Larkin’s ‘snip show’ viral video a reminder to watch what you post online
By @MichaelCaples –
Heard “D-Boss” on the radio this morning.
Guess that video has officially gone viral, huh?
If you haven’t seen it yet, there is a (once-deleted but reposted-by-others) YouTube video of a young Dylan Larkin putting on a “quick snip show session down here in the dungeon.”
Yep, a goofy video of him and one of his friends, dancing around and making goofy comments for the camera, all in good fun.
Sure, it’s nothing that’s going to get him in trouble. In fact, Larkin may have just landed himself a hilarious new nickname of “D-Boss” as his legend grows in Hockeytown.
You can read between the lines, however, that he wasn’t thrilled that the video resurfaced last week. The original video was deleted, but, in this day and age, that doesn’t mean it’s gone from the Internet. And Larkin admitted to feeling uncomfortable with his newfound YouTube fame.
“When we were 13 we were hoping that it would blow up and get a bunch of views. So it’s fun,” Larkin told RedWings.com managing editor Bill Roose. “Looking back, yeah, it’s a little bit embarrassing, it makes me cringe a little bit but I was a kid. I was young.”
When the video first surfaced, the MiHockey team opted not to post it. I assumed that it would make the rounds on social media; I had not assumed that it would live long enough to end up on Yahoo, TSN, etc.
I didn’t want to aid in the embarrassment of No. 71, because I sure am glad that whatever stupid stuff I did while shooting pucks in my own basement with my buddies when we were 13 doesn’t live on YouTube.
It’s too late now, of course. The image at the top of this article was taken by yours truly prior to puck drop for Monday night’s game – it said something about “D-Boss” on the other side, so it was certainly a tribute to Hockeytown’s latest viral video. Larkin’s ‘snip show’ will live on for a long time to come (or at least until whenever the next embarrassing video surfaces).
It should come as a reminder, however, that you should be watching what you’re posting on social media and the Internet. Sure, you’re probably not going to become Dylan Larkin. He’s become famous so fast because there’s nobody else like him.
Do you dare run the risk though? Sure, this YouTube video isn’t going to get him fired from his job. In fact, it’s certainly falling in the “any press is good press” category at this point, as it only increases Larkin’s popularity and likeability in the hockey community. Everybody can relate to making goofy videos with their friends, and we can all feel Larkin’s embarrassment as we watch the clip.
However, it should still come as an example of warning. Things live on online. They don’t go away. And somehow, some way, people can find it. Did Larkin ever think that this video would resurface? Absolutely not. I sat in on the media training sessions during his time with the NTDP – he was warned about good behavior online. Had he seen it as a cause for concern, it would have been removed well before he was drafted by the Red Wings or starring at the University of Michigan.
Still, though, you think he regrets not taking it down sooner? He will be thinking about that next time one of his teammates calls him “D-Boss” – because you know he’s taking quite the ribbing from his teammates on this one.
Don’t put yourself in position for embarrassment down the line. People will do their homework on you, whether you’re trying out for a team, being scouted, applying for a job or an internship, or whatever else may come your way. Social media and Internet activity give people a chance to size you up before they even get to know you – how do you want your message to be perceived?