The Paris Hilton Effect

Posted on May 17, 2007 by C Johnson
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The digital age has re-defined the meaning of celebrity—it’s fast, cheap, easy and accessible to seemingly anyone. Tabloid empires have been built by cashing in on the celebrity craze and, sadly, now even the most respected news publications have begun to fashion similar tactics. The LA Times recently ran a story blasting the media frenzy surrounding the recent Paris Hilton trial. It appears as though now even the most respected news journals (i.e., The Times) have succumbed to the phenomena of supposed celebrity—that is to say, the attention garnered by namesakes like Paris Hilton. Names that translate into ratings—big, fat, juicy, delectable ratings. The sort of ratings enjoyed by rag television and celebrity gossip magazines. The ratings and numbers that stalwarts of the publishing industry covet, causing jittery editors (panicked over the recent migration of readers to the internet) to adopt the tactics of their less respectable counterparts.

Cobra Snake

Posted on March 22, 2007 by C Lin
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Mark Hunter created Cobra Snake at the age of 20 in the summer of 2005. If you haven’t already heard, Cobra Snake is an online pre-Flickr if you will, of L.A. nightlife. It’s a photo site chock full of L.A. hipsters sprinkled with the occasional celebrity going to clubs, events, and shows. Mark basically had an idea to bring his camera everytime he went out, snapped some pictures, and followed every event with a post online.

Mark has been interviewed by various publications including L.A. Times and now has a reality show offer and a book deal. He made his then 15 year-old girlfriend Cory Kennedy famous by posting photos of her on Cobra Snake. Read more about Cory and Mark Hunter’s story.