LaunchSquad goes A-List
LaunchSquad client Barely Political is the producer of the Obama Girl series of viral videos, among other work. (You can view the latest Obama Girl release, The Incredible McCain Girl here.) The first Obama Girl clip (I Got a Crush… on Obama) was released in June, 2007. In it, Amber Lee Ettinger, the Obama Girl, lip-syncs to a song praising presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama. The video became insanely popular and has been viewed by over 50 million people. Amber, as Obama Girl, rocketed into pop culture consciousness and appeared on shows like Saturday Night Live and national publications like People Magazine. As a result, cable network Bravo nominated her as the Internet’s top “Cebwebreity” at their first awards show, the Bravo A-List awards, which aired last night on the cable channel. Here’s a look behind the scenes.
I met up with Amber about ninety minutes before the red carpet was scheduled to begin. Bravo provided hair stylists and makeup artists for nominees and presenters and Amber was halfway through the beauty routine when I caught up with her. The room was filled with presenters and nominees in various stages of curlers and foundations. Cast members from Bravo reality show The Real Housewives – both the Orange County and New York series – milled around while former Saturday Night Live featured player Rachel Dratch patiently waited for her turn under the powder brush.
The red carpet was bright and crowded and surprisingly short. When Amber walked out, she was directed to stand before a horde of competing photographers. A woman directing foot traffic held up a poster board with Amber’s name on it so the wall of photographers could identify her. After the pictures were snapped, Amber doubled back to the beginning of the red carpet and the press gauntlet. Reporters and television crews lined up along the side of the aisle and the celebrities would go from reporter to reporter answering questions, smiling for the camera, and showing off their fashion choices. The gauntlet began with broadcast entertainment shows like Access Hollywood and Extra, then moved to radio and, finally, print media at the end of the line. After finishing up a few interviews, Amber headed into the Hammerstein Ballroom to await the show.
We decided to head down to the backstage waiting area – the green room – before the show began. We weren’t the only ones there. Talk show host Jerry Springer, who was presenting the Cewebrity category, passed the time there. (When introduced to Amber, Springer remarked that “every politician should have somebody like you.” He should know, he first gained fame as the mayor of Cincinnati.) 
Model Lauren Hutton, there to receive a beauty icon award, remarked on her lack of sleep. (Something which she alluded to during her colorful acceptance speech.) And author Candace Bushnell recounted a run-in with a People Magazine reporter who openly criticized the tv shows Sex and the City and Lipstick Jungle in front of Candace, not realizing that she was the creator of both. (“She’s probably blogging about this right now” Candace sighed.)
Amber unfortunately lost the “Cewebrity” category, but she still made it to the stage. Barack Obama, the winner of the “A-List Everywhere” award, was not present to pick up his prize, so Obama Girl accepted on his behalf.
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