When the book is written on the roots of user-generated content and iconic independent video casters, there’s got to be a chapter on Ugly George.

The dude created a wildly popular public access cable TV show in the early 80’s on Manhattan cable by convincing nice wholesome women to bare their breasts.

He didn’t pay them and it wasn’t about sex. I guess you could say it was the first indication of exhibitionist video? Not so! George told me that women bared their breasts to him because he was nice. Yes, of course!

I caught up with him last month at the Streaming Media East Show in New York where he was an accredited journalist. True, George has joined the the Fourth Estate!

— Andy Plesser