The FIZZ

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with The_101. (Discuss)

The FIZZ is a half-hour weekly television program created by James Cahill and Garrett Darland for DirecTV Original Entertainment. The show features video bloggers, aspiring hosts, online videos and indie music videos.

The program premiered in November, 2006 on DIRECTV Channel 101.^[1] The entertainment trade publication Variety called the FIZZ "easily consumed... a liberating approach to TV programming."^[2] Eric Shanks, Executive Vice President of DIRECTV Original Entertainment said in a recent ITV interview, "The FIZZ will essentially be the video bloggers show. Everyone has tried to find a way to bring the internet to television and we think we've cracked the code with this show."

The FIZZ has made such a strong impact on DIRECTV subscribers that it has recently expanded to include special Newzz editions^[3] and has dramatically raised the profile of the video bloggers who appear as on air as hosts. One of the programs videoblogger contributors, Pittsburgh native Digital Soul^[4] began his career as a video blogger who chronicled his weight loss in internet videos viewed more than 2 million times^{[citation needed]}. His popularity earned him a guest host spot on The FIZZ. The Fizz features some of the webs most compelling and popular vloggers weekly including Thewinekone, TheHill88, spricket24, Mark Day Comedy, Jay Lamont, Boh3m3, Blunty3000, The Angry Aussie, Peter Zottolo, Beth and Val and the programs main host, Cory Williams started as a stunt man posting internet clips on YouTube. Williams, who bills himself as a "professional idiot"^[5] has built a following on the web with myspace friends and e-pal subscribers to his YouTube channel. Travis and Johnathan, longtime contibutors to the FIZZ [3] through the Red State Update comedy vlog were featured on the You Tube/CNN presidential debates.

The American version of the show has been so successful that a spanish version of the show has been made and is now running on DIRECTV Latin America.

The FIZZ accepts submissions of personal video blogs featuring topical humor, amateur films and animations of 5 minutes or less and independent music videos from unsigned artists.

1 Trivia
2 Links to articles about The Fizz
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Trivia

The FIZZ regularly posts episodic teasers on YouTube.
The first episode of The Fizz was roughly 11 minutes long. It was used to fill out a concert to make it an even hour.
The first TV show made by videobloggers.
The spin off Spanish version, titled "El Fizz", airs through out Latin America. [4]
Was the first place on TV to air Randy Newman's performance of "A Few Words in Defense of Our Country".
Was the first place on TV to air Cory Williams' music video "Mean Kitty". At the time of writing this article this clip has over 8 million views online. [5]