AllThingsD » PSA

Viral Video: D9 Acting CEO Jane Lynch on the "R-Word"

Kara Swisher — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 08:38:41 +0000

“Glee” star Jane Lynch opened the ninth D: All Things Digital conference last week in a terrific bit of stand-up, posing as the acting CEO of News Corp. and making all kinds of comical proclamations.

But one thing she thinks should not be made fun of are loaded words that denigrate those with intellectual disabilities, as you will see in this video below that she made with Lauren Potter, one of her colleagues on the hit Fox television show.

In this PSA against the use of the R-words — retard and retarded — a comparison is made with racial slurs and it’s effectively jarring to watch.

Here it is, along with her opening night appearance at D9:

[ See post to watch video ]

Viral Video: The American Jewish World Service Is Funny

Kara Swisher — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 07:20:27 +0000

Here is a very charming PSA for the American Jewish World Service, which appeared on FunnyorDie.com.

It was done by Hollywood directing and writing phenom Judd Apatow and a passel of celebrities, celebrating the organization’s 25th anniversary.

BoomTown’s fave, as usual, is Lindsay Lohan, who–as washed up as she is now as an actor–really could still be a contender.

Enjoy:

Judd Apatow’s All-Star Video from Judd Apatow

Don't Vote, Vote? Whatever–Spielberg's Directing an Online Video!

Kara Swisher — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 08:36:15 +0000

Not many online videos have sequels, but the one below–featuring a passel of celebrities, including Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Borat, Leonardo DiCaprio, Julia Roberts, Justin Timberlake, Scarlett Johansson and Harrison Ford–is one and even has famed director Steven Spielberg at the helm.

It is a follow-up to a PSA I posted earlier this month called “Hollywood Declares Themselves,” encouraging young people to vote.

It is from the nonpartisan group Declare Yourself, which has also put out the “Muzzler”/Jessica Alba get-out-the-vote advertising and video.

Declare Yourself is partnering with Google, YouTube and MySpace to distribute the new video, which has been produced by DiCaprio’s Appian Way .

Declare Yourself claims that “since it first debuted on Oct. 1st, the PSA has been viewed over 5,000,000 times. According to all major voting registration sites, including Google, Rock the Vote, and Declare Yourself, over 300,000 new voters registered due to the video alone.”

Here is the new video and also the previous two under it:

Spielberg Directs!

Hollywood Declares Themselves

“Muzzler”/Jessica Alba

Don't Vote! (Except, It's Celebs Being Ironic, So Do!)

Kara Swisher — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:52:39 +0000

Here’s an interesting online video, in which a passel of celebrities urge young people to vote.

It begins with them urging youth not to vote, in that hipster, sarcastic, of-course-we-really-mean-you-should-vote-you-dope tone.

The nonpartisan PSA–well, honestly, it does lean decidedly liberal–has been produced by actor Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way and includes DiCaprio, Jennifer Aniston, Dustin Hoffman, Eva Longoria, Forest Whitaker, Ellen DeGeneres, among others.

Also, inexplicably, comic Sarah Silverman taking off her bra to prompt young people into civic action.

And if that’s not reason enough to prompt you to register to vote–deadlines are looming for the upcoming election–and get to the voting booths on Nov. 4, BoomTown does not know what is.

Here’s the video: