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==Career==
==Career==
Zonday starred in a commercial for Comedy Central's "Last Laugh 07", hosted by [[Lewis Black]].<ref>{{cite web|author=funnyguy1375 |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STbQFlYaewM |title=Last Laugh 07 Chocolate Rain - Tay Zonday |publisher=YouTube |date=2007-11-15 |accessdate=2009-01-12}}</ref> He released a video titled "Cherry Chocolate Rain",<ref>[http://youtube.com/watch?v=2x2W12A8Qow YouTube - "Cherry Chocolate Rain" Original Song by Tay Zonday<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> in a promotion with [[Dr Pepper]]. He starred alongside [[Leslie Hall]] in a commercial for [[Firefox]] singing a song titled "Users Against Boredom" in a parody of [[We Are The World]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Riley |first=Duncan |url=http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/01/07/exclusive-mozilla-secretly-launches-a-viral-campaign-for-firefox/ |title=Exclusive: Mozilla Secretly Launches A Viral Campaign For Firefox |publisher=Techcrunch.com |date=2008-01-07 |accessdate=2009-01-12}}</ref> He appeared in-person at [[Intel]]'s [[Consumer Electronics Show]] booth, rendering the source files of the "Chocolate Rain" YouTube video in [[Sony Vegas]].<ref>{{cite web|author=channelintel |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFbI7POX8Wg |title=Chocolate Rain at CES |publisher=YouTube |date=2008-01-07 |accessdate=2009-01-12}}</ref>
Zonday starred in a commercial for Comedy Central's "Last Laugh 07", hosted by [[Lewis Black]].<ref>{{cite web|author=funnyguy1375 |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STbQFlYaewM |title=Last Laugh 07 Chocolate Rain - Tay Zonday |publisher=YouTube |date=2007-11-15 |accessdate=2009-01-12}}</ref> He released a video titled "Cherry Chocolate Rain",<ref>[http://youtube.com/watch?v=2x2W12A8Qow YouTube - "Cherry Chocolate Rain" Original Song by Tay Zonday<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> in a promotion with [[Dr Pepper]]. He starred alongside [[Leslie Hall]] in a commercial for [[Firefox]] singing a song titled "Users Against Boredom" in a parody of [[We Are The World]]. Tay has staed his voice is often compared to [[Ru Paul]], [[Paul Robeson]], [[Barry White]], [[James Earl Jones]], and Brad Roberts of the [[Crash Test Dummies]], while his look is often described as a casual blend of Kermit the frog and Yoda on crack, respectively. <ref>{{cite web|last=Riley |first=Duncan |url=http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/01/07/exclusive-mozilla-secretly-launches-a-viral-campaign-for-firefox/ |title=Exclusive: Mozilla Secretly Launches A Viral Campaign For Firefox |publisher=Techcrunch.com |date=2008-01-07 |accessdate=2009-01-12}}</ref> He appeared in-person at [[Intel]]'s [[Consumer Electronics Show]] booth, rendering the source files of the "Chocolate Rain" YouTube video in [[Sony Vegas]].<ref>{{cite web|author=channelintel |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFbI7POX8Wg |title=Chocolate Rain at CES |publisher=YouTube |date=2008-01-07 |accessdate=2009-01-12}}</ref>


The [[Grammy]]-winning music video for rock band [[Weezer]]'s single "[[Pork and Beans (song)|Pork and Beans]]" featured Zonday along with other [[YouTube celebrities]] in May 2008, spoofing his appearance in "Chocolate Rain"; as well, he performed an [[acoustic music|acoustic]] version of the song with [[Brian Bell (musician)|Brian Bell]] of Weezer.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQnT3psRi7Q&feature=user YouTube - Pork & Beans Acoustic - Tay Zonday and Brian Bell<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
The [[Grammy]]-winning music video for rock band [[Weezer]]'s single "[[Pork and Beans (song)|Pork and Beans]]" featured Zonday along with other [[YouTube celebrities]] in May 2008, spoofing his appearance in "Chocolate Rain"; as well, he performed an [[acoustic music|acoustic]] version of the song with [[Brian Bell (musician)|Brian Bell]] of Weezer.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQnT3psRi7Q&feature=user YouTube - Pork & Beans Acoustic - Tay Zonday and Brian Bell<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

Revision as of 04:51, 23 July 2011

Tay Zonday

Adam Nyerere Bahner (born July 6, 1982[3]), better known by the pseudonym Tay Zonday,[4] is an American musician, YouTube personality and voice actor.[5] He is well-known by listeners for his deep, low-male voice whilst singing. He entered mainstream exposure when his song "Chocolate Rain", and accompanying video on YouTube, became a popular Internet meme in July 2007. As of June 2011, "Chocolate Rain" has more than 69 million views.[6]

Media response

In July 2007, Zonday went from being a grad student in Minneapolis, Minnesota[7] to appearances on national television. He appeared on the Opie & Anthony Show,[8] G4TV's Attack of the Show!, VH1's Best Week Ever,[9] Lily Allen and Friends, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Tosh.O, and Maury[10][11] where he performed "Chocolate Rain" on national television a little over three months after he posted his composition on YouTube. He made the front page of Sunday's Los Angeles Times on August 12, 2007 with additional features in The Toronto Star, The Chicago Tribune''s RedEye, The Star Tribune[12] and People[11] and has appeared on CNN[13] for a televised interview. He also has appeared on Fox News. On February 12, 2008, he appeared on the television show Lily Allen and Friends on BBC Three, and performed a cover of Lily Allen's debut "Smile". In March 2008 the video won a YouTube-award in the category "Music".

The Australian Daily Telegraph newspaper wrote: "Tay Zonday has written perhaps the most listened to song in the world right now."[14] People said: "He's scored a YouTube hit with his repetitive, keyboard-driven 'Chocolate Rain', and after a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Tay Zonday's star is shining even brighter."[11] The article also noted that celebrity musicians paid tribute to the song as its popularity rapidly peaked in August 2007. Singer John Mayer reportedly mimicked Zonday's keyboard riff with his guitar in concert,[15][16] along with appearing on Best Week Ever improvising a parody to the tune of Nelly Furtado's "Say It Right".[17] Green Day drummer Tré Cool recorded a cover of "Chocolate Rain" which he posted on Youtube.[18] Zonday also became the subject of thousands of other parodies and remixes on YouTube. A clip of his video was also shown on CW11's Online Nation, a new series.[19][20][21] Zonday has been interviewed twice on Good Morning America, in March and November 2008.[22]

Career

Zonday starred in a commercial for Comedy Central's "Last Laugh 07", hosted by Lewis Black.[23] He released a video titled "Cherry Chocolate Rain",[24] in a promotion with Dr Pepper. He starred alongside Leslie Hall in a commercial for Firefox singing a song titled "Users Against Boredom" in a parody of We Are The World. Tay has staed his voice is often compared to Ru Paul, Paul Robeson, Barry White, James Earl Jones, and Brad Roberts of the Crash Test Dummies, while his look is often described as a casual blend of Kermit the frog and Yoda on crack, respectively. [25] He appeared in-person at Intel's Consumer Electronics Show booth, rendering the source files of the "Chocolate Rain" YouTube video in Sony Vegas.[26]

The Grammy-winning music video for rock band Weezer's single "Pork and Beans" featured Zonday along with other YouTube celebrities in May 2008, spoofing his appearance in "Chocolate Rain"; as well, he performed an acoustic version of the song with Brian Bell of Weezer.[27]

As a voice actor, Zonday voiced part of a multimedia presentation built to celebrate 50 years of NASA history.[28] He also voiced a role in AdultSwim's Robot Chicken, spoofing his own song "Chocolate Rain".[29]

Zonday was featured on the "Jace Hall Show", where he was comically interviewed at a famous Hollywood restaurant in a play on the dissonance between Internet-fame and the traditional entertainment industry.[30]

In February 2010 Zonday cameoed in a Vizio Super Bowl commercial opened by Beyoncé.[5] In October 2010, he appeared on Comedy Central's Night of Too Many Stars autism charity event during a musical number with Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert.[31]

See also

References

  1. ^ Profile on official site
  2. ^ Official site
  3. ^ IMDb
  4. ^ Ryan, Joal (August 9, 2007). "The "Chocolate" Reign of Tay Zonday". E! Online. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
  5. ^ a b " "Chocolate Rain Singer Tay Zonday Still A Star; Chocolate Rain Has Gotten Almost 48M YouTube Views". MYfox Phoenix. February 17, 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
  6. ^ YouTube
  7. ^ Minneapolis City Pages: Rain Man
  8. ^ YouTube: Tay Zonday on the Opie & Anthony Show
  9. ^ YouTube: Chocolate Rain on Best Week Ever
  10. ^ YouTube: Tay Zonday On Jimmy Kimmel
  11. ^ a b c Orloff, Brian (August 9, 2007). "'Chocolate Rain' YouTube Sensation Makes TV Debut". People. Time Inc. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
  12. ^ Music: 'Chocolate Rain' falls on YouTube star's hometown
  13. ^ "CNN.com - Transcripts". CNN.
  14. ^ Montgomery, Garth (August 1, 2007). "Chocolate Rain goes huge". Daily Telegraph. News Limited. Retrieved 2007-08-09. [dead link]
  15. ^ Keiper, Nicole (August 4, 2007). "Concert Review: John Mayer brings soul to Nashville". The Tennessean.
  16. ^ MTV News Staff (August 6, 2007). "Jennifer Lopez And Marc Anthony Roll Out Tour Dates; Plus Lindsay Lohan, Gwen Stefani, Nas, Amy Winehouse & More, In For The Record". MTV News.
  17. ^ John Mayer on Best Week Ever[dead link]
  18. ^ Cashmere, Tim (August 3, 2007). "Green Day Drummer Tre Cool Covers Tay Zonday". Undercover. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
  19. ^ YouTube - Chocolate Rain Sung By McGruff The Crime Dog
  20. ^ YouTube - Broadcast Yourself
  21. ^ YouTube - Chocolate Rain McDonald's Spot / Tay Zonday
  22. ^ "Tay Zonday". IMDB. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
  23. ^ funnyguy1375 (2007-11-15). "Last Laugh 07 Chocolate Rain - Tay Zonday". YouTube. Retrieved 2009-01-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ YouTube - "Cherry Chocolate Rain" Original Song by Tay Zonday
  25. ^ Riley, Duncan (2008-01-07). "Exclusive: Mozilla Secretly Launches A Viral Campaign For Firefox". Techcrunch.com. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
  26. ^ channelintel (2008-01-07). "Chocolate Rain at CES". YouTube. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
  27. ^ YouTube - Pork & Beans Acoustic - Tay Zonday and Brian Bell
  28. ^ "50th Anniversary of NASA". Nasa.gov. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
  29. ^ "Tay Zonday IMDB". IMDB. Retrieved 2010-03-13.
  30. ^ Video: The Jace Hall Show with Tay Zonday, Gearbox (2008-06-27). "Video: The Jace Hall Show with Tay Zonday, Gearbox". GameArgus.com. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
  31. ^ Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert - "Everybody's Talking 'Bout Sully" (2010-10-22). "Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert - "Everybody's Talking 'Bout Sully"". Comedy Central. Retrieved 2010-10-30.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tay Zonday.

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