loves

There's no doubt that one of the biggest benefactors of the explosion of YouTube has been Saturday Night Live. Not only did the video of the SNL sketch "Lazy Sunday" put the service on the map, but YT has repaid the show in spades by popularizing other SNL sketches and Digital Shorts, most notably the Justin Timberlake/Andy Samberg classic "Dick in a Box" from last Christmas.

But, since NBC struck a deal with Fox to create a video site designed to be a "YouTube killer," NBC's lawyers have been going after all YT clips of the show that weren't uploaded by NBC to the channel it maintains on the site. Michaels discusses the issue with the New York Observer and makes no bones about how he feels about the site: "YouTube has been great for us," he told writer Felix Gillette.

Did you know that Dunder-Mifflin, the fictional paper company featured in the U.S. version of The Office is actually a member of the real-life Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce?

Well, now you do. This AP article details how the people and business owners of the Pennsylvania city have embraced the show, to the point where business owners are lobbying to get references to their stores into the show. The article even speaks to fellow WIN blogger Dave Caolo of TUAW fame, who is tracking Scranton references on the show as a guest blogger on the website LifeInTheOffice.com.

It's a fun read about a small city on the comeback. Now, I wonder how well Slough took their portrayal in the British version...