Jay Maynard's costume made him a household name for a short time in 2004. Maynard, who proudly dressed up in a lit-up likeness of the character from Disney's 1982 movie "Tron," parlayed his inspired duds into talk-show appearances and even a "South Park" parody.
Today, the Tron Guy is holding tight to his memories. Maynard -- who by day works as a computer consultant and project manager for the Hercules Project, a Windows-based emulator for IBM mainframes -- still makes regular appearances in the Tron suit.
"It's really on its last legs and showing its age," he says. "The unitard is about worn out."
Not to worry, though: Maynard has several more waiting in the wings, ready to be painted and prepped for wear. And speaking of wings, Maynard also bought his own plane this summer and had it painted as -- take a guess -- the Tron costume. "I'm not going to try to drop it," he says. "It's part of who I am by now, and I enjoy doing it. I doubt it'll ever go away entirely."
Chris Crocker: "Leave Britney Alone!"
It's hard to forget Chris Crocker's emotional plea for the world to "leave Britney alone!" (Believe me, I've tried.)
Crocker's show of support for the floundering pop star set off a media frenzy that he somehow managed to turn into talk-show appearances and an international following. So what's our gender-bending friend up to now? Brace yourself.
Crocker -- whose official Web site boldly boasts: "That's Ms. Chris Crocker to you, bitch!" -- indicates that he has moved on to a music career. His newly released single, said to be getting plenty of radio play, is called "Mind in the Gutter." (Darn! My money was on a cover version of "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?") Crocker says that he has done a "lot of growing off-camera" and, though he's "still Chrissy from the Crock," he is "no longer the funny video guy."
Hey, come on. Leave Chris Crocker alone.
Take a too-small Robin Hood costume, add a Prince Valiant haircut, and you have Randy Constan, the guy at the center of Peter Pan's Home Page -- a Web site devoted to Constan's love of all things Pan. His first brush with fame came in 2001 when he swept aside such formidable challengers as Bigfoot Field Researchers and Weird N.J. to capture the coveted Webby Award for Best Weird Site of the year.
But the man in green was just warming up. The next step was to turn a page of his bully pulpit into a Mr. Lonelyhearts outreach project, detailing his search for a like-minded lady. His unusual approach earned Constan viral status and even time on late-night television.
Rest assured, Constan has found his Tinkerbell, and she definitely shares his fondness for faerie -- and his fashion sense, too. "We both love to spread joy through our costuming, wherever we go," Constan says.
Costumes aside, Costan independently sells his music -- donating much of the proceeds to children's charities, he says -- and works a day job in computer software and electronic design. (Casual Fridays must be an eyeful.) Guess a little pixie dust sometimes goes a long way.
A very animated lip-syncing and dancing performance known as "Numa Numa" catapulted Gary Brolsma to Internet fame in 2004. Brolsma's simple clip of himself silently singing along with a tune by the Moldovan pop group O-Zone became one of the Web's most popular viral videos, spawning countless parodies and sequels.
Four years later, "Numa" remains the focus of Brolsma's life. Since his initial performance, Brolsma has been busily working on a complete "Numa Network," which he describes as an online channel "almost like a television station, only broadcast right on YouTube." He also runs a computer repair and Web design company and sings for a band called Nonetheless.
"It's all fun," Brolsma says. "I enjoy making people smile." I resisted the impulse to ask whether Brolsma's band actually covers (or for that matter, lip-syncs) "Numa."
Judson Laipply: "Evolution of Dance"
Choreographing the "Evolution of Dance" through the ages earned Judson Laipply a place in the Internet superstar hall of fame. The comedian's six-minute routine, showcasing dance moves from Elvis to 'N Sync, has amassed tens of millions of hits and has been discussed on everything from "Inside Edition" to Rolling Stone.
Now, the evolution continues. Laipply, who keeps himself busy by speaking at schools and corporations, is preparing to unveil a second compilation of twists and turns -- and a book to go with it. "It has been a long road getting song rights and the like, but everything is finally in place, and I am excited for the launch," he says.
Watch for the revamped routine in early 2009.
Internet Sensations: Ah, Fleeting Fame
The Internet has transformed the world -- connecting cultures, streamlining commerce and revolutionizing communication. Oh yeah, and turning dudes bawling about Britney into international celebrities. Not unlike a mosquito-infested swamp, the Web has been a rich breeding ground of viral phenomena. But no sooner do they become worldwide stars than these cicada-lived celebs cease to exist. Or so it might seem.
I tracked down some of the Internet's biggest overnight/one-night sensations to see what they've been up to since their 15 minutes on the Warhol clock expired. Some have settled into lives of quiet anonymity; others are now making grand livings off their Net-based notoriety.
But enough talk -- ninjas, dancers and a Turkish guy who just wants a kiss await. Start clicking and get caught up.
Fritz Globe and Stephen Voltz: "Coke and Mentos"
Two unexpected pairings led to an explosion of success in 2006 -- a lawyer and a professional juggler coupled with Diet Coke and Mentos candy. The dynamic duo of Fritz Globe and Stephen Voltz are credited with first bringing fizzing fun to the masses -- and they made a cool $30,000 from their now-infamous experiment, which involved dropping discs of the minty candy into the cola, and then manipulating the resulting sprays.
The experimentation hasn't stopped for these two Maine men. The pair's latest clinical trial, which premiered on ABC Family, involves a quarter-million sticky notes -- and a whole lot of office chaos.
"We're constantly experimenting with things you can find down at the corner store to see what surprises are there to be found," Globe says. "It's been an amazing ride, and we never expected this kind of attention."
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