You Don't Need Hollywood To Become Famous

Face it, we all want our fifteen minutes of fame . . . or perhaps thirty minutes or more.  The traditional route to fame includes having an artistic talent, getting your 8 x 10 photos, finding an agent to represent you, going out on auditions and then maybe . . . getting discovered.

However, with the advent of the Internet, there are now other ways you can achieve overnight celebrity status without going out on one casting call. According to AmericanWay magazine, the Internet has a way of taking individuals - everyday people - and skyrocketing them to fame.

Trisha Walsh Smith is a bitter divorcee socialite who has made headlines by publicizing her marital problems on youtube.com. Currently, she is seeking donations through paypal to help her with her divorce legal fees.

Scott Steinberg's recent book Get Rich Playing Games cost him little money to make, but the book has landed him guest spots on NBC, Fox and CNN. For $17.95 he'll teach you everything you need on how to go from rags to riches in the videogame industry. 

One of the keys to success lies in your willingness to write a book on an issue most people would love to know about and present yourself as an instant expert.  You can publish your book for $500 to $600 on print-on-demand services such as iUniverse, Lulu.com and Worldclay.com. They will help you ship your finished, bound product to Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.  Who knows . . . you just might be invited to speak on your area of expertise on a national informational news program.  Of course, you still have to sit down and do the hard work of writing the book.

Rock bands and musicians are promoting themselves using myspace.com pages. 

Even clothes you design could lead you to name recognition.  CafePress, PrintMojo and Spreadshirt are websites you can use to design and sell clothing - hats, jackets, tees and more.  If you can come up with a catchy slogan, and a great looking design, you don't know where your talents could lead you. 

I don't need to inform you about film sharing sites like youtube.com or Metacafe, where you can upload your personal videos and potentially attract millions of viewers.  You never know if something you posted will get discovered and lead to a Hollywood contract.

The potential for success via the Internet is greater than ever.  Generations before us never had these kinds of opportunities, but had to rely on traditional methods to gain attention and notoriety.  Stand up comedian Dane Cook who starred in the feature film, Dan In Real Life with Steve Carell used MySpace to attract fans and was soon on his way to success.

My favorite use of the Internet is Podcasting - homemade digital audio clips that any computer user can create with any Mac or PC.  You can create your own show about any topic or become a  DJ playing your favorite Podsafe music from unsigned bands and artists in your local area.  Check out Accidenthash with C.C. Chapman in the Boston area for a great example.  You can help musicians become discovered by featuring them on your show.  iTunes or Zune Marketplace are excellent distribution resources to get your podcast out there before the public eye. 

Don't forget that you can create your own music using GarageBand or a comparable program, and then place your song or even an entire album on various Internet sales outlets like CD Baby or Audacity. 

The chances for making it big using the Internet are as big as your personal dreams. The world of media has become limitless as the Internet grows each day.  Try some of these suggestions listed here and perhaps I'll see you in a feature film or watch you getting interviewed on a morning news show.

John
Email John:   johnsblog@teshmedia.com

You'll find additional ideas on how to achieve your goals described in my new book, Intelligence For Your Life:  Powerful Lessons For Personal Growth.  You can purchase your copy of my new book at your local bookstore or online at Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.

Comments

[Louis Lapides]

C.C.: I am on the writing staff for John and when we wanted an example of a great, long running podcast, I said, "Accident Hash . . . .It's my favorite and C.C. is boss." I'm not sure if John even has the time to listen to podcasts. But I am a definite homefry . . . not a Boston guy but originally from NJ! Love your show!

[C.C. Chapman]

Thanks for the mention of Accident Hash. It was fun to discuss this post on today's show where I was highlighting a Boston based artist named [munk] who is certainly following his own way to stardom.

I've got to ask. Are you a homefry? You've certainly got me curious!

[Lisa]

Dear John:

It's true about this article about not needing Hollywood to be famous. I work as a Public Transit Bus Operator and I can tell you, whether you're in uniform or not you still are recognized by passengers, when embarking out on your days off.

When I am driving for the public it is a very different kind of line of work. I am in the face of reality everyday and prepared for anything to happen. Whether it's a compliment or a rude comment or being sworn at, even attacked. But I usually get a nice compliment or comment from my passengers on my driving and or personable people skills. I also believe it is the mood you are in that creates your universe. What you put out you will get back. So I try to put out as much positive energy even if I am having a bad day.

People need to remember that as the one's who are famous for what ever they do, we also are human too.

Also being famous is also with your friends and family.

Thanks again.

Lisa