would be “not enough,” which is why I spent my Sunday night putting together a Today Show segment about the first annual YouTube Video award winners.  I’m not complaining though; this was a fun segment to put together.  I really wanted to show you all of the clever winning videos, but as often happens, something always gets left on the cutting room floor. Since I couldn’t show you all of the clips during my segment, I thought I would share them with you here on our blog:

Most Creative Video – OK Go
Seeing as how 13 million people have already watched this video on YouTube, you may already be familiar with this clip from Chicago-born band OK Go. I still get a kick out of watching it every time.  How many takes do you think it took for these guys to get their smooth dance moves just right?

Most Adorable Video – Kiwi!
YouTube is filled with tons of cute videos of animals, kids, and cartoons, so it only makes sense that they would want to create a category like this. This film is about a kiwi, a flightless bird, who spends his life nailing trees to a cliff so he can achieve his dream of soaring in the clouds. “Kiwi!” is the number one most watched Film and Animation video on YouTube with more than six million views.

Best Music Video – Terranaomi
Thanks to her exposure on YouTube, the L.A.-based Terra Naomi went from struggling singer-songwriter to major label darling. She’s now signed to Island Records and will soon be working in London. “Say It’s Possible” is an arresting song that captures the classically-trained musician’s crystalline voice and confident strumming.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Terra performs on the Today Show once her album is released. 

Best Comedy Video – Smosh
What was I doing when I was 19-years-old? That’s a story for a different blog! But this group of 19-year-olds, who refer to themselves as “Smosh,” have become some of the most popular filmmakers on YouTube, with an original comedy video channel that boasts over 70,000 fans.  Despite their popularity across the internet, their publicist told me that their mothers were more excited about seeing their sons appear on the Today Show!  

Most Inspirational Video – Free Hugs
What would you do if a random person on the street offered to give you a hug? Having grown up in New York City, I would probably say, “Thanks, but no thanks!” You might be surprised to watch what happens when Australian Juan Mann tries to brighten strangers’ lives in Sydney by offering “free hugs.”

Best Series – Ask a Ninja
Who do you turn to for advice? You parents? A best friend? The Today Show’s advice expert, Ada? For some people, it’s all about the ninja.  Created by L.A. comedians Kent Nichols and Douglas Sarine, the “Ask a Ninja” series features a black-clad spastic ninja answering emails from inquiring minds and ninja watchers.

Best Commentary Video – The Winekone:
I have to be honest, this video isn’t really my type of comedy.  However, we all have those random trains of thought that seem to take us from one unrelated topic to next. This video captures those rambling inner monologues perfectly!

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