Unwanted fame

William Hung notwithstanding, not everyone embraces public humiliation over one's lack of talent as a path to fame and fortune. The New York Times explores this side of human nature in a story exploring how Internet fame can be a "cruel mistress":

There was a time when embarrassing talents were a purely private matter. If you could sing "The Star Spangled Banner" in the voice of Daffy Duck, no one but your friends and family would ever have to know.

But with the Internet, humiliation - like everything else - has now gone public. Upload a video of yourself playing flute with your nose or dancing in your underwear, and people from Toledo to Turkmenistan can watch. ...