New WaysTo Find Fame (NAPSA)—Want to become a household name? It may help to stay home—and go online. A number of entertainers have found ways to use the Web to further their careers or simply share their talents with a large audience. Entertainment reporters com- pare the new trend to the early days of vaudeville, where entertainers would perform in any of dozens of theaters throughout a town, gaining maximum exposure with relatively little effort. The age of early vaudeville came to a close when TV and movies tightened the “talent funnel,” only allowing a select few access to the national spotlight. Veteran comedian Bill Kirchenbauer has more than 20 years experience performing comedy and has appeared on “The Tonight Show” 13 times. Kirchenbauer says the Web has helped re-open the talent funnel. He notes that artists today can use Web sites such as TalentMatch.com, a site he’s a member of, to reach inter- national audiences. This online talent community is used by accomplished and aspiring actors, models, bands, singers, musicians, comedians, writers, directors, artists and dancers. People can upload their work to the site, where it can be viewed by anyone who logs on—from faithful fans to interested industry executives. Members have signed on from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. They include several Sundance directors, an Emmynominated singer/songwriter, an Computer Screen To Silver Screen—The Web can help new artists get discovered. actor who has been in shows such as “The Sopranos” and “Law & Order SVU” and an actress who appeared with Al Pacino in the movie Any Given Sunday. “The Web can provide unprecedented opportunities for artists, regardless of their ‘connections,” says actor and director, Tom Hodges (www.talentmatch.com/ tomhodges). Hodges, who began his acting career in movies such as Steel Magnolias, says his last movie was fully financed by a producer who found his work on the Internet. The TalentMatch.com site recently kicked off “Talent Dig 2003,” which is an international talent search geared toward unearthing the world’s “top talent.” For many aspiring artists, the contest could be an easy way to take center stage. For more information, visit www.talentmatch.com.
