Marina Orlova
Encyclopedia
Marina Vladimirovna Orlova (born December 10, 1980) is a Russia
n philologist
who has become an Internet celebrity
, hosting a popular channel on YouTube
, HotForWords, and a corresponding website. She also hosts a bi-weekly radio show on Maxim Radio
on Sirius Satellite Radio
.
) Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
in 1980. In an interview, she claimed to work at a shop for a year before applying to an international recruitment program; she was then sent to a small town near San Francisco and worked as a nanny for a working family with two children.
Orlova initially aspired to become a model. She went to two photoshoots, but did not succeed — she was told that at 5 in 5 in (1.65 m), she was too short to be a model.
She has two degrees in philology and taught English and world literature to high school students in Moscow
before moving to the United States
to pursue further education.
Orlova rents an apartment in Beverly Hills. She has said that her work takes up all of her time, and that she sometimes sits at the computer 12 to 14 hours at a time and has little time left for socializing.
" and "OK," while others address lengthy and rarely used words such as "floccinaucinihilipilification " and "antidisestablishmentarianism
." Some entries also address idiom
s, including "let the cat out of the bag," "dressed to the nines," and "three sheets to the wind," or new words like the verb "to google."
The channel became active in February 2007, at a time when, Orlova said, "everybody was uploading cleavage." Orlova has since been voted "World's #1 Sexiest Geek
" in Wired Magazine
's "Sexy Geek of the Year Contest" contest. G4 TV
has listed Orlova among its "Hot Women of the Net" on several occasions, and Cosmopolitan Magazine has identified her as the "most subscribed to YouTube guru." Orlova appeared on the cover of the November 2009 issue of the wine, beer and spirits publication Mutineer Magazine, applying her trademark word explanations to common beverage words. Orlova has appeared on a number of Fox shows including on The O'Reilly Factor
, and was profiled on "The Medium," an Internet feature of The New York Times Magazine
. In June 2008, Orlova and radio personality Danny Bonaduce
signed endorsement contracts with coComment
.
The Moscow Times said "Marina exploits her blonde-bombshell looks to the maximum: She appears in her two-minute clips scantily clad, pouting and making doe eyes. This is surely the main factor in her success. However, while the number of scantily clad girls on the Internet is limitless, not all of them put so much intellectual effort into their success."
In an interview, Orlova explained how she got viewers interested in words: "How else could I attract them to words?" "Everyone knows that sex sells."
In spring of 2010 Marina started doing video lessons of Russian for RT (TV network)
.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n philologist
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
who has become an Internet celebrity
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...
, hosting a popular channel on 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....
, HotForWords, and a corresponding website. She also hosts a bi-weekly radio show on Maxim Radio
Maxim Radio
Sirius XM Stars Too, formerly known as Maxim Radio, is a talk channel heard on the Sirius and XM satellite radio platforms. The channel is a spin-off of its sister station Sirius XM Stars.-Maxim Radio :...
on Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
.
Early life and education
Orlova was born in Arzamas (Nizhny Novgorod OblastNizhny Novgorod Oblast
Nizhny Novgorod Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Nizhny Novgorod. Population: The oblast is crossed by the Volga River. Apart from Nizhny Novgorod's metropolitan area, the biggest city is Arzamas...
) Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1980. In an interview, she claimed to work at a shop for a year before applying to an international recruitment program; she was then sent to a small town near San Francisco and worked as a nanny for a working family with two children.
Orlova initially aspired to become a model. She went to two photoshoots, but did not succeed — she was told that at 5 in 5 in (1.65 m), she was too short to be a model.
She has two degrees in philology and taught English and world literature to high school students in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
before moving to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to pursue further education.
Orlova rents an apartment in Beverly Hills. She has said that her work takes up all of her time, and that she sometimes sits at the computer 12 to 14 hours at a time and has little time left for socializing.
Hot for Words website
The theme of Orlova's website and YouTube videos, which begin with the tagline "Intelligence is Sexy," is tracing the origins of English words. Some of her entries focus on everyday words such as "ironyIrony
Irony is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions...
" and "OK," while others address lengthy and rarely used words such as "floccinaucinihilipilification " and "antidisestablishmentarianism
Antidisestablishmentarianism
Antidisestablishmentarianism is a political position that originated in 19th-century Britain in opposition to proposals for the disestablishment of the Church of England, that is, to remove the Anglican Church's status as the state church of England, Ireland, and Wales.The establishment was...
." Some entries also address idiom
Idiom
Idiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made...
s, including "let the cat out of the bag," "dressed to the nines," and "three sheets to the wind," or new words like the verb "to google."
The channel became active in February 2007, at a time when, Orlova said, "everybody was uploading cleavage." Orlova has since been voted "World's #1 Sexiest Geek
Geek
The word geek is a slang term, with different meanings ranging from "a computer expert or enthusiast" to "a carnival performer who performs sensationally morbid or disgusting acts", with a general pejorative meaning of "a peculiar or otherwise dislikable person, esp[ecially] one who is perceived to...
" in Wired Magazine
Wired (magazine)
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
's "Sexy Geek of the Year Contest" contest. G4 TV
G4 (TV channel)
G4, also known as G4 TV, is an American cable- and satellite-television channel originally geared primarily toward young adult viewers, originally based on the world of video games...
has listed Orlova among its "Hot Women of the Net" on several occasions, and Cosmopolitan Magazine has identified her as the "most subscribed to YouTube guru." Orlova appeared on the cover of the November 2009 issue of the wine, beer and spirits publication Mutineer Magazine, applying her trademark word explanations to common beverage words. Orlova has appeared on a number of Fox shows including on The O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor, originally titled The O'Reilly Report from 1996 to 1998 and often called The Factor, is an American talk show on the Fox News Channel hosted by commentator Bill O'Reilly, who often discusses current controversial political issues with guests.The program was the most watched...
, and was profiled on "The Medium," an Internet feature of The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine is a Sunday magazine supplement included with the Sunday edition of The New York Times. It is host to feature articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors...
. In June 2008, Orlova and radio personality Danny Bonaduce
Danny Bonaduce
Dante Daniel "Danny" Bonaduce is an American radio/television personality, comedian, professional wrestler, and former child actor...
signed endorsement contracts with coComment
CoComment
coComment is an online service that lets users keep track of their comments on any website. The service is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in February 2006 by a company called Swisscom. After a user installs the coComment bookmarklet or web browser plug-in, they can use it to track their...
.
The Moscow Times said "Marina exploits her blonde-bombshell looks to the maximum: She appears in her two-minute clips scantily clad, pouting and making doe eyes. This is surely the main factor in her success. However, while the number of scantily clad girls on the Internet is limitless, not all of them put so much intellectual effort into their success."
In an interview, Orlova explained how she got viewers interested in words: "How else could I attract them to words?" "Everyone knows that sex sells."
In spring of 2010 Marina started doing video lessons of Russian for RT (TV network)
RT (TV network)
RT, previously known as Russia Today, is a global multilingual television news network based in the Russian Federation run by the state-owned state-run RIA Novosti....
.