karen-klein

The Viral-Video-Microcelebrity-Industrial Complex; or, Making Money Off the Bus Lady Video

Adrian Chen · 07/03/12 09:00AM

On June 19, a YouTube user by the name of "CapitalTrigga" uploaded a video of a gang of middle school students harassing bus monitor Karen Klein. He sent links to local news stations, and school authorities, according to a Reddit thread he posted in soon after. Just a couple days later, thanks to popular posts on Reddit, the video was playing on every major TV network in America. Thousands of dollars in donations poured into an online fundraiser for Karen Klein, the video's beleagured star.

Don't Take That Money, Bullied Bus Lady

Adrian Chen · 06/22/12 05:43PM

When Anderson Cooper asked Karen Klein, the now famous bullied bus monitor, if she ever expected the outpouring of support that has so far raised over half a million dollars for her, she responded: "No, never. I mean I don't feel like I've done anything, you know." The fact that Klein didn't do anything to deserve it is just one of many reasons why she should decline the money raised in her name.