Alright... today's throwback is going to be a little different... but I'm going to talk about some youtube videos from one of the first huge youtubers- Ray William Johnson. He was the number 1 youtuber for a long time not too long ago... and now his channel is really different. He did have 3 channels that I watched and there was another spinoff and I think he was in a web series... I kind of want to have this as an appreciation of these videos... I watched a video kind of criticizing some of these channels and I thought that video was a little harsh and I don't think it was that informative... so I just kind of want to say I'm not trying to criticize him or question his choices. This is just something that used to be on the internet that isn't anymore and I'm kind of missing these types of videos... although I wouldn't say I'm nostalgic for it. Times change and I don't really think these videos would work today... youtube has changed a lot and comedy has changed a lot... so yeah. Let's just get right into this!
Breaking NYC
So the thing I miss the most from Ray's channel's is Breaking NYC. And these were vlog videos that Ray had when he was living in NYC. They were really well done and it gave you a beautiful look at the city... and kind of one not everyone get's to see. I remember reading a lot of the comments and people had never seen New York and they really liked seeing the vlogs because it gave such a nice look at the city and they were just fun to watch.
And the vlogs weren't too special... it just showed him hanging out with his friends and doing some fun things... there was one time he was working on something and he would only refer to it as "The Super Secret Project." And his roommate at the time was a youtuber named TheWillofDc who did a youtube news show... so he would talk about it and be like "I don't even know what it is" and that was pretty funny to me.
It also featured his friend MeekaKitty- who now goes by the name Tess Violet and she's a singer now. It was just fun to see them together and they said they weren't a couple... but they were still kind of fun to "ship" and see what they were up to.
He also had some sort of device to film with which was basically a Selfie Stick. He had a long pole type thing that he attached his camera too... and I don't think it was exactly supposed to do that... but people sometimes commented on it and it really worked for the time to get a good angle on the vlogs. It was interesting... and when Selfie Sticks came out I thought "Ohhh Maybe Ray William Johnson made this." Because it was similar to that.
So... yeah these videos were good... they wouldn't work today because Ray doesn't live in New York... and it was kind of like his age and his group of friends at the time too... so there are similar channels out there now... but nothing I watch quite like this. If you watch the channel ThisOrlandoLife- I think that has a similar vibe with the tight knit group of friends exploring where they live and having fun. Obviously its in Orlando and not New York... so it is different- but I think if you remember Breaking NYC and you like it... check out This Orlando Life. It might be something you like.
Your Favorite Martian
So this channel was sometimes kind of hit and miss... I thought they were funny at the time and they're very catchy... but some of the lyrics are kind of offensive... I would say at the time it was a little offensive but by today's standards... people would not like it. And this is something I kind of want to talk about maybe even in its own blog... but there's definitely been a cultural shift as far as Satire is concerned... so I don't really think it's unfunny entirely... but by today's standards I don't think these songs work exactly. They are still catchy and it's still something kind of different... I re-watched a few videos. I think it worked well for the time... it would have been fun to see where the channel had gone... but Ray didn't like the deal with the studio to do a second season... so it just kind of ended abruptly and right now the name of the channel on youtube is just This Project is Retired. And oddly I'm fairly sure that the debut song "My Balls" is still monetized... so that's kind of funny with all of youtube's demonetization- that somehow still works.
= 3
So this was a show that had a really good format... Ray would comment on 3 viral videos... he kind of had a persona that was kind of a Bro... and he would ask for a video response... which is a feature they no longer have on youtube- but basically a fan would have a video where they would ask for the "comment question of the day" and at the end of the following video Ray would post the funniest answers in the credits after saying "So tell me guys, Where is your favorite place?" and then people would answer with places like "Uranus." or funny things like that. (I just watched an older episode- so that was the example. Lol.)
So it was fun and interactive, but also something you could watch and laugh at all the viral videos and Ray's jokes about them. I think these videos still hold up.
So this eventually ended because it was a character that Ray was playing that he didn't want to play any more. And even if he kept it on a little longer... I don't know if this would work because again- satire is a lot different today and people might not be as into the format. But also... there are several other shows like this. Tosh.0 was on at the time as well, The Fine Brothers have their "React" videos, on the news they even show viral stories and videos... so it's something you can still find today. I liked the short format of Ray's videos and I liked his sense of humor at the time and I still think it's pretty funny. I think the videos he commented on were some of the funniest also... I think he commented on this one... but here's one of my favorites of two twin babies that talk to each other...
Talking Twin Babies
Youtube has also changed since this show was out... they don't allow video responses anymore and that was a big part of this show... so I'm just not sure how this would work today. It was still on with different hosts for a while... but I don't think it is on any longer... and it's one of those things that's still funny... but I'm glad it's a thing of the past.
That's just everything! I hope you guys like this... let me know if you like this sort of Throwback Thursday... where maybe it's something I'm more "nostalgic" for... so that's kind of cool!
Byeee!
-Shannon
Breaking NYC
So the thing I miss the most from Ray's channel's is Breaking NYC. And these were vlog videos that Ray had when he was living in NYC. They were really well done and it gave you a beautiful look at the city... and kind of one not everyone get's to see. I remember reading a lot of the comments and people had never seen New York and they really liked seeing the vlogs because it gave such a nice look at the city and they were just fun to watch.
And the vlogs weren't too special... it just showed him hanging out with his friends and doing some fun things... there was one time he was working on something and he would only refer to it as "The Super Secret Project." And his roommate at the time was a youtuber named TheWillofDc who did a youtube news show... so he would talk about it and be like "I don't even know what it is" and that was pretty funny to me.
It also featured his friend MeekaKitty- who now goes by the name Tess Violet and she's a singer now. It was just fun to see them together and they said they weren't a couple... but they were still kind of fun to "ship" and see what they were up to.
He also had some sort of device to film with which was basically a Selfie Stick. He had a long pole type thing that he attached his camera too... and I don't think it was exactly supposed to do that... but people sometimes commented on it and it really worked for the time to get a good angle on the vlogs. It was interesting... and when Selfie Sticks came out I thought "Ohhh Maybe Ray William Johnson made this." Because it was similar to that.
So... yeah these videos were good... they wouldn't work today because Ray doesn't live in New York... and it was kind of like his age and his group of friends at the time too... so there are similar channels out there now... but nothing I watch quite like this. If you watch the channel ThisOrlandoLife- I think that has a similar vibe with the tight knit group of friends exploring where they live and having fun. Obviously its in Orlando and not New York... so it is different- but I think if you remember Breaking NYC and you like it... check out This Orlando Life. It might be something you like.
Your Favorite Martian
So this channel was sometimes kind of hit and miss... I thought they were funny at the time and they're very catchy... but some of the lyrics are kind of offensive... I would say at the time it was a little offensive but by today's standards... people would not like it. And this is something I kind of want to talk about maybe even in its own blog... but there's definitely been a cultural shift as far as Satire is concerned... so I don't really think it's unfunny entirely... but by today's standards I don't think these songs work exactly. They are still catchy and it's still something kind of different... I re-watched a few videos. I think it worked well for the time... it would have been fun to see where the channel had gone... but Ray didn't like the deal with the studio to do a second season... so it just kind of ended abruptly and right now the name of the channel on youtube is just This Project is Retired. And oddly I'm fairly sure that the debut song "My Balls" is still monetized... so that's kind of funny with all of youtube's demonetization- that somehow still works.
= 3
So this was a show that had a really good format... Ray would comment on 3 viral videos... he kind of had a persona that was kind of a Bro... and he would ask for a video response... which is a feature they no longer have on youtube- but basically a fan would have a video where they would ask for the "comment question of the day" and at the end of the following video Ray would post the funniest answers in the credits after saying "So tell me guys, Where is your favorite place?" and then people would answer with places like "Uranus." or funny things like that. (I just watched an older episode- so that was the example. Lol.)
So it was fun and interactive, but also something you could watch and laugh at all the viral videos and Ray's jokes about them. I think these videos still hold up.
So this eventually ended because it was a character that Ray was playing that he didn't want to play any more. And even if he kept it on a little longer... I don't know if this would work because again- satire is a lot different today and people might not be as into the format. But also... there are several other shows like this. Tosh.0 was on at the time as well, The Fine Brothers have their "React" videos, on the news they even show viral stories and videos... so it's something you can still find today. I liked the short format of Ray's videos and I liked his sense of humor at the time and I still think it's pretty funny. I think the videos he commented on were some of the funniest also... I think he commented on this one... but here's one of my favorites of two twin babies that talk to each other...
Talking Twin Babies
Youtube has also changed since this show was out... they don't allow video responses anymore and that was a big part of this show... so I'm just not sure how this would work today. It was still on with different hosts for a while... but I don't think it is on any longer... and it's one of those things that's still funny... but I'm glad it's a thing of the past.
That's just everything! I hope you guys like this... let me know if you like this sort of Throwback Thursday... where maybe it's something I'm more "nostalgic" for... so that's kind of cool!
Byeee!
-Shannon
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