YouTube Goes a-Caroling

I've never actually gone out caroling myself around the holidays, but it sounds like fun. Drinking hot cocoa, hanging with your friends, freezing your behind off while you chatter carols to people who are slightly less freezing than you are. At least that was the world of caroling according to my mom.

Now, we have the Internet. This year, "YouTube Caroling" (be sure to check out contest details) is aiming to breathe a little more warmth into our holiday cheer by giving us the chance to sing our carols, nice and cozy, from in front of our very own computer screens. No freezing or chattering necessary. To pass on some of that cheer, here are a few of my favorite "YouTube Caroling" videos that are sure to get you smiling wider than a nice kid on Christmas:

Mitchell Davis Says His Thank-Yous

I don't know about the rest of the world, but "Snow Day" and zebra masks are definitely how I'll remember Mitchell Davis. Not that he's going anywhere anytime soon. With his and Kyle Sibert's "in the flesh" live performance coming up this month, I have no doubt this is only the beginning of...something. The beginning of, as he calls it, a new chapter in his life. And with this new chapter, it only seems fitting that he's saying "farewell" to the room that started it all.

Not only that, but he's saying "thank you" as well. Thank you to District Lines, thank you to his grandparents...thank you to his fans for making everything possible. You can't say the kid was never humble.

And I don't about you guys, but watching him sit there in that room made me myself a little nostalgia. Seemed like it was only yesterday my sister was yelling at me to come into the room to watch "Snow Day"...again. On my own laptop.

But no need to cry. Wouldn't want to break the rules twice.

Megan and Liz: From YouTube to Oprah

Image belongs to Megan and Liz

The Internet might have very well put an end to kids just singing in barber shops and talent shows, but it sure hasn't put an end to the talent. Meet Megan and Liz, 17-year-old twin guitarist-and-songwriter combo, who have not only ranked high in YouTube subscribers but have also been on the Oprah Winfrey show.

From covering such popular songs as Miley Cyrus' The Climb and Owl City's Fireflies to composing and performing their own original songs, Megan and Liz have been singing since the age of little girls. And they don't need a record label to keep going strong. Though, the girls admit, it would be cool to record in-studio.

But in spite of getting to meet their performing idol Taylor Swift herself and interviewed by Hollywood The Write Way, both Megan and Liz still seem pretty down-to-earth. Of course all the attention is nice, but the only thing really driving these two girls is the desire to be heard.

"We just love the fact that so many people want to hear our music," Liz maintains. "If fame comes out of that then that’s just one more amazing benefit!"
- 21st Century Celebrities, Agoravox

Listen to more from Megan and Liz on their Myspace and YouTube pages, and if you like what you hear, why not follow them on Twitter?

Young GLEEks Be Heard

There's only one thing more fun than listening to your favorite songs on Fox's new TV series, Glee - singing 'em yourself, of course! Back in September, Myspace Karaoke launched its first Glee Contest, and through Myspace Karaoke, fans got to show their stuff performing fan favorites, such as Gold Digger and Can't Fight This Feeling. Now, this November, Myspace Karaoke launched its second Glee Contest, and up until November 30, fans can submit their renditions of Sweet Caroline, Keep Holding On, Hate On Me, Bust A Move, and I Could Have Danced All Night.

Usually these type of contests are a great way to find people that genuinely scare you...but I've been browsing through the entries, and some submissions from the younger Glee audience really caught my ears. Take a listen/look at these fun and fantastic entries to Myspace's Second Glee Karaoke Contest, then head on over here to check out more submissions.

Sweet Caroline by Michael
(originally performed by Neil Diamond)

Keep Holding On by Marysol
(originally performed by Avril Lavigne)

Hate On Me by Chantel
(originally performed by Jill Scott)

Bust A Move by K.C.
(originally performed by Young MC)

I Could Have Danced All Night by Miss Lilah Ann
(originally performed for My Fair Lady)

Knock, Knock - Who's There? BOO!

It was a dark and stormy night; five teens fell in torrents, except at occasional intervals, when they were checked by a frightened friend who swept up the halls...rattling along the stairs, and fiercely agitating one other teen that struggled with their birthday plan of pranks.

BOO!

Halloween brought us not only tricks, treats, and stinky feet but the debut of the (short) trailer for YUTE Productions' new short, BOO!, and November 2nd, the short was released via their YouTube channel, YUTETV. Directed by young actor David Henrie (Wizards of Waverly Place) and cousin Johnny Salvatore, the short follows the plight of six teens as they have a run-in with a spooky janitor legend...and soon only one teen remains.

Triggering a lot of scares and a lot of laughs, BOO! creates the perfect blend of humor and suspense. Watching BOO! fondly reminded me of the student shorts (the good ones) filmed by my peers during my high school years, and the talented cast and crew do an excellent job of entertaining toward the youth audience (with just a regular camera and zero financing to boot). David Henrie has quite a directing career ahead of him.

And finally, what you've been waiting for - in case you missed it, catch David Henrie's (YUTE Productions) thrilling short, BOO! right here:

YUTE Productions is a production company founded and developed by David Henrie, a collaborative side project geared toward creating "'Y-Gen' content". Visit the "Producing" page on his official website for more information.

Mitchell Davis: Off the Screen & in the Flesh

Whenever "YouTube" comes up around our house, my sister's eyes light up, and the first name to fly out of her mouth is...Mitchell Davis. To be honest, it took me a while to warm up to the guy (and only did when he mentioned Double Dare 2000), but he has always been on her list of favorites.

So naturally, I flipped when I found out the one and only Mitchell Davis of livelavalive would be doing a live performance with Kyle Sibert this December. Off the screen and in the flesh. My sister's convinced we're going, but...not quite sure how we're getting to New Jersey yet.

Featuring a night of new skits, a mini dance party, and a meet-and-greet, Mitchell Davis and Kyle Sibert will perform live for one night only on Saturday, December 19th. Check out the online flyer for details and to snag your tickets.

This Should Get You Howling

Come this November, the kiddOvision blog is going to be different. Different how, you say? Well, let's just say I'm in the middle of giving this place a make-over. While I can't reveal any specifics, I will say that the end result will be something truly awesome. And the most awesome part? You get to be a part of it. So tell your friends early so they can be a part of the awesomeness before it even happens.

But let me guess, you guys want details, right? Will this be cuter? Funnier? Stranger? Scarier? Well, I don't know about that...but if you want to see something scary, look no further than BalloonShop's video, Halloween Night. They just might get you hooked on their YouTube prowess.

Video source: BalloonShop on YouTube

Trick-Or-Treat...Give Kids Something Good To Eat

Trick-or-treat, smell my feet...remember that one? This year, Trick-Or-Treat for UNICEF encourages you to adopt a new Halloween mantra, and so does Selena Gomez. On a recent trip to Ghana, this UNICEF ambassador got to see just how the program is being used to save the lives of kids just like her.

I'm with Selena. Let's make Halloween count.

For more information, visit Selena Gomez's team page for Trick-Or-Treat for UNICEF.

Video source: Selena Gomez's YouTube Channel

Tyler Steelman Stealing Billboards on Cougar Town

Still taken from Hulu

Still taken from Hulu

Fans of Disney Channel know Tyler Steelman as plucky, nerdy Mark on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Now he's gracing the presence of the pilot episode of ABC's newest comedy series, Cougar Town. Only this time he's stealing billboards.

Still taken from Hulu

Here's the poster pilferer - caught red-handed. Better watch out.

How Does Hannah Do It? The Clark Kent Factor

Photo (left) belongs to Xurble and (right) belongs to heliosphan

Wow...can't believe today is Superhero Day. What, didn't you get the memo? Well, it's that day over at my old high school anyway, to celebrate their Homecoming Week (my sister's going as Blossom from PPG). I thought I'd join the celebration band-wagon with a little superhero action of my own. Ever wonder at how both Superman and Hannah Montana are able to hide their secret identities so flawlessly? No? Well, there's a reason you haven't noticed. So just how does Supergirl keep everything so secret? The Clark Kent factor.

1. The wig.
Just like Clark Kent's glasses, it's the ultimate disguise. Nobody ever recognizes her just because it's on her head. Miley Stewart...blond? That's like saying Superman's a weakling! Also like the glasses, it's rumored to have special powers.

2. The normal life.
Superman (as Clark Kent) has his snazzy reporting job, while behind the scenes Miley Stewart gets to go to school like an everyday teenage girl. The best of both worlds. That way, nobody sees you as special or a hero...just like everybody else. Nobody will ever suspect a thing.

3. The dork alert.
Glasses...reporter...what more could a dork ask for? Well, a hick accent...maybe a hillbilly family. Oh, shoot, how about having friends even more "normal" than you, they make you look weird. This is a must for keeping the identity a secret - who would ever think that a dork could be somebody...well, super.

There you have it. The secret to the secret is revealed. Now do me a favor, and don't tell anyone.

The Magical World of D23 Expo

There’s been a lot of hubbub surrounding this past weekend’s D23 Expo, and some news and photos are still trickling in. Those able to attend already witnessed the magic of the first annual Disney convention, but for those who didn’t get to experience all the fun, you’re probably wondering just what makes this D23 Expo so special…or maybe you’re just aching to see the best parts. So, if you’re like me and you missed out on all the magic, through my findings I’ve put together some of my favorite D23 moments, from the laugh-out-loud hilarious to the cute and adorable, the stranger than strange to the just plain fun.

The Anaheim Convention Center...guess it's not a small world after all.

Artist hard at work at the Princess and the Frog exhibit.


And then, after getting a glimpse of the long-awaited return to 2D animation, we step right back into...technology. But no ordinary technology - technology magic! Love those lights.


Bet you never thought there was more than one way to sew a Stitch.

Get ready for Disney World's Fantasyland expansion. I got more excited over the amazing visuals than I'll probably get over the actual thing.

Herbie the Lovebug! The Disney version of the Batmobile.


Now this...is cool.


I'd love to take a visit to the Hundred Acre Wood.

And last but not least, when the Wizards of Waverly Place cast made an appearance, David Henrie got an unexpected marriage proposal from a rather over-enthusiastic fan.

This might just be enough bait for me to get to Anaheim next September. Just so I can take my own photos of the hilarious, the adorable, the strange, and the fun. Seems there's enough of it out there.

Surf on over to the Disney and More blog for full event coverage of the D23 Expo.

Photos belong to Disneygeek and Latino Review.

Imagination is Necessary

Photo belongs to lepaif.geo

“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”
- Albert Einstein

Anybody who watched Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends knows that all it takes is a little imagination, and you can do almost anything. Mac created his imaginary friend Bloo at the wee age of five with just a single thought. It’s much the same with poetry – with just one thought, a whole word of possibilities is at your fingertips. When you put it that way, poetry sounds a lot less scary, doesn’t it? It sounds even less scary when you, the poet, have some ideas to feed that imagination. And what could better feed imagination than Foster’s?

Let’s try the picture poem. A picture is normally worth a thousand words, so just one poem should be a cinch, right? Pick any Fosters-related image, either while watching an episode or surfing the Internet, and go from there. A Bloo fan? Write about his crazy antics at the house. Maybe you love that surreal scene where Terrence thinks he’s dreaming up Mac’s slumber party. Your favorite piece of fanart is always a possibility too. But don’t write about just what you see – focus on what you’re feeling, what the characters might be feeling…or you could choose to go the more abstract route and just write about something as simple as the colors in the picture. Be as creative and imaginative as you like.

Before I leave you guys to find your own picture and imagine up a poem of your own, here’s a little something I came up with from this fun Foster’s comic strip drawn by the big Cheese creator himself, Craig McCracken:

6-3-07 Color by *CMcC on deviantART

No!
No, no, no, no, no
No, no, no, no, no
Ten times no!
The things he’ll do for
No!
No cookie-stealing
No dinner-spewing
No hair-cutting
No arrow-shooting
No ball-throwing
No bra-slinging
No toilet-stinking
No socket-prodding
No jumping from the highest story
Honestly,
The things he’ll do for no…
Make me wonder just what I’ll do
To hear “yes”

The Wizard's Journey

Photo belongs to About.com

How magical would it be if you could use Wizards of Waverly Place the Movie to help you out in school? With school either already here or right around the corner, those of us still taking our education will soon have to get back into the groove of things, and just as the journey back to school comes around, so does the Hero’s Journey. The classic story outline makes some students happy and stumps others, but no matter if you think it’s fun or just plain confusing, I’ve put a little twist on the first five steps of the Hero’s Journey to cast just a little more magic into your school days. Or make you wish you had something like this when you were still in school.

1. The Call to Adventure
After Alex disrespects her parents and abuses her magic privileges, Theresa and Jerry decide that no magic will be allowed for the duration of their upcoming family vacation to the Caribbean. Having stolen the wizard’s Book of Forbidden Spells from Justin’s possession, Alex brings it on the trip against her parents’ orders.

2. Refusal of the Call
Miffed at being dragged along on what she thinks of as a stupid family vacation, Alex acts rude and obnoxious the entire trip, especially once she realizes that Justin acted strangely disobedient and brought the full-powered, family wand with him.

3. Supernatural Aid
When Max makes a spectacle out of a street magician and his parrot companion, the guy introduces himself to the family as a fellow wizard and asks for their help in uncovering the Stone of Dreams, but Jerry politely declines for all of them.

4. The Crossing of the First Threshold
One thing leads to another and an out-of-control Alex wishes Jerry and Theresa never even met – with the spellbook in her hands.

5. The Belly of the Whale
Having accidentally cast her wish into reality, Alex now faces a mother and father who not only have no idea who the other is but also have no recollection of either Max, Justin, or herself. Not knowing what else to do the three of them approach Jerry for help, and once again the Stone of Dreams comes up. Giving Max the task of watching out for their parents, Justin and Alex seek out the magician to search for the Stone of Dreams.

Think your teachers would believe who your tutor was? Just tell 'em you learned from a wiz.

Chowder Expired Leaves Greenblatt with Less on his Plate

Photo belongs to foodistablog

A peek inside the cartoon fridge should tell you that while most show items are still fresh and ready to be consumed, one in particular is fast approaching its expiration date. On August 13th, Animation Magazine reported that while Cartoon Network will be ordering a few new series and renewing Thurop van Orman's THE MARVELOUS MISADVENTURES OF FLAPJACK for their upcoming lineups, CHOWDER fans were left in the dark. A blog entry posted by creator C.H. Greenblatt that same day confirmed fans' fears - CHOWDER had been canceled. Though in spite of the cancellation, Greenblatt decided to focus on the positives.

"...it's like being the hot girl who just got out a bad relationship; your phone starts ringing from everyone else who's been wanting to date you. It's nice to hear from other networks how much they enjoy the show, especially when you don't really hear it from your own. Chowder has opened up a lot of awesome possibilities for me, and creatively I'm feeling more inspired than ever. There are some new ideas I'm working on that will hopefully find a good home somewhere in the next year" (Nerd Armada: "The Hot Girl").

So in honor of the little "cat, bear, rabbit...thingie," I'm highlighting my top 5 all-time favorite CHOWDER moments to whet your appetite. Enjoy!

5. I'm Not Your Boyfriend!
-"Chowder's Girlfriend"

Poor Chowder...that Panini just won't let up. A guy's gotta do something to dump his girlfriend, even if they are only going out in her own mind - and a song is just the way to show her exactly how he really feels.

4. Shnitzel's Joke
-"The Sing Beans"

Everybody loves a good joke...especially the other kind of joke. The thought of Shnitzel telling an adult joke is funny no matter what but it becomes even funnier when you realize you're trying to translate it in your head.

3. C.H. Greenblatt Puppet Cameo
-"Shnitzel Quits"

Here he is, the big guy himself. The random stop-motion throughout the show is always amusing, but for some reason there's just something extra amusing about Greenblatt appearing in puppet-form to persuade Shnitzel to come home.

2. Care For a Free Lollipop?
-"Shnitzel Makes a Deposit"

To a kid, the bank = free lollipop. But what's even funnier is how a common expression gets turned around into a seemingly never-ending string of "would 'I's" and "would 'you's". As the first series gag that kept me laughing hard, it never fails to get a few chuckles out of me.

1. Car Wash
-"The Shopping Spree"

Click to watch!

Some of the best moments ever are when the writers break that "fourth wall" in the CHOWDER universe and do something really crazy-creative. Like the whole cast holding a car wash to fundraise for the rest of the episode's animation. Hands down hilarious.

The cartoon fridge will definitely feel a bit colder without CHOWDER, but I'll be looking forward to not only the episodes left to air, but also to what else Greenblatt has brewing for the future. So far, it's been a recipe for success.

Emily Osment Aims To Be Fun For Your Ears

Cup O Noodles

Between marveling at blue skies, playing Super Mario, and eating instant ramen for lunch, she sounds like a typical teenager. The thing is, she really is one - she tweets on Twitter, her dislikes stand with sushi and sharks, and she has her family-friends-three-dog support net ready and waiting for a catch. Despite her teenage normalcy, Emily Osment is doing what few everyday teens have the guts to do: Be who they are. And she aims to do it all with a guitar and piano at her fingertips.

"I'll try not to be cliché when I say music is one of the most important things in my life. I listen to it, create it, and apply it to everything I do. Now I can officially share it with you"
(Emily Osment's Official Myspace).

Listen
Some go through life with eyes wide open. Well, Emily lives with ears wide open. A peek at her playlist might show you the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and R.E.M; she cites her influences as Radiohead, Incubus, Air, Beck, and John Lennon.

Create
Her acting on HANNAH MONTANA recently won Best Sidekick in the Teen Choice Awards, and now Emily's ready to also rock the world of music. She's been busy in the studio working on her upcoming EP, All The Right Wrongs, and now her anticipated new single, All The Way Up, is making some noise for Radio Disney airwaves. Sporting a new sound and a beat to match, All The Way Up is set for a digital release August 25th.

Apply
The lyric quotes placed throughout her bio prove it - this girl doesn't just love music, she lives it. Emily not only collaborates with fellow music artists such as Push Play but also loves the guys in her own band like brothers. On the heels of her launch into Myspace, Emily recently made another splash in Internet waves with her official website. Embracing the warm welcome her fans have given her, one thing is clear - she cares about the ones who look up to her and what she does.

Sporting the Converse she loves, Emily hopes to run into fans wearing her own T-shirt and accessory designs (available through her online merch store). She is definitely into inspiration and would love it if she can ultimately inspire others the same way she feels inspired by the music she loves. She's living life far from the ordinary, and as she puts it in her lyrics, It's a temporary life... / That takes you all the way up / All the way down / Never look back it's time to breakout.

"I have always wanted to snowboard in New Zealand and surf in Fiji in the same weekend, maybe the music will take me there, but for now I am just working hard and being the best that I can be. Hope you are too. Hi, my name's Emily."
(Emily Osment's Official Myspace).

8/14/09 - Somethin', Somethin', Somethin', Say What?

Photo ©Tm 2007

Whether you read comics or not, you know you can't resist! Fill in the blanks for these lovely people cosplaying Wonder Woman and Batman at San Diego Comic Con 2007. Once you've come up with some creative thought and speech bubble dialogue, share it in a comment. Who's Wonder Woman eying? Just what exactly is Batman thinking.... Only you can decide.