Reel Pop

Gay men are the best observers of celebrity culture*, which is why Perez Hilton's an acclaimed personality, and American Idol's hosted by Ryan Seacrest. To see the gay celebrity critic who'll most likely share Perez's post-Internet career arc, check out What The Buck.

One of the most popular entertainment shows on YouTube and hosted by Connecticut  star-boinker Michael Buckley, WTB's a thrice-weekly, 5-minute-ish, infotainment riff covering the vicissitudes of Lindsay's sex life, Brangelina's babies, Britney's Britney, ad infinitum.

Employing a combination of predictable, smarmy gay patter (rapid transitions, appropriation of female speech patterns, heavy use of "love you bitch", etc) almost as hackneyed as my bemused interest-slash-sober condescension, WTB's won YouTube awards for the 12th most subscribed show (all time), and 6th most viewed comedian (all time).

And for good reason: Buckley's facility with words, and deft takedowns of newsmakers, e.g.: "Frickin mama lynn spears. This is how she reacts to crisis. 16 year old daughter gets pregnant, sell the story put her on a magazine cover. Other daughter has mental illness, invite a made-for-tv doctor as cast by Oprah Winfrey to the hospital."

And from WTB's special on Lonelygirl15: "This is the story of an ordinary girl. Her name is Brie. She is cute. She is nerdy. She is a sixteen year old puppet with huge eyebrows and a New Zealand filmmaker's hand up her ass."

See what he's done? He's taken the riotous fabulosity of Perez -- whose critical genius peaked with pink crayon doodles on celebrity photos -- and couched his popspeak in intelligent and often self-deprecating wit, thus appealing to both the celeb fanatics and the black rim-glasses set. He's a super-gay, pop-obsessed, Red Bull-fueled Ira Glass.

Hence the speed. The patter never stops, with the only pauses for breath literally pauses for breath. Buck's the first video personality I've seen who's co-opted the comedic rapidity and snappy editing of Ze Frank -- a quick and breathless pace convenient to short form viewing online -- without copying Ze's signature cadence. Kudos.

Buckley's already appeared on the CW and Fox. Expect him to hit the even bigger time in 2008.

Check out What the Buck on YouTube and at BuckHollywood.com

* IMHO