Our First Time
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Our First Time (OFT) was one of the first widely popularized Internet hoaxes. Eighteen-year-old teenagers "Mike" and "Diane" made a public announcement declaring they were to lose their virginity on July 18, 1998. It was claimed this was to convey an act of love; purportedly, it was in reaction to the first Internet broadcast of a baby being delivered.
Contrary to reports, the project was not to be bankrolled by Seth Warshavsky's Internet Entertainment Group (IEG), at the time one of the largest distributors of internet pornography. Warshavsky and IEG only became involved after the Our First Time website opened in teaser mode and their servers crashed with over 10 million people a day trying to log in. The traffic generated by the OFT publicity stunt is still the world's record holder for Internet traffic in a 24 hour period. OFT was produced and promoted by aspiring filmmaker Ken Tipton. Tens of millions of people viewed the teaser pages but the real show was never fully opened. Tipton registered the domain OurFirstTime.com and IEG agreed to host it for free after the site crashed. The Web site followed Mike and Diane through HIV tests, condom selection, and telling their parents about their decision.
Over time, some began to suspect it was a hoax. Mike and Diane looked older than 18 and appeared to be actors. It turned out the entire concept was a publicity stunt to promote abstinence. The goal was to have them decide at the last second that it was better to wait than have sex before they were ready.
"Mike" turned out to be an Alabama actor Ty Taylor and "Diane" turned out to be Michelle Parma, an aspiring actress from Texas who had appeared in MTV's Road Rules Europe. Michelle Parma died on October 19, 2002 as a result of a vehicle crash in Texas.
The complete story with details and links is available online at http://www.beholder.com website under the "In Memorium" section for Academy-award winning Director Robert Wise and also under the section for the OFT actress who died - Michelle Parma.
[edit] External links
- Complete Details Here Academy-award winner Director Robert Wise encouraged the idea that became the Our First Time publicity stunt.
- Complete Details Here Memorial for Michelle Parma, the actress who worked on the Our First Time publicity stunt and later died.
- Our First Time on Museum of Hoaxes
- E! Online article on the hoax (archived copy from the Wayback Machine)
- Salon.com article on the hoax
- Description (archived copy from the Wayback Machine)
- Time Digital 50 entry on Seth Warshavsky
- Ken Tipton at the Internet Movie Database
- Michelle Parma at the Internet Movie Database
- Michelle Parma Official web site
