Octagon First Call

An article in Rolling Stone described a cool, new medium that’s been in the works for some time: celebrity-hosted internet talk shows. The article was about funnyman Tom Green and his latest endeavor, Tom Green Live! Though many entities offer podcasts, or chances to download network shows from the Web, Green’s show marks a new direction in communications. Filmed in the comfort of Green’s home and aired live on www.maniatv.com (episodes are also available on his personal website), the show has a similar format to talk shows on television. Guests have included Dr. Drew Pinsky, Brooke Shields, Weird Al Yankovic and Melissa Rivers, with some interviews surpassing two hours. Green, who was forced to cancel his MTV show due to a cancer diagnosis, is an entrepreneur thinking in the right direction. He combined the popularity of YouTube, his name and credibility, and the unpredictability of a call-in radio show into something really clever and funny. And while this show may not bring in millions right away, let’s not forget what this model did over time for Ashton Kutcher (Punk’d), Andy Samberg (Lonely Sunday), Steve-O (Jackass) and Jessica Rose (lonelygirl15).