Backdated: That's the Power of the Internet...and OxyClean

Given current events, I don’t believe I have to explain the title of the post, but for the uninitiated I will anyway.

Sadly, we’ve had several celebrity deaths lately. Ed McMahon, best known for his work on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, was the first to leave, passing away on June 23rd from unknown causes. From what I’ve seen, it was not highly publicized – tributes in news broadcasts sadly seemed to be the most that were done.

Farrah Fawcett, on the other hand, received a good deal of publicity before her death, since she had documented her experiences with cancer. It became a television special that aired a few weeks before she passed away the morning of June 26. It was a tragedy, but not a surprise.

Michael Jackson, on the other hand, shocked the nation. He went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to the UCLA medical center on the afternoon on June 26th, passing away later that day. The media went into an absolute frenzy – the story was on every news broadcast (and the main story of some programs), and any channel that called itself an entertainment or music channel was airing tributes within hours. From what I know, they’re still doing it.

Billy Mays was also a surprise. He was found unresponsive in his home the morning of June 28th, cause of death still unknown. There were a few news stories and a bit of speculation, but for the most part the media has not been covering his passing away.

The internet, on the other hand, is a completely different matter (as it often is). While the mainstream media has let the famous pitchman go nearly unnoticed, the internet community has risen with all manner of tributes, most of which were organized on the popular social networking site Twitter. It helps, of course, that Mays’ son (also named Billy) is an active presence on the site.

Within the space of 140 characters, multiple tributes to the well-loved pitchman have sprang up, most in less than twenty-four hours. Tim Buckley, the artist and writer of the webcomic CTRL+ALT+DEL, has posted a tribute in today’s comic. The phrase, “They say celebs die in threes; leave it to Billy Mays to throw in one extra completely free!” has been retweeted (i.e. quoted on Twitter) multiple times within the past minute and a half, according to the topic search.

The biggest tribute, from what I have seen, was organized in its entirety yesterday and enacted today. Called Wear Blue for Billy (or “wearblue4billy” in the trending topics), the movement is exactly what it says on the box: today is the day to wear blue in memory of and tribute to Billy Mays, the man who made the blue shirt famous (sorry, Sully). I can honestly say, with the exception of tinting one’s icon green in support of the protesters in Iran, that I have never seen a user-created movement with such a widespread participation rate. Looking at the topic search should give you a pretty good idea of just how many people participated in this. (For the link phobic, the answer is “a lot.”) In addition, one user is collecting pictures from the users who participated and is making a collage, which I’m certain we’ll be able to see soon.

Keep in mind that the news and entertainment media has not picked up a thing about any of this.

To me, this is the biggest indication that the internet can do things that are far out of the mainstream media’s reach. The fact that so many people can come together so quickly under a single cause just boggles the mind – or my mind, at least. Within the space of 140 characters, people from across the nation (possibly from across the globe) have come together to pay tribute to one man who convinced us to mend it, till it, and keep it clean, all at an exceptionally loud volume.

We and our 140-character limit will remember you, Billy. Now go show those angels how to keep their robes sparkling white with the power of-

Well, you know.

Originally posted 6/29/09