the buzz log
September 2009 Buzz
Holidays both holy (Ramadan and Yom Kippur) and secular (Labor Day) dominated September, but the autumnal change of pace didn't always mean peace. Interruptions and protests testified to high anxieties. Those were dwarfed by an unrelenting series of natural disasters. Below, the events that bestirred the Buzz.
The disaster roll
Some took mere seconds, others lasted for days, but all left a wracked landscape. In the state of Georgia, five days of rain dumped as much as 20 inches, left at least nine dead, and flooded more than 1,000 homes. Typhoon Ketsana left a crueler mark through Southeast Asia, wiping away villages and killing more than 300. Quakes shattered Samoa, American Samoa, and the Sumatra island of Indonesia. Help has been at the ready: Federal aid has come to Georgia and the Samoa, the international community—already helping the hard-hit Philippines—are also reaching out to the tiny Pacific islands, and charities worldwide are heading to West Sumatra.
Outbursts, tantrums, and protests
Lots of angst was unleashed in September. Thousands converged to protest big government in a tea-party style gathering fueled by Glenn Beck and organized by FreedomWorks. Talk-show host Beck was awarded a ceremonial key to his hometown, but he may not want to use it. And while President Obama made some UN headway at the general assembly, his follow-up act Moammar Khadafy caused walkouts and his translator to collapse. Would have been a good time for Kanye West to pop up.
In memoriam
"Nobody puts baby in a corner" became the online eulogy for Patrick Swayze, who died of pancreatic cancer this month. Other passings noted: journalist William Safire who famously penned "nattering nabobs of of negativism" for Nixon's vice president Spiro Agnew; neoconservative architect Irving Kristol; and the "father of the green revolution" Norman Borlaug.
Search Terms with the Biggest Percentage Changes
| Biggest Search Terms |
Filed under: Politics, Monthly Wrapup, Disaster, Recaps, Death
Steve, Tyra, and One Angry Joe: Buzz Week in Review
This past week, folks got a chance to see a famous CEO's return to the spotlight, as well as the long hidden hair of one of daytime's biggest names. Not to mention a congressman who couldn't hold back. Take a look back at those stories and more with the Buzz Week in Review.
Back on the job
Few CEOs can be considered celebrities. Steve Jobs, the big guy at Apple, is certainly one of 'em. The visionary founder has been out of the public eye for months after undergoing a liver transplant earlier this year. This past week, the mock-turtlenecked Jobs returned to the stage to announce some new products from his company. Truth be told, the announcement didn't really create much buzz, but Jobs' appearance and his public thank you to his organ donor inspired a huge boom in search. Queries on "steve jobs cancer," "steve jobs photos," and "steve jobs liver transplant" all roared.
Releasing Tyra's locks
Tyra Banks has been keeping her hair prisoner for years. The talk show host has been wearing wigs and weaves and apparently never once let her real hair out on her TV show. This week she finally shared it with the world. In celebration of her show's fifth anniversary, Ms. Banks performed her hosting duties sans wig. The "big reveal" brought in a boatload of buzz. Searches on "tyra banks hair" and "tyra banks real hair" posted big gains. As for the hair itself, it looked perfectly ordinary to us. Kind of a letdown, really.
Say it ain't so, Joe
On Wednesday night, President Obama gave a highly anticipated speech on health care reform. Everybody knew passions would be running high. Still, it came as a bit of shock when Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina yelled, "You lie!" while the president was speaking. Rep. Wilson apologized to Obama a short time later, but by then the search engine had left the station. Queries on "joe wilson" and "who yelled you lie" both screamed to the top of the search box. And, while both Republicans and Democrats criticised Wilson's behavior, it's worth noting that he took in $200,000 in donations in the days following his outburst (his Democratic opponent for 2010 earned $750,000 in donations, thanks to the episode).
Also buzzing this week...
• The NFL season just started and Pittsburgh is already down a man.
• Tyler Perry released another Madea movie on the masses.
• GM announced a new money-back guarantee.
Filed under: Recaps, Week in Review, Wrap Up
Jenna, Maria, and Marvel: Buzz Week in Review
Two of the Web's biggest stars made big comebacks in the search box this week. A former first daughter announced her new gig and promptly saw her searches soar. Meanwhile, the blonde bombshell of the tennis court kicked some butt and brought in the buzz. Check out those stories and more with the Buzz Week in Review.
Jenna's new job
There's gonna be a new face on the "Today" show. Jenna Bush, daughter of our illustrious 43rd president, was hired as a correspondent for NBC's morning program. She'll contribute stories about once per month, usually on education. In a popular article from TV Guide, Ms. Bush Hager (her married name) explains that being on TV isn't something she ever thought of doing. The announcement caught searchers by surprise — lookups on "jenna bush" and "jenna bush today show" immediately posted huge gains. Whether Jenna's popularity translates into higher ratings for "Today" is something we should see later this month when Jenna makes her debut.
Sharapova brings the heat
A few years ago, you couldn't walk down the street without a stranger wanting to talk to you about Maria Sharapova. But then, as is often the case with the suddenly famous, Sharapova sort of dropped off the radar. A big part of that was due to injuries — she was out nearly 10 months with a shoulder problem. But this past week, she roared back in a big way. Seeded 29th at this year's U.S. Open, Sharapova proved that she's no chump, on the court or in search. Queries on the leggy Russian surged 459% and related lookups on "maria sharapova pictures" spiked predictably. Even if she loses in the next round, Sharapova has shown that she still owns the Search box.
Mickey buys Spidey
Business deals get done every day, and nobody seems to notice. Not this time. This past week, when Disney purchased Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion, comic nerds around the world took notice. Searches on "disney buys marvel" and "marvel disney" both jumped from nil into the thousands. Blogs seemed most interested in whether or not the transaction would have an effect on Marvel's cast of superheroes. Will the Hulk suddenly get all cute and soft just because he now works for Mickey Mouse? Will Magneto suddenly learn the importance of sharing? Even true believers are scared.
Also buzzing this week...
• An animal resembling the infamous Chupacabra showed up in Texas.
• Levi Johnston dished on Sarah Palin in an upcoming issue of Vanity Fair.
• "All About Steve" opened to dismal (and hilarious) reviews.
Filed under: Recaps, Week in Review, Wrap Up
August 2009 Buzz
The hot days of August became days of mourning for political leaders (Cory Aquino, Kim Dae-Jung, Ted Kennedy). Health conversations took on an unhealthy tone, and reality TV dominated real-life crime headlines. Below, a look at searches and buzzy stories on Yahoo! this month.
The Last Days of Camelot
While June's celebrity departures seemed a turning point for Generation X, the loss of two political paladins marked an era's passing. The legacy of America's most well-known political family came under review twice with the deaths of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who founded the Special Olympics, and brother Edward Kennedy. Dogged by the Chappaquidick incident, the Massachusetts senator abandoned presidential ambition but still shaped everyday American life by helping to create nearly 1,000 laws on health, civil rights, disability, immigration, education, and more.
Health Check-Up's Negative Results
High decibel levels and superheated rhetoric complicated the already unwieldy mission to reform health care. Rifle-toting protesters and outright falsehoods made town-hall meetings look like a Jerry Springer episode. Still, online outreach—including details from the White House—and research into "obama health plan details" persisted. Meanwhile, more immediate health concerns pushed up queries for flu shots.
Reality Checks
The normally escapist fare of reality TV took an awful turn with a murder-suicide. The VH1 series "Megan Wants a Millionaire" had finished filming and aired only two episodes when news came out that a finalist, Ryan Jenkins, had allegedly killed his wife and swimsuit model, Jasmine Fiore. His suicide three days later led VH1 to cancel that show, as well as celebreality show "I Love Money 3," which Jenkins had competed and won.
Search Terms with the Biggest Percentage Changes
| Biggest Search Terms |
Filed under: Health, Reality TV, Politics, Monthly Wrapup, Crime, Recaps, Death, Wrap Up
Biel, Brown, and Gosselin: Buzz Week in Review
Danger! Justice! Kate Gosselin! This was another wild week on the Web. Searchers sought the scoop on the world's most "dangerous celebrity," as well as updates on a long-running Hollywood dispute. Oh, and, of course it wouldn't be planet Earth if there wasn't something going on with Kate, right? Right! Buckle up for the Buzz Week in Review.
Danger is her middle name
Jessica Biel is undeniably gorgeous. In fact, she's so attractive that her looks tend to inspire otherwise rational human beings to seek out her image on sketchy sites and via dubious downloads. This past week, Ms. Biel was named the world's most dangerous celebrity to search for by McAfee, a computer security company. According to Yahoo! Tech, fans who search on the lovely lady have a 20% chance of "landing at a website that has tested positive for online threats, such as sypware, adware, spam, phishing, and viruses." Ironically, the news did little to stem the tide of searches on Biel. Queries on "jessica biel photos," "jessica biel pictures," and the redundant "jessica biel pretty" all stayed strong. Now that's devotion.
The Chris Brown Case
Several months ago, singer Chris Brown was involved in a domestic violence case with fellow singer Rihanna. The case took the world by storm as many wondered what sort of punishment Mr. Brown would eventually receive. Those questions were answered this past weekend when a judge sentenced Brown to five years of probation, one year of domestic violence counseling, and six months of community service. The judge also placed a restraining order on Brown that requires him to stay 50 yards away from Rihanna. Over the week, lookups surged on "chris brown punishment" and "chris brown sentence." But the story ain't over yet. Word has come out that Brown may have already violated his probation. If so, a spokesperson from the LAPD says "it won't be taken lightly."
Kate coming to "The View"
Anyone with half a brain could have seen this one coming from a mile away. Kate Gosselin, formerly of the super group Jon and Kate Plus 8, will sit in as co-host on "The View" for a few times in September. She with the spiky locks will apparently fill in for Elisabeth Hasselbeck while she's on maternity leave. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that devotees of Ms. G will want to tune in on Sept. 14 and 15 to watch their favorite supermom mix it up with Whoopi and company. And from the looks of Search, many are already programming their TiVos. Queries on "kate gosselin on the view" posted triple digit gains. Whether those lookups come from fans or from folks hoping she'll screw up, we can't say.
Also buzzing this week...
• Troubled starlet Mischa Barton talked about her stay in Cedars.
• Los Angeles coroners ruled Michael Jackson's death a homicide.
• You know that dude who plays Jim on "The Office"? Well, he's engaged to Emily Blunt.
Filed under: Recaps, Week in Review, Wrap Up
top movers
| Rank | Subject | 1-Day Move |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Worst Airports For Delays 2009 | Breakout! |
| 2 | How To Survive A Recession | Breakout! |
| 3 | Ice Cream Calorie Counter | Breakout! |
| 4 | Jayson Williams | Breakout! |
| 5 | Alexandra Kerry | Breakout! |
| 6 | Chaz Bono | 10707% |
| 7 | Kelly Osbourne | 3298% |
| 8 | Jennifer Hudson | 3218% |
| 9 | Nicole Richie | 2075% |
| 10 | Thierry Henry | 1125% |
top leaders
| Rank | Subject | Move | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black Friday | +413 | 1016 |
| 2 | Elizabeth Lambert | -677 | 263 |
| 3 | NFL | +66 | 235 |
| 4 | New Moon | +74 | 213 |
| 5 | Bing | +83 | 209 |
| 6 | Kelly Osbourne | +193 | 199 |
| 7 | Hulu | +7 | 139 |
| 8 | Nicole Richie | +124 | 130 |
what's the buzz?
A subject's buzz score is the percentage of Yahoo! users searching for that subject on a given day, multiplied by a constant to make the number easier to read. Weekly leaders are the subjects with the greatest average buzz score for a given week.
For more detailed information, visit our FAQ.