Will Rocketboom crash without Congdon?

We're staying out of the that's been buzzing in the blogosphere about the departure of cyberspace celebrity Amanda Congdon from the popular video blog Rocketboom. All we know is she and site founder Andrew Baron have been unable to work out differences stemming from her move to Los Angeles, where she plans to pursue an acting career.

But we can't help but note the mainstream coverage (The Washington Post and Business Week, for example) and wonder if it's a sign of a broadening audience for the video blog format or merely an intrigue with the quirky blonde anchor/producer (see interview) who helped make the snarky news site such a success.

Bloggers have posted their own opinions about whether Baron will be able to keep Rocketboom--considered the poster child for the growing vlogging movement--afloat without Congdon. Others have been busy offering Congdon kudos, and even jobs.

Blog community response:

"Do your daily report for Netscape and we'll pay you whatever you need to get paid and you can own all of the rights to your video forever...You're a star baby, it's time to be treated like one."
--Calcanis.com

"I can't imagine why Rocketboom would tamper with success, or think something so personality-driven and personal could survive something so ugly, but hey, whattaya gonna do? They've sure lost me. I am a big fan of Amanda's, and I watched her faithfully every day. I hope I soon get to do it somewhere else."
--Should've Asked Me

"The very public falling out has gotten attention in the blogosphere disproportionate to its significance in the digital media landscape--at least in terms of traffic and audience. But all the chatter is not totally without merit. I've never been a huge fan of Amanda Congdon, the site's public face, but she's clearly notable for being the first video blog star in history."
--ClickZ News Blog

"Videoblogging, blogging, podcasting, etc., are the Rock and Roll of our time. Anyone can pick up a video camera, and if it's enjoyable enough, they can become stars. No need to wade through a Hollywood bureaucracy, just stick it up on the Internet. As much as we'd all like to be counter-culture, the culture dictates that we exalt the few as examples of what the many could be."
--Clint Sharp's Blog an' Vlog