What Authors Watch: Catherine McKenzie

We recently asked some authors what their favourite youtube videos are. Here's Spin author Catherine McKenzie on PianoChatImprov:

It seems like two things are trending every day on Twitter: Justin Beiber and Chatroulette. Since I’m no longer a twelve-year-old girl, I fall outside JB’s sphere of influence. And since I have no desire to be bombarded with a random sampling of creepy men exposing themselves (for this is what I hear Chatroulette is all about), I also have no desire to talk about that social networking site on the social networking site that I do tune in to. But I admit, I have been a little curious. I mean, is it really just about men exposing themselves? And why would anyone want to spin an electronic roulette wheel if this is what it turned up?

And then a friend told me about a video on YouTube that seemed an answer to, well, not my prayers exactly, but my morbid curiosity. Seems that a musician decided to hook himself up to Chatroulette while seated at his piano and sing improvised songs to whomever he saw. And, thankfully, this video is also about as PG as Chatroulette gets.

Some details. The Piano Man chose to hide his identity: he’s sporting a young Unabomber look which doesn’t put off as many people as you’d think. (This is Chatroulette we’re talking about – the third person he comes across is dressed EXACTLY LIKE HIM!). He’s also quite talented – nice singing voice, mad skills on the keys. At one point he comes across three girls in their late teens (girls, girls, Chatroulette is NOT where you should be hanging out, like, ever) and they make hearts with their hands because they love his song. Those hand-hearts should be for Justin Bieber, girls. Go talk about him on Twitter.