newsmakers

July 17, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

newsmakers

Bieber’s ‘Baby’ is most-watched video

NEW YORK

Justin Bieber’s music video for “Baby” is the most-watched video ever on YouTube. The 16-year-old pop star’s video passed Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” video to take the all-time lead. More than 246 million have watched Bieber’s video on the Google Inc.-owned website.

Bieber tweeted a thank you to “Beliebers” and said the video’s success was “crazy.” The singer wrote: “I started on youtube so ... WOW!” Bieber’s video and Lady Gaga’s switched positions briefly Friday, but as of late afternoon, Bieber was ahead by more than 600,000 views.

The most-watched clip on YouTube that isn’t a music video is the popular “Charlie bit my finger” viral video, which more than 210 million have watched.

Carlos Santana back at Woodstock site

BETHEL, N.Y.

He was at Woodstock, man. And today, he will be again. Carlos Santana returns to the site of the fabled 1969 festival this weekend for a concert at a new arts pavilion just yards from the original stage where his band performed “Soul Sacrifice” during the “three days of peace and music” that helped define the end of the 1960s.

According to promoters, it’s the 62-year-old Grammy winner’s first time playing there since that unforgettable performance. The 2,000-acre facility, in upstate New York’s Sullivan County, is a performing-arts center and museum with a 15,000-seat concert space. The center includes the patch of land, once part of Max Yasgur’s farm, that hosted the original Woodstock festival in August 1969.

Aerosmith’s Perry injured in accident

MIDDLEBOROUGH, Mass.

Authorities say Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry was rear-ended by a car when he was riding a motorcycle, and he has been treated for minor injuries at a Massachusetts hospital. Middleborough police say Perry was on his 2009 Ducati Monster 696 early Thursday afternoon when he was struck from behind by a car driven by 62-year-old Linda O’Brien. Both vehicles were traveling at a low speed.

The 59-year-old Perry, who lives in nearby Duxbury, was taken to a hospital and released a couple of hours later. A hospital spokeswoman did not release the nature of his injuries.

O’Brien, who was not injured, was cited for following too closely. The accident is not expected to affect any of Aerosmith’s scheduled concert dates.

Old Spice ad goes viral — and then some

NEW YORK

In one of the largest viral-video ad campaigns ever launched, Old Spice is swarming YouTube.

The Procter & Gamble Co. brand released more than 180 videos featuring the campaign’s star, ex-football player Isaiah Mustafa. In the videos, he responds personally to online queries or comments from various Web users and some famous ones, including Ellen DeGeneres and Alyssa Milano.

The videos, all of which feature Mustafa in a towel speaking directly to the camera, have been released steadily over the last few days. On Friday, they accounted for eight of the most popular 11 videos on YouTube and more than 21 million views in total.

The “Smell Like a Man” ad campaign was launched earlier this year by Portland, Ore.-based ad agency Wieden+Kennedy. The television spots have been popular, and the first TV spot won a Cannes advertising festival award.

Associated Press