Apology Videos on YouTube by Sami Cohanim
NOTES: Origins and Context | See Also
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Origins of this content
Written for LFYT 2015 final by Samira Cohanim
Contextualization
Paula Deen begs for forgiveness in her video, created after being scrutinized for making racist comments. Her video has cuts after almost every sentence, making it seem as though she had to remember each line in order to record it, with a "striking resemblance to a hostage video". She also posted the video on her YouTube channel but quickly made it private. She made a second video as well. This apology did not save her job, nor did it spark much sympathy.
On Alphacat's spoof of Chris Brown's apology video: "The substitution of the shirt for the assault incident deploys a range of metaphoric associations. The extended inanity of apologizing for a fashion faux pas implies the inanity of the original apology. The gaucheness of the coral fabric, the brass buttons, and the gold earrings is now co-extensive with the tactless, scripted video performance," [cit]
On Alphacat's spoof of Chris Brown's apology video: "The substitution of the shirt for the assault incident deploys a range of metaphoric associations. The extended inanity of apologizing for a fashion faux pas implies the inanity of the original apology. The gaucheness of the coral fabric, the brass buttons, and the gold earrings is now co-extensive with the tactless, scripted video performance," [cit]
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More videos related to the content of this page
Companies, celebrities, and those in general who are in the public eye are likely to be subject to being watched and judged for their every move. When they make large mistakes, whether it be for offensive language false promises, or any other type of scandal, they create videos and take to YouTube to give their apology and appeal to their followers or any audience caring about what they have to say. These apologies are typically recorded in intimate settings, with the person facing the camera as though he or she speaking directly to an audience.
These videos are so ridiculed on YouTube, and people turn to parody, which proves how the apology did not change people's minds and how it was perceived to be insincere. In the parodies, YouTubers make commentaries on the notions that these apologies are scripted and that the people apologizing have no remorse. On YouTube, apologies only bring more negative attention onto the apologizer. Nothing they say matters, and they might as well be apologizing about their shirt the whole time.
When a public figure has done something controversial, in an anonymous space like YouTube, feedback is going to be harsh. People are not going to be as accepting as they would be in person, especially knowing that the apology is just for damage control for one's own career or image. The YouTube community is intolerant, and users will turn to harsh criticism and mocking before they begin to become accepting.
These videos are so ridiculed on YouTube, and people turn to parody, which proves how the apology did not change people's minds and how it was perceived to be insincere. In the parodies, YouTubers make commentaries on the notions that these apologies are scripted and that the people apologizing have no remorse. On YouTube, apologies only bring more negative attention onto the apologizer. Nothing they say matters, and they might as well be apologizing about their shirt the whole time.
When a public figure has done something controversial, in an anonymous space like YouTube, feedback is going to be harsh. People are not going to be as accepting as they would be in person, especially knowing that the apology is just for damage control for one's own career or image. The YouTube community is intolerant, and users will turn to harsh criticism and mocking before they begin to become accepting.
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