Chris Crocker hopes to find TV stardom following 'Leave Britney Alone' video

Chris Crocker has been called "queer," "a human train wreck," the "Britney guy," an androgynous "it" and much, much worse.

But how does this 19-year-old Internet phenomenon, known worldwide for his tearful YouTube defense of Britney Spears, define himself?

"I'm the key to world peace," says Crocker, sporting a sleeveless black T-shirt with a hot pink silhouette of Marilyn Monroe. His blond bob is swept behind an ear and the eye liner is, as always, flawless.

World peace aside, the teenager has captured millions of viewers on MySpace and YouTube with his campy and sometimes furious monologues about life.

Crocker, which is a stage name, had a cult following after he started posting video blogs a year ago. But it was "Leave Britney Alone" -- a profane answer to critics of Spears' performance on the MTV Video Music Awards -- that earned him instant fame and 8 million YouTube clicks.

"You're lucky she even performed for you!" he screams. "If anybody has a problem with her, you deal with me!"

Since then he's been featured on late night, cable and network news and scores of radio shows. The video has been parodied by dozens of YouTube users, most famously by actor Seth Green.

Earlier this year, Crocker signed a development deal for a reality TV show originally intended to be filmed in his hometown, but now he thinks it may be time to leave. It's tough to be openly gay in a conservative Southern town, he says.

Since August, Crocker and 44 Blue Productions, a Studio City, Calif., firm specializing in documentaries and reality programming, have been pitching shows to several networks, including MTV and LOGO, a gay and lesbian channel. Crocker signed on with 44 Blue in May.

"Chris first got on our radar a year ago," Rasha Drachkovitch, president and co-founder of 44 Blue, said in a statement. 44 Blue considers Crocker "a rebel character that people will find interesting. He's going to be a TV star."

Crocker said there wasn't much interest in him as a reality TV star -- until the "Leave Britney Alone" video hit.

"It's just sad to me it takes a Britney video" to generate mainstream interest, he said.

He initially wasn't even going to post the Britney video, fearing that it would turn off his usual audience.

"They're not used to me talking about celebrities," he said. "I'm glad I posted it now, though, because I'm just giving Britney fans a voice."

Crocker sees Spears as a role model and says they have plenty in common: They're both Southerners, performers and "easy targets."

Most important to Crocker, he and Spears are both Sagittarians, the "entertainers" of the Zodiac. (Crocker had some serious reservations about being interviewed by a Capricorn for this story.)

If his proposed "Complaining with Chris Crocker" show is ever launched, he would love to host Spears. "I always say Britney's been my mom ... Britney's been there for me when my parents haven't," he said.

With all this talk of Spears, have the two actually met or even chatted?

Crocker coyly answered, "I can't say."

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On the Net:

www.youtube.com/itschriscrocker

www.myspace.com/itschriscrocker

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Associated Press writer Antonio Gonzalez contributed to this report.