THERE is no doubt that the highlight of Internet Week New York — now under way — is tomorrow night’s Webutante Ball. To be held on the swish rooftop lounge of the Empire Hotel, it’s a sure sign that the geeks truly will inherit the Earth.
Or, at any rate, they like to think so.
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“The Web is the last haven for high school antics,” says blogger Jessica Amason. “It’s the only place you can be in your 30s and still be collecting friends and posting photos of yourself getting wasted.”
Amason created the party along with Web editor Richard Blakeley, and just like its hoitier, toitier progenitor, not just anyone can be a Webutante. Like, you have to know how to use the Interwebs. And — for this one night at least — you can’t wear sneakers or a hat.
At the event, equal parts cotillion and prom, Internet celebrities will mingle in their finery while a portrait photographer takes “prom photos.” Later in the night, Webutante Queen and King winners will be announced and presented with crown and scepter.
And just like high school, you can cast your vote (or votes). Already, the polls at thewebutanteball.com have registered more than 1,000 votes for the 10 men and 10 women nominees. As of press time, the top three king contenders were David Karp of tumblr.com, Amir Blumenfeld of collegehumor.com, and Anthony De Rosa, a software salesman.
“It’s an interesting list of people,” says De Rosa of his fellow nominees. “Mary Rambin and Julia Allision should definitely be on the list, but then there are people like me who are not trying to be fameballs. It was a shock I ended up on that list.”
The top queen contenders are Peggy Wang, a keyboard player with the local band the Pains of Being Pure at Heart; Kari Ferrell, a prisoner in Utah made famous for scamming Brooklyn hipsters; and Caroline McCarthy, a writer with CNET news.
“This is a way to celebrate people who are passionate about having a presence on the Internet,” says Mc-
Carthy. “But it can get tinged with a lot of narcissism and exhibitionism. I can see how this will look like an excuse for a bunch of quasi-nerdy 20-something Internet geeks to jump in front of cameras.”
Both McCarthy and De Rosa say they don’t know how they would handle actually becoming Webutante royalty. McCarthy predicted she would “be so mortified I would go hide under a rock.”
The organizers, though, don’t believe that kind of talk.
“A lot of people are pretending they wish they weren’t nominated,” says Amason, “but then they make absolutely sure to know the time and place of the party.”
Adds co-organizer Blakeley: “Everyone acts like they are 16 years old on the Internet.”
jsilverman@nypost.com