Cameo Lets Your Pay Celebs For Messages And More On CHOM 97.7 FM

Every Monday morning at 7:10 am, I am a guest contributor on CHOM 97.7 FM radio out of Montreal (home base). It’s not a long segment – about 10 minutes every week – about everything that is happening in the world of technology and digital media. The good folks at CHOM 97.7 FM are posting these segments weekly on i Heart Radio, if you’re interested in hearing more of me blathering away about what’s going on in the digital world. I’m really excited about this opportunity, because this is the radio station that I grew up listening to, and it really is a fun treat to be invited to the Mornings Rock with Terry DiMonte morning show. The segment is called, CTRL ALT Delete with Mitch Joel.

This week we discussed:

• I noticed a very cool video in my niece’s social feed for her 25th Birthday (Happy Birthday, Lianna!). She had a great video message from Samantha Barks (who is currently the lead in Pretty Woman on Broadway) singing her a “Happy Birthday” and leaving her a cool message about turning 25. It turns out that a friend bought this for my niece on Cameo as a gift. Yes, you can now pay celebrities to send people special messages. Want Ice T to give your buddy some advice? That’s $300. How about something offensive from Gilbert Gottfried for a family member’s Birthday? That’s $150. Some celebrities are as low as $25 and others will run you more. Think this a great idea? Or a little much?
• Prince Harry wants to put an end to Fortnite. He says the game is more addictive than drugs and alcohol, and that it is a public health hazard to young people. He says it “shouldn’t be allowed” in the UK. Last year Fortnite made close to $2.5 billion. 
• Take your Instagram followers and shove it. A man who runs a beach club in the Philippines is sick of people asking for free stuff and making demands because these people think that they’re a “somebody” on Instagram. Are Instagram influencers important to a business or just a bunch of freeloaders? The New York Times investigates. 
  App of the Week: Top Table Planner.