Dreams Really Do Come True

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

16 Sep 2007 02:20 PM

I have to hand it to Jamie Foxx--he's come a long way in the past few years. In less than a decade the actor who was raised by his grandmother has moved from the standup stage to the Oscar stage. (See, dreams really do come true.) And now the Academy Award-winner has another prominent award to add to his collection--a spot on Hollywood Boulevard.

Foxx received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday and wasted no time thanking the woman he credits with shaping his life.

"My grandmother's gotta be spreading her wings and flying around in heaven, just so happy," Foxx said. "This is one of the most amazing days of my life."

Hmmm... isn't that the same line he used in 2005 when he won a best actor Oscar for playing Ray Charles in "Ray?" Oh well. It seems Foxx has been having a string of "amazing days" recently. The ceremony unveiling his star came just a few days after critics gave high marks to his soon-to-be-released film "The Kingdom." He stars with Jennifer Garner and Chris Cooper as members of a U.S. counter terrorism unit chasing after the mastermind of a bombing in Saudi Arabia.

But Foxx isn't the only one whose dream has come true. A slew of college kids in California who are addicted to the Internet are also celebrating because they are getting college credit for watching YouTube.

It's hard to believe, but this fall Pitzer College began offering what may be the first course of its kind about the video-sharing site. According to school administrators, about 35 students meet in a classroom but complete most of their assignments online. Basically, the students view YouTube content and post comments. In addition, lessons also are posted online and students are encouraged to post their own videos. For example, one student recently posted a 1:36-minute video of himself juggling.

The media studies professor at the liberal arts college who designed the course says she did so because she was "underwhelmed" by the content on YouTube and thought it would be a good idea to explore the role of the popular site in today's society. The professor says she hopes the course will raise serious issues about YouTube, such as the role of "corporate-sponsored democratic media expression."

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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