As seen in the above video, Jeff Lowe recently did a Reddit AMA where he was asked questions about the Tiger King Netflix show and his general association with the exotic pets universe. Here he spoke on his previous business selling liquidated products, rumours of Joe Exotic using animals as sex toys etc and generally giving his opinion on the rumours circulating from the popular show.
It's been a growing trend recently on Youtube and one you may have noticed. That is, the invasion of Reddit-themed videos which have taken over the platform. Now, Youtuber Pyrocynical has made a video addressing the situation whilst calling out the Reddit video makers for being lazy and milking the current fad.
So, what is a Reddit video? In short, it's typically a 5 minute video which has screenshots of Reddit questions, i.e. "What is your worst childhood memory?" - where the video then proceeds to show responses, which again is done via screenshots. Usually these videos don't have human audio and are instead done via speech to text software which sounds robotic and obscure. Basically, these videos can be whipped up in a couple of minutes and can literally get millions of views albeit the fad is now becoming over-saturated.
He also mentions Minecraft channels and flexing videos which have not-so-subtle placements of designer clothing...you get the picture.
In a strange turn of events Logan Paul recently released a movie called Airplane Mode. Judging by the trailer this film is kind of like a poor-mans take on the comedy classic, Airplane - where havoc is wreaked on an airplane flight with a number of wild guests (or in this case Z-list celebrities and Youtube creators).
Instead of the originality of Airplane, Airplane Mode just looks like yet another low budget Youtube movie with little substance. The main IMDB user review sums it up with a 1/10 rating, commenting: Its like they somehow distilled the very essence of cancer and then transformed it into video.
Yikes, so there you have it - yet another money spinner from one of the Paul brothers. However, interestingly this movie was actually filmed in 2016 and has been known about for a while so why it was just released is an odd thing. Since then a number of commentary Youtubers have reviewed the film branding it awful with cheesy slapstick and dated, unoriginal humour and one-liners; and as of now it can still be seen on Youtube as an account has the full flick up to watch (if you dare).
One thing is for certain however, Logan will be making bank from this one way or another - and it's not like it can really harm his reputation at this point as he's been in a string of dodgy movies and acting roles for a while now.
For those wondering, Morgz is a very popular UK Youtube creator with over 10 million subs. His videos mostly involve 'challenges' and 'pranks' which feature his parents and cheesy over-the-top acting, where the winner can win an expensive prize. Known for his shouting, blatantly scripting dialogue and constant plugging of his merch, it's odd to many as to why his appeal is so big...but it is.
Anyway, his mother (known as Big Jill) is also in on the act with her own channel, featuring a healthy 3.2 million subs which provides similar, corny content (one would guess their target audience is mostly kids who buy into it).
So today Youtube critique WillNE decided to release a video bashing Morgz Mum and her channel which featured clips of one of her latest videos, a challenge video about staying in a bedroom for hours. Here WillNE laughs at their terrible acting, more merch plugging, their perceived wealth and the absurdity of the situation, such as how Morgz dad (known as Bald Martin...because he's bald) got roped into the arrangement. Indeed, it is odd to see a working class, northern man in his 50's doing weird Youtube videos.
But anyway, it's all in good taste and WillNE isn't being poisonous here or anything. If anything it's almost a homage to the whole Morgz family who seem to have done very well financially out of their Youtube setup. So here's to the future of Morgz and his ironically awful content.
Last week the Los Angeles Youtube creator Brooke Houts accidentally uploaded a video clip of her being abusive to her pet, a Doberman puppy. In the video she can be seem shoving, pushing and even spitting on the poor dog as it playfully tries to gain her attention. Not only this, but the dog physically flinches when approached by her hand movements showing a fearful response by the canine. What makes it worse is that in between clips, she tries to present to the video in a friendly, wholesome image which is the exact opposite to her behaviour towards her pet.
In short, she looks frustrated with the pup as it gets in the way of her filming a new video. PETA have since chimed in claiming she shouldn't have a dog if she cannot look after it, and the Youtube community have condemned her behaviour. Now it seems to have gone further as the LAPD have also launched an investigation into animal abuse which is clearly visible in the footage.
What makes things even worse is her videos recently have a few features of the dog and show her treating it with respect. At least the one positive from the episode is perhaps it will end the abuse to the dog which could have potentially lasted for years. Her latest which has over 1 million views has a 4k like to 143k dislike ratio which speaks volumes.
Over the years we've seen plenty of unusual stuff done on Youtube, mostly in the name of making some quick cash. It only only two weeks back that we featured Belle Delphine and the monetizing of her bath water and sadly if you think that is weird, then this is even weirder.
The Ingham family have started selling reborn doll versions of their newborn son - which must take the prize as the weirdest form of merch ever. The doll can be purchased here in its life-like glory for a minimum of £279: Ingham baby merch As seen it's not cheap and the top comment on their Youtube video sums up a lot of the feelings surrounding the idea, as 'Vegan fit mumma' puts it "Sorry that's odd and very creepy just enjoy your baby instead of making strange dolls of him to sell Hmmm Thinking about the cash I think".
Similar comments follow in condemning it as strange - mostly on the grounds that it looks like money-grabbing at your child's expense, importantly without their consent. At the same time The Ingham Family are claiming it's for the future benefit of their baby, but most viewers disagree branding it as greedy, odd and even morbid.
Usually iDubbbz can be found un-boxing unusual items or critiquing dodgy Youtubers. This week he dropped his first documentay, 'Full Force'.
Based on the Detroit Youtube creator Airsoftfatty, iDubbbz flew out to meet the man and basically follow him around for a few days. The result was quite interesting. For those wondering, Airsoftfatty is a 24 year old creator who is known mostly for two things. Firstly he is very obese and looks physically quite bizarre. Secondly he makes cringe-worthy videos with his friends which typically involve Star Wars lightsaber battles.
Anyway, the documentary was actually quite entertaining considering it doesn't sound like there would actually be much content to put into nearly 50 minutes. In fairness to iDubbbz he also comes across quite sincere, balancing his own cringe at the situation with genuine intrigue and empathy. For instance, there are a few touching moments throughout such as when Airsoftfatty meets an old friend who he fell out with and they briefly make a truce, or when the documentary closes; showing Airsfoftfatty as a kind of happy soul who lives care free.
So, if you like Youtube culture then this is definitely one to watch.
Last week we featured the tragic news about the death of UK Youtuber Emily Hartridge, today it has been announced that US Youtube creator Grant Thompson, aka The King of Random has been found dead after he went missing.
The 38 year old had gone paragliding in Utah and was recently found by a search party. Thompson proved a very popular figure on Youtube with over 11 million subscribers and nearly 2.5 billion views. Unlike many Youtube stars, he wasn't really involved in controversy or politics but instead gave out consistently interesting content. In fact, you could say that he was very influential to the platform in regards to shaping its current creators content, as he was one of the first originators to do experimental videos, something which has been a popular craze on the site for years now. Looking back at his channel for instance, his first experiment video was making a DIY flashlight some 8 years ago - and since then he has done many more unusual videos which ooze creativity and keep fans entertained.
Yesterday a shock announcement video was released by Youtuber Laina Morris - who declared that she was leaving the platform. Her channel, Laina has over 1 million subscribers and she grew her popularity from creating the 'Overly attached girlfriend' meme which was a response to Justin Biebers 'Girlfriend' song; here she was pictured staring menacingly into the camera which was the basis of the funny/creepy meme.
Anyway, most of her videos followed the vlogging format and she racked up over 160 million views but stopped consistently uploading two years ago, and did little since then. Her latest quitting video explained how she was suffering from anxiety and depression and that she thanked her fans for their support, getting tearful towards the end.
Hopefully Laina gets better and leads a happy life, but also one thing which seems to be growing with the Youtube community is the theme of anxiety and depression which sparks a wider debate as to whether the platform can actually have a bad affect on a creators health, especially when dealing with issues such as trolling or the obscurity of overnight fame. Recently Etika killed himself at age 29 for instance in an act which shocked millions.
She is no stranger to controversy and for a 19 year old is seemingly very clever at self-promotion. This time her antics were featured on the H3 podcast as she sent Ethan Klein and the gang a 'mystery package'. This package featured a small haiku poem, a video and a jar containing a mystery substance. The video showed exactly what the substance was...it was her spit as the audio file contained Delphine spitting her saliva into the jar. The meme got even weirder when Ethan and his guests decided to open the jar and smell the spit, with Klein even stating some of it had solidified into bacteria and Hila Klein claiming it smelled like soda bread. Gross.
Not only this, but Ethan gave the British creator a nod by repeatedly saying he was impressed by her entrepreneurial skills when it came to selling weird stuff online to her strange fan-base. He even acknowledged that the spit jar would probably be worth $2500.
However, it is not all sunshine and unicorns for Delphine, as her lewd behaviour has also seen her kicked off Instagram in recent days as her posts were reported en-masse for being too provocative. No doubt this will harm her fame if she is not allowed back on the platform, but knowing her it won't be long until she is back in the news again with a new, crazy idea.
Yesterday Youtube documentary maker and generally good guy Shane Dawson returned to the site after a 5 month absence from posting any videos on his channel.
The video maker presented a 1 hour documentary discussing the saga around fellow Youtuber Eugenia Cooney and her battle with her eating disorder.
Here he discussed the nature of her battle and then interviewed her at her house. Overall the documentary is very well made and tasteful throughout, as Dawson appears genuinely concerned for his friend whilst providing an insight into her condition. This allows Cooney to open up and show what she went through over the years of her battle.
Perhaps the saddest part of the documentary is the highlighting of online trolling which was a daily thing for Cooney to endure, where she would constantly get abusive comments in her videos based around her eating disorder; many of the comments recommending her to die etc.
However, overall the documentary has a positive and wholesome message that Cooney is now doing much better after a stint in rehab and is in a more positive mental and physical place. On another note, it is nice to see a friendly story on Youtube for a change, at a time where drama often means easy views whereas this video clearly has a lot of thought and sincerity gone into it which helps raise awareness of the sensitive issue. Here's to Shane Dawson who once again has shown himself as an upstanding man and hopefully he continues to do so with similar videos in the future.
They have been dating for a few months now and whilst many cynics have called it a publicity front, this week they got engaged with a media frenzy and obligatory Youtube reveal videos which followed.
If this is real then it probably won't last due to their crazy personalities, but if it isn't real then it makes for good drama and is a wise financial decision from the young pair. For months now they have been teasing whether their relationship is true, and after this latest piece of news it seems the speculation will only mount further. No wedding date has been confirmed as of yet, but one thing is for sure; if it happens it may just be the trashiest wedding ceremony ever.
For those that don't know, Emily Hartridge was a 35 year old TV presenter and Youtube creator from the United Kingdom.
This week she tragically died when riding her electric scooter crashed with a lorry in London, it is believed to be the first death involving an electric scooter.
Hartridge was a popular Youtube figure with over 340,000 subscribers and over 130 million views, most of which were based around her '10 reasons' series which were short, comical videos based around romance and sex.
Today generally positive news broke out for the Youtube creator community as it was announced by Youtube that creators would now have more protection when dealing with manual copyright claims.
Basically, what this means is that now creators can see a timestamp of the exact part of their video which is supposedly infringing, i.e. a 10 second audio clip. With this new policy, they can chose to change audio, remove it etc and supposedly this would still allow monetization of their video if the copyright is dealt with in a proper manner.
Whilst this marks good progression, the one negative is that automatic claims are still under the same rules as always; that is a creator cannot see the reason for the copyright and they are still in the dark in that sense.
Nonetheless, the news has mostly been received with happiness from the majority of Youtubers so at least it is a step in the right direction because before the policy (at times) was clearly abused and used as a tool to bully smaller creators.
It seems that 2019 is going to be Belle Delphine's year as she is once again making the headlines for all the weird reasons.
This time a Youtube creator by the name of Vito has created a video where he vapes her used bathwater. This comes a week after she was selling jars of the stuff for £24 on the internet and sold out in just two days. Well the hype train is still going and now it seems Vito is cashing in with a clickbait title "I vaped Belle Delphine's Bathwater" which does what it says...so if you want to see a neckbeard vaping used bathwater then this is the video for you.
In all seriousness though the video is done quite well and is more of a parody rather than some creepy weirdness and he even phones his father to add to the awkward tension. Stay tuned for more stories as knowing Belle Delphine the next scandal will be just around the corner.
As we recently mentioned; Belle Delphine has recently rose to fame on the internet for her trolling of fans over her false Pornhub videos.
Well, today she has once again made mainstream news for more bizarre behaviour. This time she sold her bathwater for £24. It comes in a small tub and is advised not be be drunk by consumers; the 'gamer girl' water was sold for £24 and 500 sold out in just two days. That means she turned over £12000 in just two days whilst costs to create the tubs would have been low...because it's literally bath water.
Stay tuned for more weird goings on in the world of Belle Delphine.
Today has marked a new milestone for Ed Sheeran who can't seem to stop breaking records. As of today (July 2019) he now has the most subscribers for any UK musician.
In fact, he is the most subscribed to musician in the world...except for one individual. As you may have guessed, Justin Bieber is currently #1 with over 45 million subs which isn't bad for a 25 year old. However, recently Sheeran has been gaining on Bieber who is less active with his music these days so potentially Sheeran could gain the most subs for a musician in the world!
So, admittedly we're a bit late to the whole Belle Delphine story - but it's so good that it's worth telling in all its details and weird glory.
To summarise, Belle Delphine is internet-famous, with over 3 million Instagram followers and nearly 4000 patreon subscribers (subscribers pay $1 per month up to $2,500 per month...not bad work for a 20 year old when you think about it)
So, who is she and what does she do? In short Belle Delphine puts out sexual images based around cosplay, i.e. wearing a bikini whilst bending over...with pink hair. You get the idea, and her Instagram is full of stuff like this - which is why her thousands of Patreon followers are willing to donate - if you pay $50 per month for example you get to see her 'lewd' Snapchat.
Anyway, back in June she trolled her followers claiming she would upload a porn film if she got over 1 million likes on an Instagram post...which got to 2 million very quickly. After this, she then linked to Pornhub, claiming cream pie videos, Pewdiepie titles and the rest - but it was all a prank. The cream pie video was that of a literal cream pie and Pewdiepie going 'inside' her was literally Belle eating a printed photograph of him. The result was interesting to say the least, with hordes of her followers claiming to be angry, mad and let down that they were lead on - genuinely believing she had released pornographic material.
Not only this, but further capitalising on the hype she released a bizarre Youtube video where she hangs out with a dead octopus with stick-on wobbly eyes. The whole thing is odd to say the least and has to be seen to believed.
Overall, she is proving successful in terms of marketing and creating awareness for her image. At the same time part of you wonders whether she will have much dignity left by the time it is worth it.
Popular Youtube icon Jojo Siwa is like many Youtube stars who have branched out offline to increase their profit. In this case Jojo has started selling make-up kits, which have proved financially successful by the likes of Jeffree Star and James Charles.
Anyway, the 16 year old Siwa has had to recall the makeup kits due to some containing samples of asbestos. For those unaware, asbestos can prove fatal if inhaled by humans and can lead to cancer. So, obviously when an item is found with asbestos traces it has to be recalled immediately and destroyed in a safe environment.
A few months ago we did a piece on Youtube star Eugenia Cooney and the concerned Youtube creators who claimed she was unhealthy with an eating disorder. Here, many of the commentary circled around her possible eating disorder and unhealthy looking weight.
Well, today we have good news as a new image has surfaced showing Eugenia looking a lot healthier and also happier. This comes months after she went on a break from social media and claimed she was working with her doctor to get healthier.
