From YouTube.com user: theresident

She's called "The Resident" -- from her videos you don't know much about her, other than the fact that she's a clever and cynical New Yorker with an uncanny knack of honing in on subjects that find every NYC resident stumped. It takes one to know one: as one fellow New Yorker to another, The Resident's features show topics that are consistently hilarious and incredibly entertaining!

Our very amiable producer and host is Lori Harfenist. Before bringing her interview shows to the Internet she originally created the videos for her cable-access TV show by the same name: The Resident. The shows have run in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and, of all places, Burlington, Vermont.

The Resident introduces itself as "Your much needed weekly dose of counter culture, and "The talk show that talks back." That hooked me. And with the high quality and nice variety of her videos we're surprised she doesn't have more subscribers on YouTube. Perhaps the YouTube generation's short attention span.

The Resident does have somewhat of a cult following from her cable show, YouTube and MySpace viewers. And she regularly receives a lot of feedback from her regular viewers who express their very frank and, uh, alternative viewpoints, on her and her segments.

The video above is "The Year in Review- short version"- the full version is a full half-hour, which I just didn't have the patience for, but my abridged version gets the point across: our ever-entertaining reporter interviews people about their "accomplishments" (and I use that term loosely) in 2006, and their goals for 2007, with the backdrop of the infamous, ridiculously overcrowded lighting of the tree at Rockefeller Center.

The Resident: Episode One (19:12)

There are several things that make The Resident videos stand out: other than outstanding recording quality, Lori Harfenist has a great interview style and she never misses a beat. Her bright smile and perky personality seem to make every one of her unsuspecting interviewees more than amenable to any kind of light-hearted teasing she throws their way ... and everyone gladly plays along, which consistently makes for an interesting show.

NYC Apartment Life

The only real downside (which was unique to the video above) was the "2nd interviewer," who I thought way over-played his "crotchety old man" shtick. It takes more than a loud, strange man to shock a New Yorker, or to provide entertaining reality TV. Remember: us New Yorkers deal with things like public urination, vibrant cross-dressers and B-list celebrities every day of our lives. We're used to it.

My advice for The Resident shows: stick to the up-front interview style you have going on with the young, charismatic Lori Harfenist, and you've got a sure-fire hit.

K-Fed at Webster Hall

I admit that once I started watching The Resident, I was hooked! Perhaps it's because I'm also an embittered New Yorker who is boggled by the absurdity of urban living that surrounds me 24/7, but all the topics really struck a chord.

Other episodes I highly recommend: - How much bang for your buck (yes, that is supposed to be ironic) do you get in your teeny, tiny NYC apartment?

- Exciting, LIVE coverage of the K-Fed Webster Hall concert.

Blanket Markets

- An experiment in the streets of NY: Will people really buy useless crap off a dirty blanket from an anonymous stranger in the City? (short answer: a resounding yes ... though, as you'll see, location really does matter).

For more information about the show itself, be sure to check out their official website too: www.theresident.net.

Labels: comedy, interviews, Lori Harfenist, New Years, New York City, resolutions, Stephanie Hagopian, theresident

From YouTube.com user: theresident

This The Resident is talking about music. She interviews people in Times Square about what kinds of music they listen to in order to get a feel for how people feel about today's music and the industry in general.

Labels: ashlee, interviews, kim, kim stevens, Lori Harfenist, MOS, music, news and blogs, NYC, simpson, theresident

From YouTube.com user: theresident

Lori Harfenist hones in on random and unwitting Times Square pedestrians with another hot topic for her fanbase: this time, the topic is on "Ageism," a bias that's just as controversial as any of the more widely accepted debates that rampage throughout the public consciousness.

Lori conducts her live interviews with her signature sarcasm and wacky edge, making people open up to her, despite themselves. The result is a hysterical run-down of why everyone's expectations of where they're supposed to be in life at a certain age are unrealistic and ridiculous.

For anyone who's not abiding by life's pre-set timetables (ie, everyone!), this is definitely a must-see!

Labels: Ageism, comedy, interviews, Lori Harfenist, politics, Stephanie Hagopian, theresident

From YouTube.com user: theresident

The Resident hits Times Square. She interviews people about the worst things they have been called. She wants to know what makes a word bad and why we get so offended by the names people call us.

The music goes well with the video.

Labels: interviews, kim, kim stevens, Lori Harfenist, MOS, New York City, news and blogs, NYC, theresident

From YouTube.com user: theresident

The Resident hits the subway. Her mission is to teach subway etiquette to those who do not know the unwritten rules. She interviews various people on the subway trains about the rules of the train.

The sound on this video is very clear.

Labels: access, cable, dumb, entertainment, funny, kim, kim stevens, Lori Harfenist, NYC, stupid, subway, system, theresident

From YouTube.com user: theresident

The Resident is curious about food names. She wonders if other people have noticed all of the “silly” food names out there. She quizzes several people in Times Square to see if they know which food names belong to which restaurants. She also polls people to see why they think that restaurants come up with silly names for food.

There was a lot of effort and thought that went into editing this video. The sound is of excellent quality.

Labels: access, cable, dumb, entertainment, kim, kim stevens, Lori Harfenist, NYC, stupid, theresident, times square

From YouTube.com user: theresident

The Resident interviews many different people in Times Square about their opinions of television. She does not think that t.v. rots your brain, but she is seeking other people’s opinions.

The sound quality is excellent on this video. The editing is very well done.

Labels: access, cable, entertainment, kim, kim stevens, Lori Harfenist, NYC, theresident, times square, TV

From YouTube.com user: theresident

At first you think that this clip is going to be corny, especially if you look at the title. Then, you watch it and realize that The Resident has a point to the clip. She speaks to various people in New York about their trends and styles. If they are into trends, she tries to get them to realize what trends do to a person. If they are not into trends then she praises them.

The music that accompanied this clip fit well. The sound is of excellent quality.

Labels: entertainment, fashion, funny, hats, kim, kim stevens, Lori Harfenist, NYC, theresident, trends, trucker

From YouTube.com user: theresident

The Resident goes behind the scenes at Jay McCarroll’s fashion show. She interviews Jay about fashion design. She finds out why it took him so long to create his fashion line. She asks him the basic questions: how it feels to be a fashion designer who is about to put on a show.

Labels: fashion, interviews, jay mccarroll, kim, kim stevens, Lori Harfenist, NYC, Project Runway, theresident

From YouTube.com user: theresident

The Resident takes her show to Hollywood. She is not there to search out the stars of Hollywood though. Instead, she interviews the everyday people to find out what Hollywood is really like.

This clip is very interesting because The Resident is all about getting the lowdown on Hollywood from real people.

The sound on this clip is excellent. The editing is well done also.

Labels: entertainment, interviews, kim, kim stevens, LA, Lori Harfenist, los angeles, NYC, public, theresident

From YouTube.com user: theresident

The Resident goes to Times Square for a very controversial interview with everyday people.

She asks random people if they think drugs are good or bad. The answers she receives are as varied as the people that she interviews are.

The Resident makes you think that she is pro-drugs until the last question that she asks her interviewees.

The clip is well thought out, as The Resident interviews people who are on both sides of the fence about drugs.

Labels: cocaine, comedy, drugs, interviews, kim, kim stevens, Lori Harfenist, NYC, theresident, times square, weed

From YouTube.com user: theresident

The Resident seeks opinions about cell phones in Times Square. She is trying to express her frustration with people and their cell phones. She interviews people to find out if they have the same frustrations.
This clip is entertaining, but also makes a solid case against cell phone usage in public.

Labels: cell phones, comedy, interviews, kim, kim stevens, Lori Harfenist, NYC, theresident, times square

From YouTube.com user: theresident

In this clip, the Resident is standing downtown, giving away free McDonald’s hamburgers. The catch is that anyone who accepts the free hamburger has to take a McDonald’s nutritional fact sheet. The Resident is trying to inform people how unhealthy McDonald’s food is.

It is very obvious that time and thought were put in to editing this clip. The dialogue is great. It really makes you think about where you are in life.

Labels: access, entertainment, interviews, kim, kim stevens, Lori Harfenist, NYC, theresident, times square

From YouTube.com user: theresident

The resident conducts a worthwhile interview with Adam Lough, director of the movie Bomb the System.

The Resident and Adam discuss what it takes to produce a movie. They talk about what goes into movie making the money, actors, time, and music.

The Resident did some fun editing effects on this clip via an oral request by Adam Lough.

Labels: actors, Adam Lough, bomb, comedy, graffiti, interviews, kim, kim stevens, Lori Harfenist, NYC, theresident

From YouTube.com user: theresident

The Resident does a short talk show concerning plastic surgery. She conducts interviews people of all ages and races on the street.

She compiles the video in such a way that all those who were in favor of plastic surgery were put in one segment, and those against were put in a separate segment. At the end of the video she reveals that she believes that we should be happy with who we are.

The Resident has thoughtfully put this piece together. The sound is of good quality. It is obvious that The Resident has put good thought and effort into editing this clip.

Labels: comedy, interviews, kim, kim stevens, Lori Harfenist, plastic surgery, theresident, times square