It was almost a year ago when I found out about the whole “Everywhere Girl” thing. It was a very odd day for me. My boyfriend’s cousin was visiting and helping us move in, so he was staying with us. One regular ol’ mornin’ he got up and went to Starbucks very early to do some reading. He, being a complete tech geek, had his laptop with him and was surfing the Internet SuperHighway….he was catching up on reading his favorite websites, including our beloved Inquirer. He was browsing the front page when he came across an article about “Everywhere Girl”…some stock photo thing…..he clicked on it and began reading this odd story. He scrolled down to read more and lo and behold…there was picture of ME!!!
He of course started going through all the old articles that INQ had written because he just couldn’t believe how weird it all was. He then proceeded to call us at home…..it was 7am….and he said “are you guys up? well you need to get up, I have something crazy to tell you….I will be there in 5 minutes!”
Now this guy was always very sweet and respectable about giving us our space when he stayed with us…..so for him to call and wake us up and be all weird like that….well we knew something was up…he kinda freaked me out though!
So five minutes later I am on the couch and he is telling me this whole story….(now remember that at this point I knew my picture had been used alot….but not to this extent…and fans??? that was crazy)…..so I ran over to my computer and he had me search for Internet Phenomenon on Wikipedia first….I am not on there anymore since as we all know I have been deleted…but I used to be listed under that subject.
And so it began…for the next few hours I ended up looking at dozens of articles with dozens of links about me and all these ads…it was the most surreal thing I have ever experienced.
I went though so many emotions…I was shocked at first…first of all…why me of all people? What was it about that ridiculous picture that had companies picking it over and over again…I just didn’t get it. Then I was scared…it was weird to read message boards and all this stuff about me…who people thought I was…..and even people discussing my looks and what they wanted to do to me….blech. There were also people who talked about me being ugly….that’s not fun to read…I wanted to write them and say “no, it’s a really bad picture at a bad angle!!!”
I read about how the INQ wanted to find out who I was….sooooo I emailed Mike Magee….I let him know it was me and proved it by linking to my acting website…..he wrote back right away and was so excited!
I also contacted Doug Menuez, the photgrapher of the shoot….when we did the shoot ten years ago, I believe he lived in Seattle…he now lives in NYC. We wrote back and forth a few times and discussed the possibility of doing another photo shoot together…this time NOT Royalty-Free of course! 
I don’t know if that will ever happen….
So over the next year I followed my own ad-ventures in The INQ and was just so amused by the whole thing….but it took me a long time to really come to terms with it all….I would always just laugh about it and say “I am world famous, but I can barely pay my bills”….I mean how weird is that?
Recently my family and I have started wondering about some of the companies still using my picture. Do they know about the Everywhere Girl phenomenon….is that why they used my picture? It’s still the same price in Getty Images as it always has been…so they are thinkingit is a bonus…hoping that someone will see it and it will be written about in the INQ and people will go to their site, blah blah blah…..
Or are people still just picking it out on their own?
Off the subject…I just wanted to let you all know that I am recovering from my surgery very quickly…I still have a little ways to go, but things are good and I’d say I am at about 90%. I have been catching up on work, and all kinds of stuff and will be back to auditioning next week…..the busy season is picking up…lots of shows are starting to film again….I am really hoping this year I can get a nice Co-Star or Guest Star role….especially on one of my favorite shows…like LOST or Grey’s Anatomy, or ER, or any of the Law and Order’s….but I would take anything…I am not going to be picky…hahaha…..although as much as I would love to be on LOST, it would suck to see the script….I wouldn’t want to know what was going to happen…..I love that show sooo much…if you haven’t seen it….well you just haven’t truly lived.
10 comments ↓
PBS Sprout is looking for a new host for their “Goodnight Show”…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/24/AR2006072400931.html
It’s interesting to step back and think about the effects of advertising, especially how much we take it for granted without being fully aware of the effects it has. I believe the effects are large and I believe we’re all far to slow mentally to become fully aware of the process. It all has to do with mental and emotional reflexes and misattributions. Consider that when it comes to the effects of advertising we are just slightly more aware than were Pavlov’s dogs!
Take care.
“why me of all people?”
I’m not dissing you, you’re beautiful and the whole world knows it. But the reason you became an “Internet Phenomenon” is because both Dell and Gateway decided to use your pictures in their ads at the same time. That was just hilarious. The fact that your pictures kept turning up in other ads just kept the ball rolling.
EG you are in a tough industry, we all wish you the best, and hope that you do get that role on Lost or ER or whatever. If there is any way we can support you please let us know. For now, I am just clicking on ads!!
I can understand how this is a bit difficult for you becuase it is nothing you worked on or auditioned for, and the internet phenom thing just fell in your lap. Now, you need to decide what to do, and I see how that could be hard.
I think that the value of what has happened to you is its weirdness, and that needs to get out somehow, probably on late night talk show, ie Conan or Leno or that Jimmy Kimmel, something like that. Then, if somebody does a piece on you and about this for the public (not just us nerds) then you will have demand, that may help you land those guest spots on shows, because we all want to see you get those parts, and will watch for you. Put something together with your agent and get it to the people that plan those talk and variety shows. For goodness sake I could do that so your agent outta be able to. Right now, it is just geekdom following you – we have to get you wider notice. And I hope you are a good actress at least!!! (I’m sure you are) And if there is any other way we can help, tell us….
Hey, maybe what your site is lacking are subliminal messages. Wanna buy some? (Big brain storm here) Hmm, maybe I got something here! Can you imagine doing this and having your site leaked to the press! Internet traffic galore! JUST KIDDING!
I don’t keep up on advertising or trends or even watch television, so I’ve never seen these ads.
I just dropped in to say: Goddamn, you’re pretty.
“I am world famous, but can barely pay my bills”
Praise yourself lucky.. there have been Japanese emperors who died from hunger.
The link leads to an Australian government website in which your picture is featured. I chose the graphics for the website from a stock photo CD, not knowing the first thing about the Everywhere Girl phenomenon. I discovered your website today and I’ve been rocking from the coincidence ever since!
There’s just something about your picture that’s accessible, attractive and easy to use in so many applications. So be proud of being world famous … I just hope you’re able to pay the rent these days
[...] many years ago and his image of Jennifer Chandra has been licensed as a royalty free image. In this post Jennifer talks about finding out she is the Everywhere [...]
[...] nei posti più disparati. “Sono famosa, ma riesco a malapena a pagare le bollette”, diceva sul suo blog in paio d’anni fa. La storia di Jennifer emerge nel 2004 quando, dopo che curiosamente due note marche di computer si [...]
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