YouTube a place for respite

When YouTube first started I wondered why anyone would be interested in watching nondescript videos uploaded by those who took them. I figured it would be a bunch of amateur stuff.

Maybe it was amateur in the beginning. But now, it isn't. It's a wonderful place to go to learn about things. It's almost like going to another dimension. I can watch black-and-white movies from the 30s. Or, I can watch video of events which have happened recently in the world.

Last night I watched a documentary about the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. I learned some things I did not know. It was interesting to hear the Duke of Windsor speak when he was in his 70s. You can tell he did not care much for the monarchy, or his father who was king. He thought his father was too rough on him. He also ended up not caring much for his brother who became king after Edward abdicated.

It was a tense time in the world in the 1930s. I'm surprised England didn't make King Edward take off and never come back. It was interesting to hear what the documentary said about how the Duke and Duchess of Windsor lived their lives as traveling celebrities. It's also interesting that the Duchess didn't have much in her life after the Duke died.

Comedy is a big part of YouTube. It's always timely even if it's old videos of Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. I see clips of shows I know I saw first run on prime time – actually after prime time. But, back then, it was incredibly popular. Millions of people watched Johnny Carson. Many many more than watch the late-night shows of today. I remember Johnny Carson making me laugh, making me think, and introducing me to new animals. I remember watching Johnny Carson seemingly make a fool of himself for an audience that was laughing there butts off at him.

Who would've ever thought so many years later that we can look back at such things and remember. I don't know that life was any better then. But, the barriers are more easily defined. We knew who had what and we knew what we were. I was a part of "the people". I wasn't in the upper echelon. I wondered how people got into entertainment. I always thought it took a special type of person to be a star.

My mother who wanted to be an entertainer, told me that there are entertainers who never make it to the big time. She was convinced entertainers made it big because of talent, persistence, and a serendipity factor that no one could really define.

It's probably true that no one gets anywhere without the help or hindrance of others.

I guess we have the guys who came up with YouTube to thank for making our history more accessible. It seems to me that young people could learn so much by watching these old videos. I'm sure there are entertainers, young ones, who study them. It will be a great way to learn impressions. Up-and-coming comics or comedians could mimic their favorites by watching videos on YouTube.

It's nice to be able to watch something that's free. There are commercials and they do interrupt. But, the quality is good. Even the amateur type videos are interesting. Maybe we all are just gawkers and voyeurs who like to watch what others do – ad infinitum.