I am not much of a basketball fan but I do spend a fair bit of time reading Canadian newspapers, including sports sections, and I have been following Chris Bosh’s YouTube adventures with some interest.
It started with this campy plea for all star votes.
Now he is taking it to a new level, having created a character named Blane Harrington – a stodgy Brit journalist assigned to interview, who else? Chris Bosh. It looks like Bosh plans to make this a series too, with the first episode ending on a definite cliffhanger.
According to the Star’s Dave Feschuk, Bosh is trying to build a brand for himself outside of the standard basketball superstar image. What I really like, though, is how he is doing it. This is DIY stuff if I have ever seen it. For all the money this guy has, he seems to be embracing the same ethos that makes YouTube the hit-or-miss sensation it is.
Will it work? Or will the fact that he is a “true” celebrity detract from the impact of his campaign?
I suppose only time will tell. In the meantime, I think we can all enjoy the fact that Bosh, unlike so many sports celebrities these days, isn’t taking himself too seriously.