Fresh from the talented fingers of renowned avatar customizer Haver Cole, here's the Second Life personae of veteran journalists Helen Thomas and Bob Schieffer. They'll be appearing with me in SL next week (April 6) when they participate in a Q&A session in-world. In the real world, they'll be based at Washington State University, where the seasoned journalists will receive 2009 Edward R. Murrow Lifetime Achievement Awards from the communications department. (Also named after the legendary broadcaster.) They're also participating in a day-long program, Reporting in Virtual Spaces, along with CNN's Lila King, award-winning machinima reportor Draxtor Despres, SL founder Philip Rosedale, Club Penguin co-founder Lane Merrifield, Erica Driver of Think Balm, and myself.
I'm honored in a dazed sort of way to share the stage with a woman who's been grilling US Presidents since Kennedy, and a news anchor who moderated one of the Obama/McCain debates. Then again, I wonder if they ever imagined their journalistic activity would include speaking into an immersive 3D world. Or for that matter, that they would share something in common with Justin Timberlake. (Haver also created the popstar's official avatar, when he made a brief appearance in SL.)
The program is sponsored by WSU's Edward R. Murrow College of Communication and the McCormick Foundation. To request a reservation to the Thomas/Schieffer in-world event, send an Instant Message in SL to Washington State University's avatar-based representative, Paley Westinghouse.
Cool. I hope more people come in and try to get their avatars looking like them. It'd help cut back on the 8 foot tall steroid junkies with rockstar hair or bling and baggy pants that still seem to be all over the place. It cracks me up knowing most of those people are probably in their late 30's or 40's.
Posted by: radar | Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at 09:07 AM
One more thought on that, it does make me wonder what people who have their avatars meticulously recreated including approximating age appearance, etc, and then are surrounded by a bunch of 20 something looking avatars with huge pecs and bosoms are going to think. Kind of an instant culture clash, no?
Posted by: radar | Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at 09:09 AM
Those avatars are ugly as sin.
Posted by: Jacob Gills | Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at 01:16 PM
There's not exactly an abundance of glamourous attractive old people skins in SL, Jacob, and more to the point neither of the people they're based on is going to be a centerfold either. Prettiness has absolutely zero to do with this.
Posted by: Iris Ophelia | Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at 01:45 PM
The remarkable thing is that Helen Thomas and Bob Bob Schieffer will be inworld. I imagine it's all built on the understanding of a critical mass of folks at WSU. Bravo!
Posted by: Widget Whiteberry | Saturday, April 04, 2009 at 11:01 PM