'Rabbit Hole,' Episode 5: The Accidental Emperor

The Daily

The New York Times

Daily News, News

4.4 • 102.8K Ratings

🗓️ 16 May 2020

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Note: This episode contains strong language. Today, we’re sharing Episode 5 of “Rabbit Hole,” a New York Times audio series with the tech columnist Kevin Roose. In this episode, our reporter investigates how a Swedish gamer with a webcam grew to become the biggest YouTuber in the world. We follow PewDiePie’s path to megastardom — and the war that unfolds when his reign is threatened. If you're tuning in to “Rabbit Hole” for the first time, start with the prologue. You can find more information about the podcast at nytimes.com/rabbithole.

Transcript

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0:00.0	From the New York Times, I'm Michael Bavaro.
0:08.0	Today, rabbit hole.
0:11.0	Episode 5
0:16.0	As we approach the 21st century, a new means of communication is emerging.
0:25.0	This technology uses computer networks to link people on every continent.
0:31.0	If we are destined to live in a global village, one day we will all be connected to the Internet.
0:38.0	The world is a world of the world.
0:45.0	The world of the world is a world of the world.
0:52.0	The world of the world.
0:56.0	My name is Praaaan Paaaan.
1:01.0	I love you!
1:08.0	My grandma says I sound like a one-of-a-dot.
1:13.0	None of it has surprised me more than PewDiePie.
1:19.0	I have learned that this guy is not only the most popular YouTuber ever.
1:24.0	Everyone looks up to him as not really a god but the YouTube god.
1:30.0	He is way bigger than anyone that Caleb ever got into.
1:33.0	His reach transcends nationality, language and culture in a career made possible by the digital age.
1:40.0	But according to some measures, he is the most famous person of our lifetime.
1:46.0	He likes to be himself and he doesn't pretend to be something like he's real.
1:50.0	Even though so many people that I know have never even heard of him.
1:53.0	I don't know, it's just something about him that makes people love him so much.
1:57.0	You feel like you're a part of it with him.
	...

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