Lazy and Stupid

Last night (March 2nd, 2014), I posted a 19 second video to YouTube of my three children running aimlessly around the kitchen table screaming their heads off while I stared blankly into the camera as if to say, “this is what I go through… every day.” We’ll leave the discussion of how horrible of a father I am for another day.

Shortly after posting the video, I submitted a link to the video to a couple popular content sharing websites like Reddit and Stumbleupon. The video quickly took off, and by the time I woke up the next morning, it had generated over 31,000 views. I had also received numerous emails from “viral content” websites and social news agencies wanting to license the video.

A few hours later, someone pointed out that my video had been published by the Huffington Post. A couple hours after that I was contacted by ABC who requested permission to show my video on Good Morning America (which will run tomorrow, assuming they decide to use it). Shortly after that I was on the phone with an ABC reporter who was interviewing me to get details for a blog post she was writing up for ABCNews.com and GoodMorningAmerica.com. Where this video goes from here, I have no idea, but needless to say, it’s been an interesting day.

41,000 views (which is the current view count as of this writing) may not seem like a lot compared to some of the mega-viral videos out there, but to go from getting very limited exposure for many of my videos (like those on Lazy and Stupid and Pintastic Recipes) to being contacted by national news outlets is a jolting experience to say the least.

Am I excited about all this exposure and attention? Absolutely, but originally, I was annoyed. You see, I’ve put many, many hours into scripting, filming, editing and publicizing my existing video content–content that I believe to be quite good, at least by my own standards–only to have my “claim to internet fame” be a video of screaming kids that took me 19 seconds to film and only a few minutes to upload and publish.

But then I had a realization. I realized that, sometimes, “quality video content” doesn’t necessarily have to be some effects-heavy, studio-quality production shot and edited with high-priced equipment and software. Sometimes, quality video content can be something quick, simple, relevant, relatable, well-timed and shot with a shitty cell phone camera in poor lighting. Duly noted.

Either way, I’m having fun. Thanks to everyone who has watched, shared, liked and commented on the video so far. To infinity, and beyond.