http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/104591239.html?elr=KArks7PYDiaK7DUHPYDiaK7DUiD3aPc%3A_Yyc%3AaULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr
Minnetonka mom leads a see-through life
Welcome to the world of Spricket24, a nondescript living room from which popular YouTube personality Karen Alloy shares more than her thoughts.
To see Spricket24's Emmy-winning video, fan favorites and more, go to www.startribune.com/lifestyle.
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Karen AlloyMore from Lifestyle
What you immediately notice about Karen Alloy, in order: She's cute, funny, quirky, street-smart -- and willing to share.
Some might say overshare.
Alloy, aka YouTube's spricket24, has blogged and tweeted events most of us would consider pretty intimate with an online audience of thousands.
Three notable examples: She has given herself a pregnancy test and even gave birth (without video, due to hospital restrictions), amassing several million total page views and a growing Twitter following in the process.
"People have a natural curiosity, and the more I open up the more they accept me," she said, sitting on a sofa in the second-story Minnetonka apartment she shares with her three children.
Alloy left her corporate job four years ago to try her hand at vlogging (video blogging), most of which is done in her apartment. She now has nearly 180,000 followers, 4.5 million total channel views, 39 million total upload views and often gets a fresh post listed in YouTube's top 100 most-viewed of the day, making her something of an A-lister in the populist, indiscriminate world of YouTube.
Monthly paychecks from YouTube and Google are proof of her power to draw potential consumers to ads. Her reach is wide: At a Target store in California recently, three teen girls recognized her and told her they were fans. And so far, she's the only person to win a regional Emmy award (in 2009) for a YouTube video.
"She's a sort of a new, techy version of a 1950s pinup, but she's smart, doing it all by herself, owning it," said Judy Grundstrom, a Minneapolis architect, blogger and social-media expert who nominated Alloy for a Twin Cities social-media award this year.
A willowy redhead who has done some modeling and looks more 25 than 33, Alloy makes no bones about sometimes exploiting her beauty to keep the new clicks coming, or about setting limits on fan comments.
Some might say overshare.
Alloy, aka YouTube's spricket24, has blogged and tweeted events most of us would consider pretty intimate with an online audience of thousands.
Three notable examples: She has given herself a pregnancy test and even gave birth (without video, due to hospital restrictions), amassing several million total page views and a growing Twitter following in the process.
"People have a natural curiosity, and the more I open up the more they accept me," she said, sitting on a sofa in the second-story Minnetonka apartment she shares with her three children.
Alloy left her corporate job four years ago to try her hand at vlogging (video blogging), most of which is done in her apartment. She now has nearly 180,000 followers, 4.5 million total channel views, 39 million total upload views and often gets a fresh post listed in YouTube's top 100 most-viewed of the day, making her something of an A-lister in the populist, indiscriminate world of YouTube.
Monthly paychecks from YouTube and Google are proof of her power to draw potential consumers to ads. Her reach is wide: At a Target store in California recently, three teen girls recognized her and told her they were fans. And so far, she's the only person to win a regional Emmy award (in 2009) for a YouTube video.
"She's a sort of a new, techy version of a 1950s pinup, but she's smart, doing it all by herself, owning it," said Judy Grundstrom, a Minneapolis architect, blogger and social-media expert who nominated Alloy for a Twin Cities social-media award this year.
A willowy redhead who has done some modeling and looks more 25 than 33, Alloy makes no bones about sometimes exploiting her beauty to keep the new clicks coming, or about setting limits on fan comments.
She acknowledges some unwanted input from "creepy guys. I try to discourage it by writing things like, 'My grandma saw your comment.' I block them if they cross the line."
Her natural attractiveness, the type that's enhanced even more by a camera, is part of the initial appeal for many of the fans who subscribe to her channel. But the secret of her endurance is keeping them interested in, even feeling a part of, her life, throwing out enough to keep them intrigued, but not so much that she becomes an obnoxious turn-off.
"She wouldn't have that huge fan base if she didn't show a little cleavage, but she's wink-wink, not porno," said Grundstrom. "She's not doing it the point where she turns off a lot of women. She's sophisticated about when it's a good idea to use her looks and when it's not."
Several weeks ago, after a video for which she wore a bikini top, Alloy blocked 172 people, losing a lot of subscriptions in the process (some were not subscribers, only viewers). "It makes other fans fight in my honor," she said.
Her biggest fan base, she says, is women in their teens and early 20s, and "a lot of moms who follow me on Twitter. The largest volume of e-mails I get in any given day is from teen girls asking advice on womanhood and boyfriends. I write back a ton, but it's hard to keep up."
She jokes about her family back home on her blog, but has also touched followers with videos about reconnecting with her birth dad, and dealing with his death five years later.
When she first began doing the videos after leaving a human-resources corporate job in 2006, "my husband thought I was out of my mind," she said.
They split in 2008 and share custody of her two older kids, Ethan, 8, and Anna, 6. She has remained uncharacteristically tight-lipped about the identity of 1-year-old Lulu's father, which some fans continue to press her about.
Emmy Award Winning Video
Her natural attractiveness, the type that's enhanced even more by a camera, is part of the initial appeal for many of the fans who subscribe to her channel. But the secret of her endurance is keeping them interested in, even feeling a part of, her life, throwing out enough to keep them intrigued, but not so much that she becomes an obnoxious turn-off.
"She wouldn't have that huge fan base if she didn't show a little cleavage, but she's wink-wink, not porno," said Grundstrom. "She's not doing it the point where she turns off a lot of women. She's sophisticated about when it's a good idea to use her looks and when it's not."
Several weeks ago, after a video for which she wore a bikini top, Alloy blocked 172 people, losing a lot of subscriptions in the process (some were not subscribers, only viewers). "It makes other fans fight in my honor," she said.
Her biggest fan base, she says, is women in their teens and early 20s, and "a lot of moms who follow me on Twitter. The largest volume of e-mails I get in any given day is from teen girls asking advice on womanhood and boyfriends. I write back a ton, but it's hard to keep up."
Midwest roots
Alloy grew up in a military family in Minot, N.D. She joined the National Guard at 17, with her parents' permission. She moved to Minneapolis 12 years ago. She majored in theater at Normandale Community College, dropping out at 22 when she got pregnant.She jokes about her family back home on her blog, but has also touched followers with videos about reconnecting with her birth dad, and dealing with his death five years later.
When she first began doing the videos after leaving a human-resources corporate job in 2006, "my husband thought I was out of my mind," she said.
They split in 2008 and share custody of her two older kids, Ethan, 8, and Anna, 6. She has remained uncharacteristically tight-lipped about the identity of 1-year-old Lulu's father, which some fans continue to press her about.
Social media experts give Alloy high marks for knowing how to market herself.
An expert on branding via social media, Grundstrom explained why someone like Alloy is more valuable to advertisers than a viral video that may get more hits: "People may click on the viral video, but they aren't as likely to check out an attached ad as they are with Karen, because they feel invested in her, maybe enough that they will click on an ad."
Dusty Trice, a Minnesota political campaign consultant and new-media strategist, gives Alloy credit for taking "a pretty good-sized hook, giving birth on the Internet, and knowing what to do next" to build her fan base. Like a lot of people successful at doing this, she's asking for subscribers. It's surprising how many people will click that button if you just ask. Once you've carved out a niche, the audience will come to you."
Trice's advice to Alloy for her next step? "Get on TV ASAP. When you've got a personality and an audience, you can start transitioning your brand. A TV appearance, where more people can see that personality, is better than a résumé."
Alloy is already there, traveling to Los Angeles for auditions several times over the last year. She was on a reality show about online people competing for viewer votes, but it didn't get picked up. She also has been cast in an indie film, "P.O.P." (paper or plastic), about working at a grocery store.
"It's harder for online people to be taken as seriously by casting directors," she said.
Not all of Alloy's videos are personal. She also demonstrates a flair for comedy on topics ranging from Craigslist to movies to single momhood, "anything that strikes me as funny or something I can personally relate to," she said.
But it's clear that Alloy has become a lot more social since she was held back in kindergarten for being too shy.
"I'm an open book, but I do keep some stuff private," she said.
Kristin Tillotson • 612-673-7046
******************************************************************************An expert on branding via social media, Grundstrom explained why someone like Alloy is more valuable to advertisers than a viral video that may get more hits: "People may click on the viral video, but they aren't as likely to check out an attached ad as they are with Karen, because they feel invested in her, maybe enough that they will click on an ad."
Dusty Trice, a Minnesota political campaign consultant and new-media strategist, gives Alloy credit for taking "a pretty good-sized hook, giving birth on the Internet, and knowing what to do next" to build her fan base. Like a lot of people successful at doing this, she's asking for subscribers. It's surprising how many people will click that button if you just ask. Once you've carved out a niche, the audience will come to you."
Trice's advice to Alloy for her next step? "Get on TV ASAP. When you've got a personality and an audience, you can start transitioning your brand. A TV appearance, where more people can see that personality, is better than a résumé."
Alloy is already there, traveling to Los Angeles for auditions several times over the last year. She was on a reality show about online people competing for viewer votes, but it didn't get picked up. She also has been cast in an indie film, "P.O.P." (paper or plastic), about working at a grocery store.
"It's harder for online people to be taken as seriously by casting directors," she said.
Not all of Alloy's videos are personal. She also demonstrates a flair for comedy on topics ranging from Craigslist to movies to single momhood, "anything that strikes me as funny or something I can personally relate to," she said.
But it's clear that Alloy has become a lot more social since she was held back in kindergarten for being too shy.
"I'm an open book, but I do keep some stuff private," she said.
Kristin Tillotson • 612-673-7046
Emmy Award Winning Video
************************************************************
http://www.buckdharma.com/Main.html******************************
Comments:
Trashy Woman With A Bunch Of Kids From Different Fathers
What a role model... Why would anyone pay attention to a woman like this?posted by democratslie on Oct. 10, 10 at 11:35 AM |
no way!
She's on okcupid!posted by liberalelite on Oct. 10, 10 at 1:04 PM |
Thanks for the article
It was nice to meet Kristin so thank you for asking me to do this. :) I had so much fun and I sent it to my grandma! lol Karen Alloy http://www.youtube.com/spricket24posted by karen24alloy on Oct. 10, 10 at 1:15 PM |
i love this woman!
ive been following her on youtube for over a year and a half. shes a wonderful and different. shes not afraid to put herself out there. i respect her for taking a chance and making it. shes one hell of a strong woman! i love watching her on youtube and i love her remarks on facebook. please dont diss on her till you watch some of her videos. shes awesome!posted by beccamarie08 on Oct. 10, 10 at 1:18 PM |
Good article about a smart & successful self-made woman!
I highly respect her for taking the risk of leaving the relative safety of a regularly paid job and try to make it for herself in a field she enjoys! All while being a mother to her three children on top of everything. As I said, HUGE respect! And it seems her rise has just begun... I for one wish her all the best for the future!posted by lkcalhoun on Oct. 10, 10 at 1:39 PM |
She's smart and all that but can't seem to figure out how not to keep getting pregnant to rich guys. There is just no way she supports herself, and three ( 4th on the way ) with checks from Adsense.
posted by bugmenot99 on Oct. 10, 10 at 3:16 PM |
Karen Alloy for PRESIDENT !
I've been watching Karen, aka Spricket24, for years on YouTube and she is always very upfront and genuinely honest with us and oh so entertaining. She takes the time to correspond with us and comment back and that makes us feel like we are friends even though most of us will never actually meet her. She has introduced us to other local talent like Dan Rodriguez who's latest music video featured Karen and I think they both deserve to be HUGE stars.Thanks Karen...we/I love you !!!posted by vetteboy1982 on Oct. 10, 10 at 3:28 PM |
Speaking of YouTube
Celebs, remember lonelygirl15? So glad it's stuck in 2005.posted by splitpeas on Oct. 10, 10 at 8:06 PM |
Nice
It doesn't hurt that shes beautiful too!posted by webspectre02 on Oct. 10, 10 at 8:11 PM |
three or four spawn?
can't be that smart.posted by coldbiker on Oct. 10, 10 at 8:31 PM |
Not impressed
Comments on you tube show the guys are not looking at her face.posted by kjjkjj on Oct. 10, 10 at 8:50 PM |
Watch her video on Ugly People
It's sad to think that she's got so many teen followers who look up to her and hold what she says to be good information. The business side of this story is great, until you actually see what messages she's sending.posted by Himay on Oct. 10, 10 at 9:56 PM |
I agree - this girls needs a lesson in birth control.
posted by Rustys_mom on Oct. 10, 10 at 10:18 PM |
Wow
She used to be in HR. That explains a lot.posted by blover2k on Oct. 10, 10 at 10:31 PM |
Is this what we've sunk to?
You'll never go broke appealing to the lowest common denominator.posted by reader6500 on Oct. 10, 10 at 10:34 PM |
Palin with less brains
I wish her the best but seriously. 10 seconds of video and you look like Sarah Jr. Cash in while you can. Glory (especially the internet variety) is fleeting.posted by carbonfiber on Oct. 10, 10 at 10:42 PM |
Remember
Reality TV/VBlogs are not real.posted by thenagain on Oct. 10, 10 at 10:49 PM |
I don't care what you all say
She's a total babe!posted by cyclone1234 on Oct. 10, 10 at 11:10 PM |
I bet child support pays waaaaay better
!posted by richieswenson on Oct. 10, 10 at 11:46 PM |
lets face it
sex sells, it always has and it always will ( unless gender feminism or the mens movement can come up with a way to neutralize the differences between men and women)posted by mannyhead on Oct. 11, 10 at 1:03 AM |
Wow
She shows cleavage in EVERY clip. I watched three, and they were all terrible. Just her rambling on about worthless junk. Who finds this stuff amusing?posted by jazzmanmb on Oct. 11, 10 at 1:39 AM |
That is one nasty site. The language and foul mouths is not something for children, but it looks like that is all that comments on that channel.
posted by duke2009 on Oct. 11, 10 at 1:40 AM |
13 year old
She acts like a 13 year old. Totally!!! No, really!! Like, you know!!! Like, she’s a cool 13 year old but really she’s like a really totally old lady. Like, really cool. Hee-hee duh.posted by xsnowdog on Oct. 11, 10 at 4:28 AM |
I watched one of her videos and found it interesting
for 2.3 seconds. The video where Harpo Marx speaks and TV news bloopers are infinitely more interesting. I can see why she is not married. And those poor kids..posted by barneyf on Oct. 11, 10 at 6:31 AM |
Spricket24 on YouTube / KarenAlloy on twitter
Dp45 logging in here for the first time in 5 years. Last time the right-wingers were begrudging all of public transportation & telling people to walk to work in the -25 F Minnesota cold. Minnesota nice, where'd it go? Is Karen any part of Minnesota nice? Depends what it's about. She deals with mean people on the internet all day, they can't all be from Minnesota can they? She brightens up my day a lot and I really do appreciate her, (but I'm a mean person & her grandmother might be reading this...) Anyway, congrats on the EMMY AWARD awhile back & now you've got a little validation from a major newspaper in the midwest. - Love Eric Bentsenposted by printhead on Oct. 11, 10 at 6:44 AM |
Its a shame that complete lack of class
is the norm in this day and age, and worse yet, its admired.posted by fastnfaster on Oct. 11, 10 at 7:03 AM |
Mother of 3, not married, two different dad's...
Giving out advice to teens and young women? Selling her sexuality with low cut shirts and bikini tops? Sounds like trash to me.posted by jrock612 on Oct. 11, 10 at 7:24 AM |
I watched her video's
I don't find her to be a bit amusing at all. Alot of trashy, sexual content and news that you can't possibly use. She almost a wannabe in how she presents herself. Karen Alloy will never move up in the comedian world from where's she at now. In fact, if it wasn't for Utube, she would be a complete unknown.posted by Mplsjudd on Oct. 11, 10 at 7:45 AM |
Transparency and the Censor
Like, I find it interesting that I got censored on my first try for spoofing the really, really, like cool teeny bopper talk and her age. There were no sexual or swear words in it either!! She talks 13 but is actually 33. Hope this makes her façade a little more transparent.posted by xsnowdog on Oct. 11, 10 at 7:52 AM |
Yawn
No news here.posted by BearBarton on Oct. 11, 10 at 8:16 AM |
It's a pity so many angry people find the need to attack her children or her appearance, but envious, judgmental little minds always emerge in the wake of other people's achievements. Redheads like Karen Alloy and Felicia Day are demonstrating that the future of the media involves developing new ways of delivering programming.
Alloy is making history and establishing the new way that the media will work. Rock on Spricket!
The Fall
Remember years ago at the height of the cold war, when we kept a watchful and nervous eye on that clockface on the cover of The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists? The minute hand ticked ever closer to midnight - nuclear doomsday - depending on the state of the tensions between the nuclear superpowers. Well, as soon as I find a minute - like that's gonna' happen - I'm going to start publishing The Harbinger Newsletter, with a doomsday clock on the cover and stories like this one filling the inside, as we tick ever closer to the fall of western civilization. You heard it here first.posted by geo35mm on Oct. 11, 10 at 8:38 AM |
Innovators are always opposed.
"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."It's a pity so many angry people find the need to attack her children or her appearance, but envious, judgmental little minds always emerge in the wake of other people's achievements. Redheads like Karen Alloy and Felicia Day are demonstrating that the future of the media involves developing new ways of delivering programming.
Alloy is making history and establishing the new way that the media will work. Rock on Spricket!
posted by a1batross on Oct. 11, 10 at 8:40 AM |
When a Person
Brags how many hits they are getting from their videos, let me remind you people that it means jack. If Fox News or MSNBC brag that they lead in a certain age demographic, they can because they are selling advertising and could even come up in discussions in regards to how much they can charge in carriage fees.posted by splitpeas on Oct. 11, 10 at 8:59 AM |
Sad
Award for what? Targeting the lowest common denominators and setting poor and unintelligent examples for teenagers who don't know any better. Her videos are yet another contribution to the downfall of society.posted by iknowmore on Oct. 11, 10 at 9:36 AM |
Just reviewed the titles of some of her vids...
I won't repeat them here--many seemed designed to entice the type of commentor she ends up blocking. I won't watch any more vids beyond the first couple I reviewed, and will be talking to my eldest daughter about her tonight (not sure if she's come across her yet). This lady just seems crass. Just looking through the comments for some of her videos, it's clear that she has many viewers who user her videos for purposes other than intellectual stimulation.posted by ajriemer on Oct. 11, 10 at 9:46 AM |
Another Great Arteest Surfaces
OMG!!! I was just informed that someone (who shall remain unnamed) who bills herself as a "Minneapolis architect, blogger and social-media expert" has nominated this YouTube star for a "Twin Cities social-media award." This reminds me of a quote by Cintra Wilson about how art has become so devalued in our culture: "Nobody wants to be a real artist any more - a reclusive, self-contained workaholic perfectionist - because it's no fun: You don't get enough attention. Now one only does "art" as a necessary part of the equation, the means to the end, so one can get plastic surgery and go to parties in order to lick and be licked upon by other famous people like puppies in a basket."posted by geo35mm on Oct. 11, 10 at 9:49 AM |
Wait
The article mentions that she was at a Target in California. Did she take the Magic School Bus or something? I'm obviously not her accountant, but does she need to reminded again that she does not need to go far to Target in her neck of the woods?posted by splitpeas on Oct. 11, 10 at 9:50 AM |
Paid????
Wow, if she can get paid for something as stupid as this, more power to her. I never saw or never will see any of her video's, but to get paid for this still blows my mind...posted by MNice on Oct. 11, 10 at 9:54 AM |
World - hand basket - hell
We're well on our way. I just don't get the nature of why people a) want to sit and talk online all day and b) why people want to sit and watch people sit and talk online all day. Glad she is able to afford her kids and good for her that she is able to make a living. But, instead of a pregnancy stick, how about you and your partner investing in birth control?posted by catfish on Oct. 11, 10 at 9:55 AM |
Public Aid
If that is one of the private things she would not admit to receiving, that is very smart of her. Just look at Nadya Suleman...posted by splitpeas on Oct. 11, 10 at 10:39 AM |
What's so sad to me, is that while this woman is "vlogging" all day, her kids are being ignored, neglected, or worse, and only two of them get a reprieve with visitations from their dad. I don't understand the You Tube vlogging world. There is no better waste of time - particularly when you have other, more important responsibilities - than watching and making these senseless videos. What has society done to create such an irresponsible brood? And, I'm sorry, but giving advice to teen girls about boys and other things???? This woman only knows how to get knocked up, and came from a crappy family herself. Empathy is about all she can properly hand out.
posted by dailysense on Oct. 11, 10 at 10:46 AM |
dailysense
I agree what with you are saying. I have to feel sorry for anyone who looks to this female for advice about life, when she doesn't practice what she preaches!posted by splitpeas on Oct. 11, 10 at 11:03 AM |
Well
At least she's cute, right?posted by vikingcarver on Oct. 11, 10 at 11:47 AM |
Cute? Yes. Smart?......
Never heard of her before this article but I checked out some of her videos after reading this. Not sure how anyone using even a fraction of their brain can honestly think this woman is smart! I'm pretty sure a certain number of brain cells are lost for each minute of listening to her.posted by GBarbs on Oct. 11, 10 at 12:28 PM |
beccamarie08
Watched her. Not impressed. She's nice looking, but if you think the content of her vblog is good, more power to ya, but it's really not much to talk about. This woman being popular tells you more about the people in this country more than anything. It's pretty pathetic that this is popular in today's world.posted by Zekeman10 on Oct. 11, 10 at 1:15 PM |
Does the Strib get a cut now that they are marketing her?
posted by fjohnsone42 on Oct. 11, 10 at 3:18 PM |
@dailysense
How is her spending a couple hours vlogging per day worse than her putting them in daycare and spending the entire day at a job? I say kudos to her for being able to make a living staying at home, though I think that her movies are mindless and people only watch because she's a cute redhead with cleavage.posted by becmojo on Oct. 11, 10 at 3:19 PM |
In a word....
vapid. But maybe I'm just jealous at some level. My mom and dad always taught me that an honorable life was one in service to others. I'm just not seeing a lot of honor here, but perhaps, and probably, that's just my personal infirmity.posted by thewordsmith on Oct. 11, 10 at 3:51 PM |
Chuckling that the subject of this article found it necessary to leave her own comment. So she could include a link to her site, since the article did not mention it.
posted by Rustys_mom on Oct. 11, 10 at 3:52 PM |
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