Wednesday, 9 May 2012


Up in the Clouds

I just started this new part-time job, doing social media moderating, that made me look at the internet with fresh eyes. I'm getting paid for being online and that's pretty cool. Because I like being online. And 'being' is the right word, isn't it? You just don't simply read stuff or look at pictures or moving images, thanks to social media you're actually able to engage with content in your own, individual virtual reality. This is what my brother (whose age better remains undisclosed) means when he says that he has to go and 'harvest his crops' in FarmVille.

Sometimes when people discuss the internet, they are referring to 'the Cloud'. I know, the term actually relates to services provided online but I quite like the visual connotation of that expression. Like the internet, clouds are always present, unpredictable, in constant movement – and beautiful.

Talking of clouds- of course you can find a Cloud Appreciation Society online. Sweet. http://cloudappreciationsociety.org .How (on earth) did cloud fans get connected before the internet? And that's exactly what I love about the WWW- there's something out there for everyone- and you never feel alone or isolated with your special, exotic, eccentric, geeky, unusual, boring, cool, fascinating, pointless or silly interests. Hence, I decided to dedicate this blog to two very special (and very different) internet phenomena I've discovered recently – American comedian GloZell and English Non-League football platform Football Exclusives.



Indoor clouds :)









GloZell - “Hello, this is GloZell! Is you Ok, is you? Good, cause I want to know!”

I came across this woman when I watched an American late night talk show. The show, which name I've already forgotten, wasn't that memorable-apart from one bit. Lord of The Rings and Wilfred actor Elijah Wood told the story of how he encountered an overexcited fan in the middle of nowhere at a Quiznos fast food restaurant outside LA. And I don't think 'overexcited' quite hits the nail on the head. They showed a snippet of the fan's - GloZell- version of the encounter from her YouTube channel. For nearly 9 minutes, GloZell is telling the story of how Elijah Wood was walking into the restaurant the very moment she was telling her boyfriend how amazing his new show Wilfred is.... in a Quiznos restaurant. 7 hours from LA in the wilderness. In the middle of nowhere. It's a small world, right? Especially in the US. Call it fate, coincidence or whatever you like- I laughed my head off at GloZell's crazy tale. So I immediately went on YouTube to check out the whole clip. And I thought I was starstruck... dear Lord, I thought, this woman is mental. But in a really cool, original, funny and sincere way.

GloZell with Elijah Wood












Here's someone who doesn't give a shit about how she might be perceived by others. She is just herself. And that's something most of us -and too many individuals in the public domain- do never achieve. I like GloZell because she doesn’t seem to give a fuck what others might think of her. This is a woman who is not afraid to sometimes make a fool of herself (often involuntarily- see the Valentine’s accident) but is always cool, spontaneous,unique, unpredictable and most importantly - extremely funny in doing so.

The comedian likes to team up with her mum (who sometimes pops her head into GloZell's bedroom while she is recording one of her exuberant clips to see why the hell her daughter is shouting so much) or her boyfriend SK, to elaborate on the important issues of our lives- ranging from Vegan food to wigs.

GloZell has got a BA in Fine Art/ Musical Theatre and is also a member of the Screen Actors Guild. During the last couple of years, she has managed to build up an online profile through her facebook page and YouTube channel which has already achieved 110 Million (!!) views. Not bad, ey? She is a self-made comedian who intelligently uses social media for self-distribution and operates outside the mainstream by commenting on the mainstream. And that's exactly what makes her so likeable – she worked hard for her success and doesn’t need mainstream media and its hype machinery that makes people 'famous' nowadays. She also manages to come across as eccentric and down-to-earth at the same time, which can't be said of many people. She willingly admits to and celebrates her fascination with celebrities. But at the same time her commentary on current affairs and her personal life are spiced with her opinions regarding feminist or racial equality issues.

Here are some of my GloZell favourites:

> Meeting Elijah Wood at Quiznos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqCQxZjTC2s 

> The Valentines Day accident: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A5p3Cz8Rvs

> The cinnamon experiment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cyk7utV_D2I


Football Exclusives

My other favourite new discovery is a website/online platform for Non-League football called Football Exclusives. Those guys are actually doing what I wanted to do years ago but wasn't able to due to a lack of funding- giving Non-League football clubs a much needed media presence online. FE update their pages on a daily basis with exclusive content such as articles, match reports, match highlights videos and post-match interviews with managers and players. They also extensively report on other football related topics, for example the Kick It Out programme against racism in football. The brilliant thing about FE is that they are embracing the internet in its full glory- a website, a facebook page, a twitter profile and a YouTube channel are the four pillars of this multi-media platform.

FE was started in 2011 by Non-League football enthusiast Mike Bandry who placed an ad in Gumtree looking for like-minded collaborators. Sports journalism student Ravit Anand replied and together they set out to get their first story- an interview with players and the manager of Hampton and Richmond Borough FC, a club they are both following. The task seemed easy enough but as we all know life is never simple. Mike and Ravit got lost on the way to the training ground and arrived when the session was over. They hitched a ride back on the mini bus with the team and finally got to ask manager Mark Harper their questions at the clubhouse.

FE focuses mainly on Blue Square South clubs in Southern England such as Hampton and Richmond Borough FC, Basingstoke Town, Woking FC, Havant and Waterlooville FC, Thurrock FC, Eastleigh FC, Boreham Wood FC, Maidenhead United, Sutton United and Staines Town FC. The young team of journalists is made up of dedicated media students and volunteers, each club having their own reporter attached. The aspiring sports journalists not only gain valid work experience in return for giving up their free time, but also the chance to support the clubs they follow by giving them a voice online. Most of the clubs have welcomed FE with open arms, grateful and appreciative of the coverage and media presence they are gaining through this new platform.

FE's Ravit Anand at work












Of course, the supporters of those clubs share the appreciation for FE's efforts as well. The benefit of supporting a Non-League club is that you're actually able to talk to players and management staff before or after matches but you don't always get the chance to or you don't want to pester them with your questions, especially after a defeat. So having FE on hand to always ask those all important but sometimes uncomfortable questions is a massive plus. I was away in Germany for Hampton's crucial last two weeks this season and not being able to attend the final three matches that would decide the club's fate regarding relegation was a tad annoying to put it mildly. Hence, I was immensely grateful for FE's coverage during that time to keep up to date with developments back home. And sometimes pictures can tell you more than a 1000 words- seeing the soaked and sad Hampton fans and drooping players in the background during the post-match interviews after the decisive match against Thurrock that sealed Hampton's relegation was a bit much. But I was still grateful that FE was there and kept me informed.

To conclude, in times where more and more media outlets that cover the Non League are either scrapped (Setanta, Non League Today) or under threat of being cancelled (BBC's Non League Show) the need for new, innovative platforms like Football Exclusive is massive. Media coverage is not only essential for the Non-League to keep existing fans informed but also to attract new supporters to the financially struggling clubs that rely on their loyal fan base now more than ever. Thankfully, FE are filling the gap and one can only hope that they will continue to grow and expand to cover clubs in other regions of the UK as well.


What's Going On.

Check out my new promotional video for Hampton and Richmond Borough FC:

Happy memories from the 11/ 12 season- Hampton winning the Middle Sex Senior Cup:
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