Paris Hilton inspires transvestite to internet stardom

9:00am Saturday 27th September 2008

Student Michael James has become an internet celebrity after starring in his own reality show.

The 19-year-old filmed The Complicated Life on a £50 video camera and posted the show on YouTube.

He took inspiration from hit E4 reality TV show The Simple Life, starring Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie and the show has already attracted more than 73,000 online viewers.

Transvestite Michael, of Isfield Road, Hollingdean, Brighton, said: "In my life I always seem to get involved in, or become part of, rather bizarre situations.

"But when I explain these scenarios to other people, they have absolutely no idea what I am talking about.

"After watching The Simple Life, I realised I should be using video to show people what sort of adventures I get up to.

"The first series has been a massive hit.

"When one of my videos was put online in February, I was around the 40th most viewed YouTube page in the UK. Most of my other videos make the top 80."

Mr James, who is studying for his A-Levels at Varndean College in Surrenden Road, Brighton, has uploaded 11 The Complicated Life shows onto the website since last October plus other videos.

Every morning he films himself speaking about what he has planned for the day, and gets the camera out during the course of the afternoon to record anything he deems interesting.

Amongst his most popular videos are his day out at Gay Pride, him picking up his AS-level results and his shopping trip in London.

The teenager, who hopes to be a TV presenter after attending college, said: "I view every day as a performance, like I¹m going on stage or a filming set and I have to perform.

"I always wear make up and wear costumes to keep people guessing. I spend about an hour getting ready for college but if I'm going out at night I can start preparing the day before.

"I have become an internet celebrity because, although I'm not famous in real life, I am famous online.

"The internet is like a universal home for everyone who is a bit different, where you can be who you want and people will accept you."

Michael has started filming the second series and says it will incorporate both pre-written fictional stories as well as scenes from everyday life.

To view The Complicated Life, visit Mr James's YouTube web page, www.youtube.com/user/xxmichaeljames.

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