YouTube provides an even, equitable platform for online video. Now, a new breed of celebrities is rising to the top.

Since launching in February 2005, YouTube has become the world’s most popular online video sharing site. Every month, over 80 million unique visitors log on, registering  more than 3 billion video views of everything from cute kittens to presidential campaign messages.
By allowing the site’s enormous network of viewers to rate, bookmark and share videos through email and social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace, YouTube also helped create the viral video phenomenon. This happens when a video gains widespread popularity from being passed around the Internet by friends and co-workers—the digital equivalent of an overnight sensation.
In an effort to take advantage of the Internet’s unprecedented reach, more and more aspiring entertainers are now using the YouTube platform as a means of self-promotion. When videos go viral, otherwise unknowns can become instant celebrities, ending up with record deals, commercial spots and even their own reality TV shows. And they do so without having to climb the traditional showbiz ladder.
Frederick Levy, a Hollywood talent scout and the author of 15 Minutes of Fame, says the site is now one of pop culture’s primary hubs, getting some of today’s best talent noticed by millions.
“You can fill venues all over the world simply based on your popularity on YouTube,” Levy says. “With this platform, anyone with a computer and a webcam can broadcast themselves to the world. More and more are finding great success as a result.”
Stand-up comedian Liam Sullivan is a member of this new class of celebrities, a position gained by tapping into YouTube’s power. He struggled to find success in the comedy circuit before uploading a video called Shoes, which introduced his character Kelly, a ditsy blonde obsessed with footwear, to the world. Sullivan quickly became an Internet hit, and the video has racked up close to 20 million views.
FLYP spoke to Sullivan and three more of the Internet’s most-watched stars to discover the secret to YouTube success.

Take the Test: Do you have what it takes to make it big on YouTube?
Liam Kyle Sullivan
Claim to Fame
Sullivan won the 2008 People’s Choice Award in the user-generated video category for his video Shoes.
Where He is Now?
Currently, Sullivan is planning a stand-up tour with comedienne Margaret Cho. He continues to make YouTube videos starring Kelly and his other characters.

Watch an exclusive interview with the maker of “Shoes,” and the original video that made Kelly a star. Also, check out his latest video release.
Geriatric1927
Claim to Fame
Nicknamed the “Grandfather of the Internet,” this 80-year-old posts almost daily. He aims to empower elderly people by setting a strong, accessible example.
Where He is Now?
Oakley, who lives in the U.K., was recently featured on the German television program, “Clipmania.”

Watch an exclusive FLYP interview with Peter Oakley, along with two of his videos.

Kina Grannis
Claim to Fame
Last year, Grannis posted a new video every day for two months. Her video, Message From Your Heart, was seen by 90 million people during the Super Bowl, after she won the Doritos “Crash the Super Bowl” Contest.
Where She is Now?
Having signed with Interscope, Grannis is at work on a new record, due for release in late 2008. Her songs have been featured on the TV show “General Hospital” and in the feature-length film Glass City.

Watch an exclusive FLYP interview with Kina Grannis, along with her video that crashed the Super Bowl, and her latest YouTube offering.