Posted Sep 20th 2006 12:57PM by TMZ Staff
The kinda-reality-but-mostly-staged MTV hit "Laguna Beach: The Real OC" has gotten even less real. MTV launched the "Virtual Laguna Beach" today so that we can all participate in the good life on the sun-baked beaches of Orange County.
It's Second Life meets Laguna Beach as MTV tries to expand its presence online. MTV is giving users the ability create their own personal hot-bodied, fashionable avatars. (Avatars are the virtual representation of a user, in this case the character created for use in a virtual world) The idea is to create a virtual online community akin to MySpace which allows users to interact at the hot spots made famous by the TV show.
If the idea of missing "Laguna Beach: The Real OC" because you're too busy mingling with your Virtual Laguna Beach avatar gives you cold sweats, never fear. You can watch video clips from the show in virtual theaters.
The only drawback is that the avatars only have the ability to kiss- nothing more. "The lips touch, but the bodies don't," according to MTV's Senior VP Matt Bostwick.
Unfortunately, you'll have to virtually keep it in your pants.
Filed under: Wacky & Weird, Celebritoyz
Tags: avatars, laguna beach the real oc, LagunaBeachTheRealOc, mtv, orange county, OrangeCounty, viacom, virtual laguna beach, VirtualLagunaBeach
Posted Aug 8th 2006 2:02PM by TMZ Staff
It's all about "Electric Barbarella".
Legendary '80s rockers Duran Duran are entering "Second Life" in a big way. The band, which was the first to offer a song as a download on the Internet (wow-did you know that?) and the first to shoot a music video on location ("Rio" and "Hungry Like the Wolf," anyone?), is now the first band to put on a concert in the virtual world.
The virtual online community "Second Life" has recreated concerts, including simulcasting England's Radio 1 "One Big Weekend." But this will be the first time a band will actually perform inside the world with their own "avatars." Avatars are three-dimensional versions of each band member that will be created for "Second Life."
Keyboardist Nick Rhodes says, "Second Life has brought a third dimension to the Internet; it is the new frontier where dreams have become reality".
We can't wait for the virtual remake of the "Rio" video.
*"woot"; : [wu?t]) is a slang interjection used to express happiness or excitement, most often expressed via the Internet. (In case you were wondering)
Filed under: Music, Celebritoyz
Tags: avatars, duran duran, DuranDuran, one big weekend, OneBigWeekend, second life, SecondLife, virtual concert, VirtualConcert
