Edarem
Encyclopedia
Edward Muscare also known by his pseudonyms of Edarem and Uncle Ed, is a former American television presenter and internet celebrity
. He gained success in the latter field through his eccentric and comedic posts on the website Youtube
, uploaded from 2006 through to 2009, following which he was imprisoned for breaking parole.
Born into a working class Sicilian immigrant family in Queens, New York, Muscare moved to Hialeah, Miami as a teenager, before joining the army. He became a presenter for local programing in Kansas City
, but his career ended following a conviction for sexual battery in 1987. In 2006, he began posting videos of himself to Youtube, where he achieved widespread popularity. However, probation requirements relating to his 1987 conviction stipulated that he was forbidden to own a computer, and by doing so, he was put on trial in 2010, and sentenced to five years in prison. A campaign has been organised by his friends and supporters claiming that his imprisonment was un-just.
, New York
. His mother had been born in 1896 in Caltanisetta, Sicily
, and had married his father before the couple emigrated to New York in 1916. Trying to earn a living in their new home, his father worked as a tailor whilst his mother worked as a seamstress. Edward was the youngest of seven children, although shortly after his birth, his father left his mother to have a relationship with another woman. He was raised nominally Roman Catholic, and underwent Holy Communion and Confirmation, but noted that his family rarely followed the moral teachings of the faith.
In 1945, the family moved to Florida
, where he attended high school, particularly enjoying Speech class, English class and the Glee club
. It was here that he got his first girlfriend and bought his first car, a 1929 Essex
. He was voted "Best Personality" in his school's 1951 Year Book. Upon graduation, he moved to New York for a while, where he worked in a dress factory, until returning to Florida. After getting into trouble with the law, Muscare joined the United States Army
. He was stationed in Fort Jackson
, South Carolina
and then West Germany, where he worked as a morse code
operator.
As a television presenter in Kansas City
during the 1970s, he went by the stage name "Uncle Ed", and hosted both a late night show (for which he wore a vampire
costume), and a children's program.
In 1986, Muscare fondled a 14 year old boy who was a family member of his at a birthday party in Orlando, Florida
. His crime was reported to the police, and the following year he was charged with sexual battery. He was sentenced to imprisonment for 18 months and placed on probation for ten years. Muscare has not reoffended, commenting that "I would never sexually offend again, but we can't help but sin. We're all human beings".
, using the pseudonym Edarem, and posted 130 videos of himself online, featuring him undertaking "strange antics" and lipsynching to songs such as Roy Orbison
's "Pretty Woman
". The uploaded videos became popular with viewers around the world, receiving hundreds of thousands of views, and turning Muscare into an "internet sensation".
In 2007, Muscare moved out of his home in Florida, claiming he had suffered harassment from neighbours who had learned he was on the sex offenders' registar. He relocated in South Carolina
where, although he was legally required to inform the local authorities about his status as a former sex offender, he neglected to do so, fearing that he would be persecuted by angry neighbours if they found out about his criminal past. He then appeared on a television show in Orlando, in which he argued for sex offenders being given a second chance in society, and also stated that he refused to inform the local authorities about his former crime as he feared for his safety. Upon seeing this show, South Carolina police learned that he had moved into their state, and issued a warrant for his arrest. Officers came to his house on May 1, 2009, where they confiscated his alcohol and computer, using the justification that under South Carolina law anyone with a previous conviction for sex offences is forbidden from owning either of these. He agreed to allow his computer to be inspected without notice, and it was found to contain no illegal material. Rather than being sent to prison for not informing the authorities about his earlier conviction, he was placed on five years probation
, one of the conditions for which was that he was forbidden from owning a computer without permission.
No longer able to upload videos through his computer, Muscare instead got a friend to continue posting his videos on Youtube, believing that this would be permitted under the rules of his probation order. Nonetheless, prosecutors still saw this as a breach of his probation, and he was taken to court in Orlando, where he told the judge that "I'm frankly bewildered that I'm here, I don't think I've done anything wrong". He argued that he was not a threat to society, and was simply "an entertainer, and I've entertained all my life", with his videos simply being "done in fun and I'm sure that most of the people see it that way." The judge did not however accept Muscare's defence, and on January 06 2010 sentenced him to five years in prison for violating his probation order.
Fans of Muscare's Youtube videos posted messages of support on the site, many criticising the judge's decision as unfair. His neighbour also claimed that Muscare's imprisonment was unjust, describing him to reporters as "a helpful, warm, loving, kind, friendly neighbor who's always there when you need him". Sometime around late 2010 a woman who goes by the name of Marion claims to be engaged to Muscare and has in fact even taken over his youtube channel.
declared Muscare's Youtube account to be one of the "7 Most Unintentionally Creepy Places on the Internet".
Internet celebrity
An Internet celebrity, cyberstar or online celebrity is someone who has become famous by means of the Internet. Such fame is based less upon raw numbers, as with traditional media...
. He gained success in the latter field through his eccentric and comedic posts on the website Youtube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, uploaded from 2006 through to 2009, following which he was imprisoned for breaking parole.
Born into a working class Sicilian immigrant family in Queens, New York, Muscare moved to Hialeah, Miami as a teenager, before joining the army. He became a presenter for local programing in Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, but his career ended following a conviction for sexual battery in 1987. In 2006, he began posting videos of himself to Youtube, where he achieved widespread popularity. However, probation requirements relating to his 1987 conviction stipulated that he was forbidden to own a computer, and by doing so, he was put on trial in 2010, and sentenced to five years in prison. A campaign has been organised by his friends and supporters claiming that his imprisonment was un-just.
Early life
Muscare was born in 1932 in QueensQueens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. His mother had been born in 1896 in Caltanisetta, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, and had married his father before the couple emigrated to New York in 1916. Trying to earn a living in their new home, his father worked as a tailor whilst his mother worked as a seamstress. Edward was the youngest of seven children, although shortly after his birth, his father left his mother to have a relationship with another woman. He was raised nominally Roman Catholic, and underwent Holy Communion and Confirmation, but noted that his family rarely followed the moral teachings of the faith.
In 1945, the family moved to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, where he attended high school, particularly enjoying Speech class, English class and the Glee club
Glee club
A glee club is a musical group or choir group, historically of male voices but also of female or mixed voices, which traditionally specializes in the singing of short songs—glees—by trios or quartets. In the late 19th Century it was very popular in most schools and was made a tradition...
. It was here that he got his first girlfriend and bought his first car, a 1929 Essex
Essex (automobile)
The Essex was a brand of automobile produced by the Essex Motor Company from 1918–1922 and Hudson Motor Company of Detroit, Michigan between 1922 and 1932.-Corporate strategy:...
. He was voted "Best Personality" in his school's 1951 Year Book. Upon graduation, he moved to New York for a while, where he worked in a dress factory, until returning to Florida. After getting into trouble with the law, Muscare joined the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. He was stationed in Fort Jackson
Fort Jackson
Fort Jackson can refer to several places or things:*Fort Jackson , also called Fort Toulouse, a War of 1812 fort*Fort Jackson , a frontier trading post located near present-day Ione, Colorado...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
and then West Germany, where he worked as a morse code
Morse code
Morse code is a method of transmitting textual information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment...
operator.
As a television presenter in Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
during the 1970s, he went by the stage name "Uncle Ed", and hosted both a late night show (for which he wore a vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
costume), and a children's program.
In 1986, Muscare fondled a 14 year old boy who was a family member of his at a birthday party in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. His crime was reported to the police, and the following year he was charged with sexual battery. He was sentenced to imprisonment for 18 months and placed on probation for ten years. Muscare has not reoffended, commenting that "I would never sexually offend again, but we can't help but sin. We're all human beings".
YouTube fame
In 2006, he created an account on the popular web site YoutubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, using the pseudonym Edarem, and posted 130 videos of himself online, featuring him undertaking "strange antics" and lipsynching to songs such as Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
's "Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman is a 1990 romantic comedy film set in Los Angeles, California. Written by J.F. Lawton and directed by Garry Marshall, this motion picture features Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, and also Hector Elizondo, Ralph Bellamy, and Jason Alexander in supporting roles. Roberts played the only...
". The uploaded videos became popular with viewers around the world, receiving hundreds of thousands of views, and turning Muscare into an "internet sensation".
In 2007, Muscare moved out of his home in Florida, claiming he had suffered harassment from neighbours who had learned he was on the sex offenders' registar. He relocated in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
where, although he was legally required to inform the local authorities about his status as a former sex offender, he neglected to do so, fearing that he would be persecuted by angry neighbours if they found out about his criminal past. He then appeared on a television show in Orlando, in which he argued for sex offenders being given a second chance in society, and also stated that he refused to inform the local authorities about his former crime as he feared for his safety. Upon seeing this show, South Carolina police learned that he had moved into their state, and issued a warrant for his arrest. Officers came to his house on May 1, 2009, where they confiscated his alcohol and computer, using the justification that under South Carolina law anyone with a previous conviction for sex offences is forbidden from owning either of these. He agreed to allow his computer to be inspected without notice, and it was found to contain no illegal material. Rather than being sent to prison for not informing the authorities about his earlier conviction, he was placed on five years probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
, one of the conditions for which was that he was forbidden from owning a computer without permission.
No longer able to upload videos through his computer, Muscare instead got a friend to continue posting his videos on Youtube, believing that this would be permitted under the rules of his probation order. Nonetheless, prosecutors still saw this as a breach of his probation, and he was taken to court in Orlando, where he told the judge that "I'm frankly bewildered that I'm here, I don't think I've done anything wrong". He argued that he was not a threat to society, and was simply "an entertainer, and I've entertained all my life", with his videos simply being "done in fun and I'm sure that most of the people see it that way." The judge did not however accept Muscare's defence, and on January 06 2010 sentenced him to five years in prison for violating his probation order.
Fans of Muscare's Youtube videos posted messages of support on the site, many criticising the judge's decision as unfair. His neighbour also claimed that Muscare's imprisonment was unjust, describing him to reporters as "a helpful, warm, loving, kind, friendly neighbor who's always there when you need him". Sometime around late 2010 a woman who goes by the name of Marion claims to be engaged to Muscare and has in fact even taken over his youtube channel.
Legacy
The American humour site Cracked.comCracked.com
Cracked.com is a humor website that was spun off the last attempt to revive Cracked magazine. It began in its current form in 2007.-Attempted relaunch of Cracked:...
declared Muscare's Youtube account to be one of the "7 Most Unintentionally Creepy Places on the Internet".