Canada AM – The Winners Of The First Annual YouTube Awards

March 26, 2007 08:00 by Kris Abel

At Midnight last night, the winners of the first YouTube Awards were announced. It was a celebration of pseudonyms, of clips that spanned the gamut from crass to creative, comedic to clichéd, but thankfully neither works that infringed copyright nor clips created for humiliation. Among the seven webcam stars to receive a trophy is Toronto resident “TheWineKone” (real name Tony) who’s clip of himself sitting shirtless and sweating on a hot day took the prize for “Best Commentary”. His story is a perfect example of why, in a world already crowded by awards ceremonies, the YouTubes could become one of the most important as its winners include every day, ordinary people.

Assembled almost as at the last minute, the awards were full of confusion and controversy. One YouTube banner declared the winners would be announced on Friday, a spokesperson told the Associated Press they would be announced on Sunday night at 6pm PST, while another YouTube banner declared sometime Monday the day of ceremony. The 70 nominees for the awards were arbitrarily chosen by YouTube staff leading to complaints by fans and especially nominees who felt that they were not being represented by their best clips. For a website that prides itself on being run by its community, it seemed like an odd policy to take.

The process began last Monday with ten nominees chosen for seven different categories – Most Creative, Most Inspirational, Best Series, Best Comedy, Best Commentary, and Most Adorable. YouTube users were allowed to rank the nominees for each category and submit their choice every hour on the hour for five days. The point being that the YouTube community could see at the top of each hour who was leading in votes and then change or recruit others to add votes to try to alter the outcome. By the end of last Friday the process was halted.

Winners will receive only a trophy and bragging rights, plus the opportunity as always to create an acceptance video.

Most Creative went to underground pop sensation OK Go for their inspired treadmill music video, beating out clips that featured one man named Matt dancing in remote areas around the world, a fellow named Noah who takes a picture of himself every day for six years, and an FX-driven short produced at the Vancouver Film School.

Other Nominees:

Where the Hell is Matt?Hyperactive - Lasse Gjertsen

Noah takes a photo of himself every day for 6 years

Pachelbel Rant Fast Food Freestyle Anti-gravity

DMV drivers license prank part 2

Piece of Mind - Vancouver Film School Spit Art

Most Inspirational was given to the Free Hugs Campaign which has already garnered a lot of media attention (we even featured the group on Canada AM). It beat out an endearing performance by 6 year-old Heather Martin who sings a song about missing her older brother who’s away, serving in the war.

Other Nominees:Heather Martin - When Are You Coming Home

9 months of gestation in 20 seconds - New Version

Good Bye Martin Love Letters - An Animated Proposal - V2.0

A Girl Like Me Why Walk 1000 Miles?We Are All The Same

Heaven What are You thankful for?

Despite all the media attention given to LonelyGirl15, the fictional teen-age girl played by a professional actress, she came in forth in the

Best Series category that instead went to “Ask A Ninja”, a comedy series featuring a man dressed like a ninja and offering silly answers to user-submitted questions.

Other Nominees:Ask a GAY MAN : Denim Edition

Chad Vader - Day Shift Manager (episode 1)

My First Kiss Nobody's Watching Diet Coke & Mentos

Will It Blend? - iPod

Episode #1: Dolly wants to play!

SNOWMEN HUNTERS Ep 08: Michael Jackson F@#'s Boys

Marco Tempest - PhoneCam Magic #5 - The Kiss

Secrets of MySpace at the workplace: Soup of the Day, EP 05

Best Comedy went to YouTube favorite Smosh who’s short sketch sees him shipwrecked on a beach and staring at his mates with cannibalistic thoughts.

Other Nominees:Mixed Nuts

Completely Uncalled For Ben takes a photo of himself everyday

Things you CAN'T do when you're NOT in a pool

Help Wanted Greg Hits Hollywood

Celebrity

LisaNova Does P.Diddy

Love Corner - A Zebro Short

Best Music favored an impromptu music video by singer songwriter Terra Naomi who did well to beat out the novelty song Pancakes, another YouTube favorite.

Other Nominees:

Pancakes!

Body's a Temple My Hands Are Bananas

Mr Pitiful - Roland's Song

Awakening - Classical Composition

So, It's A Love Song

Blues harmonica Improv

Ryan Leslie Performs "Rescue U"

Duke Rightious' "C Minor Etude"

As previously mentioned, Best Commentary went to 45 year-old Tony who, under the name TheWineKone is ranked as the 9th most-subscribed user on YouTube. He managed to beat out other YouTube superstars such as 80 year-old Geriatric1927 who’s grandfatherly tales of his experiences in WWII have made him one of YouTube’s biggest stars. He came in second place.

Other Nominees:Telling it all part 1

This is YouTube at its best!

The 'smiley' intervention

Plans and Dreams

Re: FIVE QUESTIONS!

PSA for the ladies

Guns V's Spoons (re: re: BumperBuggery)

I AM GAY Video About Sarcasm (IRONIC/SATIRI CAL)

Would you expect that the final category – Most Adorable – would have gone to a sleeping puppy, toilet-flushing cat, or a gassy and giggling baby, but instead the trophy has been given to a computer generated clip called “Kiwi” which tells the story of a flightless bird who jumps off of a cliff in order to feel the sensation of flight.