Justin Time!
Last week I read a throwaway story about a kid named Justin Kan who has started a website with a few of his friends, in which he straps a camera on the side of his head and broadcasts everything he sees. Live. 24 hours a day. Well, actually he takes the camera off when he sleeps - he turns it on himself. He’s been going at this since March 18th and he hasn’t shown any sign of stopping. In fact, he’s thriving.
I don’t usually like reality TV. But this I’m okay with. For one thing, it’s less exploitative when you exploit yourself. For another, it’s not replacing a better TV show. Justin.tv isn’t putting any writers out of work, or actors, or even cameramen. And I am always up for the idea of minimalist entertainment. Just as stripping or stand-up comedy are the smallest, purest form of theatre, JustinTV is the purest form of television. Obviously you’re giving up pacing and story and even seeing the lead character, but you know that going in.
The other thing I like is it’s not appointment television. It can’t be. You’d be giving up your whole life!
One of the features of JustinTV is the live chat. At any given time you can read the remarks of other JustinTV fans and contribute your own. This acquires increasing importance the longer you watch, because sometimes the picture is just Justin riding a bike through San Francisco for an hour. This way, you can remark on the neighborhood, or Justin’s taste in women, or even things completely unrelated to Justin.
Probably the best thing about it is it’s a fascinating idea - you wonder how people can put it together. But because of it’s very nature, it’s a behind the scenes documentary about the making of itself. You watch Justin as he makes appointments with news people, and as he sets up sponsors, and as he returns his emails.
As I write this, Justin is lying on his back in bed, making a blind date. And this, I think, is what is best about this site. Justin is forced to get out. In order to keep the viewer happy, Justin gets out of the house all the time. This is a positive social development. If JustinTV catches on, then shy couch potatoes all over the world may follow the lead and broadcast their own suddenly more interesting lives. Even if no one else watches, it’s gotta be better than staying at home.