WASHINGTON — The s-cute reina video sexlegendary George Takei is teaming up with AARP to boldly go where he has never gone before — a YouTube show.
Debuting Sept. 17 at www.youtube.com/takeistake, “Takei’s Take” is a new biweekly series produced by AARP that takes a smart, funny, irreverent look at what is happening in the world of the Internet, and how it infiltrates our lives. As the host, Takei navigates the ever-changing online landscape and procures topics for further investigation.
“I’ve had so much fun connecting with fans of all ages through Facebook and Twitter, and now with AARP, I’m looking forward to reaching even more people with our new Web series on YouTube,” said Takei. “In this digital age, video content has become a powerful way to communicate and create a shared experience. Who doesn’t love a good cat video? We’ll also go beyond that and showcase the best of what’s on the Web, plus go in-depth on topics that will be relevant across generations.”
Perhaps best known for playing Mr. Sulu on “Star Trek,” in recent years Takei has morphed into a popular culture icon and social media phenomenon. With a burgeoning Facebook following of more than 4.5 million “l(fā)ikes” and more than 800,000 Twitter followers, Takei and AARP hope to draw on his appeal across multiple generations and attract viewers on YouTube.
Though primarily targeted to engage the 45-plus demographic, the new series will appeal to people of all ages. Episodes will focus on technology, what’s trending, and what’s hot on the Web — from Google Glass and online dating, to memes and GIFs — offering the audience Takei’s point of view combined with his unique humor and charm.
“Older Americans are living the digital life and they’re hungry for video content. Who better to help us bring it to them in a way that’s fun and easy to digest than George Takei?” said Myrna Blyth, editorial director for AARP. “George’s appeal spans generations and viewers are in for a treat as he puts his comedic touch on explaining the latest that the tech world has to offer.”
In addition to Takei, AARP is bringing in some of the industry’s top talent to work on this project, with Fullscreen and Portal A signed on to produce and write the series. The series will also primarily be shot at YouTube’s Los Angeles facility.
Some of YouTube’s most well-known personalities will be featured as guests, with Lamar Wilson, David So and Michael Buckley among those confirmed to appear in the series.
Recent data shows that a large majority of boomers watch online video with 84 percent of boomers reporting YouTube as the preferred site, and one in three boomer online video viewers spend more time watching online videos than TV.
Additional information as well as video clips of the series can be found online at www.aarp.org.