References in Popular Culture
Since its debut in 2003, Second Life has been referenced increasingly by various popular culture media, including literature, television, film, and music. In an episode of The Office, Jim creates a Second Life character to offset Dwight.
In 2007, the game makes an appearance in two fourth season episodes ("Down the Rabbit Hole" and "DOA For A Day") of CSI: NY.
The series True Life did an episode that involved Second Life. The episode called “True Life: I Have Another Life on the Web”, aired in 2008 and followed three people who have alter egos online that greatly differ from who they are in reality. Amy used Second Life and she had two avatars, or alter egos. The first is named Keiko, an avatar that resembles her, and her second alter ego is Mama Shepard, a 38 year old widow, who owns and operates a virtual bakery. Amy was completely involved in her virtual world. Ben Rosen, the producer of this True Life episode, explained that Second Life houses a lot of people obsessed with their “other lives” in this virtual world. With its own currency, job opportunities, and shopping options, Second Life allows for endless possibilities for avatars and endless opportunities for the people playing on Second Life.
Italian popstar Irene Grandi released a music video for her major chart hit "Bruci la città" in 2007 almost entirely filmed within Second Life featuring her own lifelike avatar.
Jonathan Lethem's 2009 novel Chronic City features a game called "Yet Another World", which closely resembles Second Life, as a major plot point in the second half of the story.
Additionally, the 2010 satirical graphic novel Other Lives by Peter Bagge features a fictional game, "Second World", that is closely based on Second Life.
Second Life is featured prominently in a scene from the 2010 movie Hot Tub Time Machine. The character Jacob is playing as his avatar Jacob Morlim in-world, and the scene shows several shots of Second Life gameplay.
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