They zip in and out of e-mail accounts, get millions of views on YouTube and sometimes put the Madison Avenue creations of real-life Mad Men to shame. Viral videos have been part of the Web world since 1996’s digital Xmas card from the South Park boys, but over the past decade they’ve also impacted politics — sometimes changing the course of elections and frequently providing a few laughs in an otherwise wonky world.
The “macaca moment” from way back when in 2006 seems almost quaint by comparison to the viral videos of the 2008 cycle, which include entire "Saturday Night Live" segments, interviews with network anchors and newsreel moments with plumbers named Joe.
Here, then, are the 10 viral videos that have bored deep into our brains over this long election season.
1. Yes, We Can
Sure, this $30,000 quasi-MTV clip contains more waifs and cleavage and porkpie hats than seems possible, but the spot's mix of speech, music, spoken word, simple guitar strumming and very pretty young people rings with inspiration and, while minimalist, it may be the most creative video of any type to emerge this year. Congratulations to singer will.i.am, director Jesse Dylan, producer Fred Goldring and the others who got together one weekend and impulsively decided to translate their political passion to digital video with a little help from their friends.
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2. Dear Mr. Obama
“Dear Mr. Obama, having spent 12 months in the Iraq theater…” No, it’s not the lead in the Tikrit road-company production of "Cats." This heartfelt and straight-ahead message from veteran Joe Cook, 23, of Wauconda, Ill., was scripted and filmed by Michael Brown, an amateur producer of Christian-themed videos, to support Sen. John McCain’s presidential bid and relate their feelings about continuing the war in Iraq. The words are simple yet powerful, and when Cook hobbles away from the camera to show his prosthetic leg, one can’t help but get a bit choked up. After more than 12 million hits on YouTube, the video has been reworked and trimmed for use as a TV commercial by the Republican Majority Campaign PAC.
3. “I Got a Crush… On Obama” by Obama Girl
Yes, we know it’s dumb. But 10 million viewers can’t be wrong, can they? Named best Web video of 2007 by People magazine, this is the viral video that launched dozens of imitators and made a star out of former Miss Howard Stern TV pageant winner Amber Lee Ettinger. Though the sequel with former Democratic candidate Mike Gravel was a bit sweeter and a little less sexy, it’s the old-school original that brings back memories of a more innocent time. Obama Girl Ettinger recently put on glasses and a hair bun to portray Sarah Palin on Geraldo Rivera’s show. Our advice to Ettinger: stick with Obama, girl.
4. Obama and McCain — Dance-Off!
Crude yet effective special effects, stylin’ break-dance moves, some crazed looks on the McCain Man, and a surprise challenge by OG (Original Governor) Sarah make this latecomer with bizarre digital magic (said to be created in Russia) a welcome addition to the campaign mix. Directed by yet another Howard Stern alum, this time his cable series “Son of the Beach” writer-producer David Morgasen, it’s worth repeated viewings.
5. Time for Some Campaignin’
Sure, the plucky banjos are annoying as hell, but this summer animation from the Spiridelli brothers — who go by the professional name JibJab — is not an altogether bad piece of political satire. Dylan’s “The Times They Are a-Changin’” gives it some heft, and the Disney-esque fantasyland featuring Obama riding a flying unicorn while repeating nonsense lyrics about “change” could be the most vicious put-down of the Democratic candidate this entire year, even if it does seem merely glib (and not a jab) upon first glance. 6. The Great Schlep
We far prefer Ms. Silverman’s account of Joe Franklin’s alleged molestation in “The Aristocrats” or even her Matt Damon sex tape confession to this heavily ethnic yenta-go-round. Still, any clip that begins with a term that's too gross-funny for use on Politico automatically gets our vote. The best part of the video followed its release, when goy grey goose Anderson Cooper and other WASPy teleprompter readers tried vainly to pronounce “schlep.”
7. The McCain-Palin Mob
Perhaps the best entry in a disturbing sub-genre of documentary videos descended from the 1986 “Heavy Metal Parking Lot” cult classic, this 4½-minute hatefest is like watching a full week’s worth of Hannity’s America. The best participant of all is the annoying blonde with dirty hair who keeps popping up in the frame, first to rail against ACORN, then to ask when the cameraman first heard of “O-bam-AH.” It might have benefited a bit from a crunchy guitar soundtrack, but otherwise this cinema verité glimpse around the perimeter of a McCain-Palin rally is a hit.
8. Terry Tate — Reading Is Fundamental
We abhor violence under most circumstances, especially against women, and even in jest. So we were totally aghast when we first saw this brief clip of office linebacker and obvious lunatic Tate tackling Sarah Palin in the middle of her fateful Katie Couric interview. We’re still not sure what to make of it. Nevertheless, the sheer audacity and seamless editing on display make this a memorable entry.
9. Diddy Obama Blog #16
John McCain Is Buggin the F%^k Out!
Forget the dizzying Brian DePalma camerawork. Sean Combs goes ballistic in by far the best video he’s ever created. “I don’t know if there are even any black people in Alaska!” he cries, before calling “all youth voters” to “protect our future” by voting against the GOP ticket. Among other off-the-wall weirdness, he suggests McCain bring on Michelle Obama as his vice president. How this guy got to where he is — raking in billions, partying in the south of France, etc. — remains a complete mystery to us. But he does do incredulity very well.
10. Paris Hilton Responds to McCain Ad
Not as funny as it could have been, but it got slapped together pretty quickly after McCain came out with his Obama-as-Celebrity attack ad featuring Hilton and Britney Spears. “I’ll see you at the debates, bitches” is as good a line as any this season. On the negative side, the video used Hilton’s “hot” cliché too many times and the magazine-reading joke fell flat, too. Still, when Hilton refers to the GOP candidate as the “wrinkly white-haired guy,” it felt just as cutting as the first time Tina savaged Sarah. And Paris’ energy plan wasn’t half-bad — we wonder what she would do about the AIG bailout or fixing problems with derivatives trading.
