A brand-new website has just exploded all over the Internet. With a Technicolor boom, "Grapejam," a self described "smorgasbord" of video-clips, satire and interactive theme rooms, is definitely worth checking out.
With a "Kids In the Hall" style of modern-day humor, Grapejam introduces current political, social, and historical issues and effectively satirizes them.
Coupled with the aid of decent sound, graphics and wit, the almost-laugh-out-loud-humor will keep you on site.
After dialing up the site, located at http://www.grapejam.com, and clicking on, one can "dip in" to the erupting jar of jam welcoming the web-surfer.
A menu of activities greets the visitors to the site. Each of these paths, undescriptively named after some food-related pun, offers a similar laugh in a different format.
One can view "Babewatch," a short series of slides set to the tune of "The Brady Bunch."
It is a clever satire of the shallow nature of modern television programming. The "Question of The Day," allows you to voice your witty remark to such problems as "How far is too far?," and "What would it take to get you to pose nude for a national magazine?"
Answers are immediately posted, with the address of the sender, and usually worth at least a laugh or ponderance.
The most unique (and amusing) aspect of Grapejam is another part of the site called "The Squeeze."
In "The Squeeze" one can find an assortment of columnists reliving trivial moments of their recent pasts. It is a funky polyester "Seinfeld" -- it's got hip, young, urban themes and a new set of entries each day.
These personal commentaries on subculture life are both funny and creative. As well as being entertaining, they serve as subtle highlights of current social and political issues, with a spin.
For example, one woman wrote that her house had recently been broken into and robbed, and described the way in which it affected her and her husband's lives.
She said while it was a bad experience, she was able to look at it in a more humorous light.
While Grapejam is unique in its own right, it is not the first of its kind.
Since the evolution of the Web from a stale reference mechanism into an easily accessible entertainment device, companies and individuals have been trying to re-direct the attention of trendy, pseudo-intellectual college-aged people.
But Grapejam is merely a droplet swept in a maelstrom of similar Web sites. The market for hipster social exposes such as "Party of Five" and "Melrose Place" has swelled beyond its hastily erected sea-walls and surged onto the Internet.
These potential viewers now have the freedom to explore a wide range of creative Web-sites without having to wear the straight-jacket of tight schedules, beer commercials, and MTV spots.
Of course, it too has a negative angle.
The Internet is developing a second face by doing what MTV did to television -- making underground culture available to the masses.
And not for free either -- Grapejam is littered with ads for other net services, like MTV and Clearasil commercials.
So while Grapejam is as good as Internet entertainment gets, it still has plenty of shortcomings. The lively pictures and boisterous sound files cannot compare with traditional TV and CDs.
While technology may one day reach a higher standard, those not used to the Internet may be bored.
They may not find a haven of thought and fun, but only a daunting maze of mediocre pictures and sounds.
Undoubtedly, Grapejam is an effective forum for transmitting ideas, and once you have accepted the pace and delivery of Web pages, it will be worth the visit.
Next time you're in the area, stop by -- and remember, everything's fresh daily!
