In Death, 'The Boring Dispatcher' Could Become Web Legend
4 Comments Ryan Welton on Friday, February 15, 2008 at 9:32 PM.
Because I posted something about the apparent death of YouTube celebrity The Boring Dispatcher, I thought I'd follow it up with a confirmation.
According to his sister, Lisa, he died of bacterial meningitis (MRSA meningitis) and pneumonia last weekend. Funeral is on Feb. 20 in Whittier, Calif. She had photos of her with Roger and the whole family from back in the day. It was clearly her. It was clearly him.
To the YouTube community, this should now be clearly fact.
As I noted in my previous post, Roger (the Boring Dispatcher) was my first channel subscriber, which could be the answer to some obscure pop culture trivia question someday. However, my YouTube channel is pretty content specific in that I play music on it, so I posted no tributes. I'm not a tribute sort of guy.
However, I stumbled upon a brilliant video that puts the Boring Dispatcher into pop culture perspective. It's from Wiiiilbur, an Austin, Texas, vlogger (visit his YouTube channel) who asserts that Roger in death is YouTube's first legend.
Like Hank Williams became when he had the coronary in the back of that Cadillac on Jan. 1 some 55 years ago.
You know what? I agree with Wiiiilbur. In retrospect, considering how corporate YouTube will likely become over the next 10 years, Roger was kind of the face of what I would call YouTube's punk era. And, I think that's the proper terminology.
There is/was something very punk about the Boring Dispatcher and his videos, most of which will by default become YouTube classics. Even the boring ones.
Of course, by "punk" I mean "punk" as in punk rock. Not so much edgy as raw. Purposefully without frills. Impromptu. Ahead of its time.
Call me crazy. I think if an enterprising filmmaker got his indie-film wits about him (or her), TBD's online life would make a heck of a little film. A documentary.
Regardless, I think Wiiiilbur's remarks regarding the likelihood that Roger's online legend will only grow are spot on.
Take this video, for example. Not sure what it's about, and it's certainly not safe for work, but it peripherally illustrates my point.
Labels: boring dispatcher, video, YouTube
SO FAKE! ALL FAKE!
He just cursed a lot, had no love towards others and was very sad.
That makes him a web-legend?
"TT@quicknet.nl said...
He just cursed a lot, had no love towards others and was very sad.
That makes him a web-legend?"
Being a legend has nothing to do with what you're like or what you do.
It's how people think of him that will or won't make him a legend.
He was never rude to me. I thought he was a good person who was battling his inner demons. People were often rude about his weight, which I thought was totally unnecessary. Sure, he was very critical of some of the videos posted on youtube but that's what youtube is all about.
I will definitely miss him. I loved watching his videos. The YouTube drama videos were quite entertaining.