Virgin Mobile USA Celebrates User-Generated Content with First ‘Bleepin Awesome’ Awards
Guest Host Kevin Smith Produces Own Call for Entries on YouTube

WARREN, N.J., Nov. 17 /PRNewswire/ — Celebrating both the explosion of user-generated content and freedom of self-expression, Virgin Mobile USA is launching its first-ever “Bleepin Awesome” Awards. Writer/director Kevin Smith, whose smash hit “Clerks II” comes out on DVD November 28, is attached as guest host. The contest, designed to cultivate unusual and unique talent through the Internet, invites the public to submit videos on YouTube.com showcasing someone or something transformed from the ordinary to the “bleepin awesome.” The event is part of Virgin Mobile’s “Bleepin Awesome” holiday campaign.

Kevin Smith, best known as the purveyor of irreverent cult classics “Clerks,” “Clerks II,” “Chasing Amy” and “Dogma,” debuts his own video invitation today on YouTube asking people to send in entries at http://www.youtube.com/group/BleepinAwesomeAwards. During the submission period which ends December 6, Smith will be offering additional director commentary on the videos submitted and will announce his own personal favorite at the end of the contest. Winners will be announced at the same online destination on December 15, 2006. The grand prize winner will receive a trip for two to NYC to watch the winning video on an animated billboard in Times Square on New Year’s Eve.

“The Bleepin Awesome Awards f&*#% rock,” said Smith. “I like that Virgin Mobile’s recognizing potential talent out there on the web but I’m worried every entry’s gonna be better than any film I ever made. And where’s my prize? I get bleeped all the time and I never get sh*t for it.” Smith’s film “Clerks II” will be released on DVD on November 28.

“We’re thrilled to have Kevin sign on for this very ‘Virgin’ event,” said Howard Handler, Chief Marketing Officer for Virgin Mobile. “He represents everything provocative and irreverent about what it means to be bleepin awesome. We look forward to the numerous aspiring filmmakers who follow Kevin’s lead and submit videos.”

Hosting the awards throughout are the stars of YouTube’s “Nobody’s Watching,” Derrick and Will [Taran Killam and Paul Campbell], who will help guide participants through the contest rules. The public will have the opportunity to vote for their favorites online between December 6 and December 10. Participants will earn points for originality, appropriateness to theme, creativity and representation of the Virgin Mobile brand as determined by a panel of judges and their scores will be combined with the public voting to determine the winners.

Virgin Mobile customers got a sneak peek of Smith’s video message when it aired on the mobile company’s “Sugar Mama” service earlier this week. Entries for Virgin Mobile’s Bleepin Awesome Awards are being accepted now through December 6, 2006 right HERE.