Good Friday laugh: YouTube can read comments aloud

I've been testing a new feature on YouTube that reads back an audio version of what you say in a comment -- it's another beer goggles sanity check for the Internet age, the second one this week from Google, and I think it might work.

The idea apparently came from a sarcastic comic at XKCD that helps posters decide if what they are saying is warranted, will add to the great social experiment called the Web, or is just plain dumb. (One of the first bloggers to notice, Matt Cutts, appears to be enjoying a massive server overload right now and lots of Diggs.) 

It's another sanity check for people who write e-mails and comments too fast without thinking about them and regret their mistake. It's also the second time Google has been associated with a comic.

Audio preview is a fantastic addition for YouTubers. I'm not sure what kind of magic Google has at their Mountain View office, probably the same stuff Apple uses, but it works.

Here's just a few examples of what I typed in:

1. I wrote "they are a bunch of narcissistic snobs" for the video below about the next model to take over America. (I don't really think they are, I just wanted to use the word "narcissistic" in a sentence.) It worked, and I decided not to post the comment. Okay, the voice had a little trouble on the first few words but made a slam dunk on the pronunciation of "narcissistic". It's interesting to note that multi-syllable words require a long wait before the computer voice says them, presumably because the text-to-speech code is parsing the phrase. If I type, "this is a great video" the voice reads it almost immediately.

2. In a new video reel for the upcoming Twilight movie (below), I posted: "This movie will have some serious savoir faire." The computer voice suddenly switched to a Jacques Clouseau voice when it read "savoir faire" (well, not really - it actually corrected my typing and just said "savior fare".)

3. I decided to get a lot more prolific in commenting about a video where John McCain calls Americans "my fellow prisoners" (below). I am not really sure what he meant. What I do know is that, when you have someone read back the following comment, it makes you feel like you are a complete moron and should have your ISp account revoked:

"I think people who criticize John McCain don't understand the hardship he has endured and should not post these spurious videos," I typed, proud of myself for inventing that fake viewpoint on the spot and defending a true American hero.

The read-back audio is hysterically funny, you should try it. It made me laugh. (And then I went ahead and posted the comment anyway.) Unfortunately, there are no beer goggles after you post a comment that you have had read back to you, and I now suspect I will be the subject of much flaming.

4. My last test was to comment on the video where they discuss the Sarah Palin cover photo on Newsweek (below), the one that is not retouched and does look a little odd. I wrote:

"This is lame-o."

The Google voice hit a real high point with me on this one, adding a touch of sarcasm to the word "lame-o" (and I am not making that part up, make sure you try it). The audio preview is accurate, parses well, accomplishes the goal, and points to a day when the Web becomes more interactive.

I can imagine having all of these avatars editing our comments and blog posts, especially when we start rambling and