We love, love, love Davey Wavey. (Hey, did we mention how much we love this guy?) For the past several years, we’ve watched his YouTube videos and laughed and cried along with him as he’s risen to stardom via the internet. But what is it about him that makes him so approachable and so damn irresistible? Maybe it’s his absolute raw honesty which is evident in every one of his videos. Maybe it’s the fact that he can barely keep any clothes on for longer than five minutes. Most likely it’s because he possesses that certain magic called
which only a rare few people have and the rest of us are drawn to like moths to the flame. Davey exudes confidence because he makes no excuses. He doesn’t drink or do drugs. He talks openly about sex. He can’t stand gossipy people who pass judgement on others. And he believes we should all live by example. Davey Wavey doesn’t just talk the talk. He is the walk…
When we were given the opportunity to interview him, we didn’t really know what to expect. We’ve learned that quite a few performers are much different in person than they are in their medium. After an hour of chatting it up with Davey we realized he’s just as genuine and sincere as he is in his videos, laughing almost the entire way through the interview and adding bits of comic relief along the way. He’s determined. He’s passionate. He’s even a little bit innocent, which strangely enough, is his biggest piece of charm. We started the interview with 10 scribbled questions, but as we continued we kept asking more and more questions, intrigued by his responses, and the whole thing just felt like a conversation you’d have with one of your best friends.
Define yourself using only four words.
Irreverent. Creative. Goofy. Dirty.
What is the irreverent part of you?
I think that one of the great things about YouTube is that it’s really just you speaking your voice saying what you want to say so there’s not really anyone that’s kind of supervising what’s going on. I get to say things that come to my mind and sometimes those things fly a little bit in the face of conventionalism or society in general, but I think that’s one of the wonderful things about working with the medium of YouTube.
What’s the dirty side of you?
Well, have you seen my videos? Yeah, that should be pretty clear. (laughs). I’m 29 and I think I’m already well on my way to being a dirty, old man. Even in my 20’s. I definitely have a little bit of sexual deviant or perversion in me. But, who doesn’t? I just think I’m a little bit more honest than most about it.
Why did you start your Break the Illusion website?
I started my website as a personal blog years and years and years ago. It was supposed to just be a journal. I never really intended for anyone to read it or for anyone to follow along. I just thought it would be cool to look back on it in 10 years or 20 years and see what I was doing or what was important in my life. But low and behold, once I started making videos, people started following along and I’m happy to have them along the adventure.
How did you start making YouTube videos?
I was just doing it for fun and I thought since I was doing my blog it would be a great way to accompany some of the text to see what I was doing with my life. So I just started recording them. It wasn’t actually until July 30th, 2007 when I caught my neighbor masturbating, and did a video about that, when people really started discovering my videos. That video went viral and then people started subscribing to my channel. And the rest is history.
What was your very first video that you ever made?
I did a video about a book I was reading called Power vs. Force. Actually, my very first video was right before I was moving to Toronto from Washington D.C. I had just gotten my webcam and I was really excited to try it out and I made this video of my apartment before I left and that’s what started it.
How many views did that first video receive?
Probably only one. (laughs) I think I was the only one watching it. Yeah, no one cared.(Just for the record, we looked and it has over 25,000 views now!)
What do you think initially made you successful on YouTube and what do you think has kept you successful?
A lot of people would say it’s because I do my videos shirtless but I think a good set of tits is a dime a dozen on the internet. If people want to see boobs and people want to see cock, there’s plenty of that on the internet. I don’t think my being shirtless is going to get people to keep coming back week after week. I think the skin might pull them in but ultimately it’s the message that’s going to keep people and I think my message is something that resonates with my audience. I also think my videos come across as very authentic. It’s really just me being myself and I think people find that refreshing.
Why do you not wear a shirt in your videos?
It started because when I began doing my videos I was just recording in my apartment and I never wear clothes. I’m not wearing clothes now. I’m almost always in a state of undress. People are actually surprised when they meet me and I’m wearing clothes.
Are you completely naked right now?
(Laughs) No, I’m in my underwear. It’s just more comfortable for me to not be in clothes. We’re born naked so I think the real question isn’t why am I shirtless but why do other people feel the need to put one on? (Laughs) There’s a little sass for you.
Yeah, we like that.
I thought you would. (Laughs)
What is your schedule during a typical day?
It’s amazing because people watch the videos but they don’t realize how much goes into it or how much there is on the back end, but this is my full time job. I have an assistant who helps me every day. It’s actually a lot of work. There’s a lot of administrative stuff that goes on that’s not really super exciting. Like balancing checkbooks and talking to my entertainment attorney for contracts and stuff that’s really not my world. Answering emails or working with my assistant. Working on video ideas and concepts. I also have to edit all of the videos. I do 2-3 videos a week. I probably put in creatively 50-60 hours a week. It’s more work now than I’ve ever done at any other job but it’s never felt like work to me because it’s so much fun.
What’s your workout schedule?
I go to the gym six days a week for an hour and a half. For a lot of people I guess it’s not considered a considerable gym commitment but when I go it’s a really intense workout. I do a lot of high intensity interval training as well as free weights. I do the kind of time tested, tried and true exercises and workouts that have worked for decades and continue to work. Nothing fancy, just very traditional, good-solid workout routines.
What are your three favorite videos that you’ve made?
My favorite video that I’ve made is the 250 Balloons to Remember the Fallen…That’s a video I did to commemorate the victims of LGBT suicides. That’s my number one. My number two is probably my most recent video. I always love my most recent video. It’s always what I’m working on right now. The video I’m working on this week is to celebrate the five year anniversary of the masturbating neighbor. And then I also like the video I did of me coming out to my grandmother on the phone.
Who are your three favorite YouTubers to watch?
Ok, here’s what’s funny. I don’t really watch YouTube videos. I don’t have a lot of free time and when I do have free time I don’t want to spend it in front of the computer, especially on YouTube when that’s so much of what I do for work. If there was a topic that I thought was super relevant to me I might watch it, but I also think my not watching other people’s videos kind of keeps my stuff fresh. It’s not really shaped by what other people are doing.
How do you spend your free time?
Filming my masturbating neighbor. (Laughs)
Do you really have a new masturbating neighbor?
No, unfortunately. How do I spend my free time? Well, yesterday I went to a friend’s house and we hung out by the pool. I came back and I took a bubble bath and went out to dinner with a friend. I’m very relaxed and chill. I’m kind of introverted and quiet. Typically I’ll read my book or paint. I don’t think it’s as exciting as people might think it is based on the content of my videos. Purely I’m a basic bitch.
What does your family think about your videos?
My mom discovered my YouTube channel several years ago and at first she was uncomfortable hearing her son talking about the things I talk about in my videos. Initially she didn’t like the comments people wrote. The moment that my mom actually got it was when we were in Provincetown and I was filming the video about coming out advice and this young man named George came up to us and started talking to us. He had been kicked out of his home and his parents had disowned him and he was telling me how much my videos had meant to him and how they had helped him get through that time. I looked over at my mom and there were tears streaming down her face. I think it was really the first time that she got it; that its more than just me being shirtless. For some people my videos can be a source of inspiration or strength. Once that clicked with her she got better with it. But I’m still a little uncomfortable with her watching some of the videos.
Do you have a relationship with your dad?
I do. Yeah, he gets it more than my mom does. He’s really supportive. He’s really fantastic. He’s like a PFLAG dad. He loves telling everyone about his gay son. If anyone says anything derogatory he’s the first one to stand up for me. He’s my biggest advocate.
How did you friendship with Haley Star begin?
Haley Star and I went to an all boy’s Catholic high school together.
Oh my!
Yeah…Sister Mary Anne Francis or whatever would be really proud today, I’m sure. We had been friends for a long time. We kind of fell out of touch in college as we were in different states. We reconnected and she was a popular drag queen in Providence, which is near where I live in Rhode Island. I was like, “Haley, you need to be in my videos.” So we did a video together and everyone loved her so much that I really pushed her to do her own YouTube channel, which she did and now I think she has like 10,000 subscribers. She’s fantastic. What I love about her is that she’s a drag queen but she’s a drag queen with a message. She’s not catty and bitchy. She’s really just out to make the world a more loving place and I appreciate her deeply for that.
Can you talk about the Life Ball in Vienna and why it was important for you to go?
Yeah, it’s Europe’s biggest HIV/AIDS fundraiser. A lot of people in the United States don’t even know that the Life Ball happens and that’s why they really wanted us to go over there so we could let more people in the United States know about this event. It’s a huge fundraiser, but it’s also a lot of fun. It’s really over the top. There was a runway show by Italian Vogue and I got to close the Jean-Paul Gaultier collection. All 5’8 of me! It was really cool. There were so many creative people and it was so counter cultural. It gave you the permission to be the person you wanted to be and not give a fuck. I even walked the red carpet in my Speedo!
Are there any topics that are off the record to talk about in your videos?
Oh my gosh, no. (Laughs) Right now, for example, I’m in the process of doing a video called “It’s a bad day to bottom”. There’s nothing that’s too sacred or too squeamish. I’ve done videos about anal douching and penis docking. My comfort level is pretty high.
What are the three best opportunities that have come as a result of making YouTube videos?
The best opportunity is that I have a really good platform to share what I do. The videos I make I get to share with hundreds of thousands of people around the world and that’s an amazing gift and an amazing opportunity. It’s also cool to travel and go see places I wouldn’t normally be able to see. I was just in Thailand and climbed a volcano in Hawaii. These are things that I wouldn’t have normally had the opportunity to do if it wasn’t for YouTube. I’m thankful every day that I get to do this for my job.
Do you ever get any hate mail and if so how does it make you feel and how do you respond?
I do get a lot of nasty emails and a lot of nasty comments but I also get a lot of positive and beautiful feedback, so I see both sides. I think the thing that I’ve learned is to not measure myself by the good things people say and not to measure myself by the bad things people say. What other people think of me is none of my business.
Can you explain why you choose not to drink or use drugs?
I don’t drink because when I was really young my grandfather made me promise him that I wouldn’t. His father was an alcoholic and his father was very abusive so my grandfather made the decision not to drink. I think he was afraid that genetically it would be passed down to me so he asked me to make the same decision. And so I did. I was really young at the time and I didn’t really know what it meant, but I’ve stayed true to it and I’ve never had a sip of alcohol. I think maybe when I was like 2 or 3 I sipped my father’s beer, I’m sure. But ever since making the promise to my grandfather I’ve never had a sip. And I don’t do drugs either. My only vice is sex. I’m pretty boring.
What do you think about the effects that drugs and alcohol have had on the gay community?
It’s part of the reason why my idea for a fun night is staying at home, taking a bubble bath and relaxing. It’s not always fun to be in those situations especially when you’re sober. But I try to go and make the best of it and realize that just because other people make those decisions doesn’t mean I have to make the same decisions.
Are you currently in a relationship?
Nope. I’m single.
What’s something you look for in a partner?
Are we taking applications?
Sure. If you want.
Yes, Please send them to my email please. (Laughs)
Are there certain issues that would be deal breakers for you dating someone?
Yeah. What really turns me off very quickly is someone who is judgemental and has to make comments about other people. Or if they’re really snarky and negative about other people. Like if someone walks by and they have to make a comment about what they’re wearing or the way that they look or the shape of their body. That kind of shit doesn’t really fly in my book. It’s a really quick way to turn me off. I like someone who is confident and has an open mind. I need to be attracted to the person as well, but those are typically the things I look for because in a relationship it’s the less physical stuff that comes first for me.
Based on your videos, you seem like a really sexual person. How sexual are you really?
I wish I had a tenth of the sex that people think I have. The reality is I live in Rhode Island. There’s not exactly a sea of gay people out here. I don’t really think I’m any more sexual than anyone else, I just think I’m more open about it. I think it’s a human thing to be a sexual being.
Do you watch a lot of porn?
I would say I look at less and less porn as I get more and more busy with my work. That’s kind of like a downtime thing. I think I would look at more porn and prioritize it if there was porn that really spoke to me. I really don’t like the cookie cutter porn like Sean Cody or Corbin Fisher. It doesn’t do much for me. In my opinion sex is a really creative and dynamic thing. When you look at the mainstream porn that we have it’s reduced to the following equation. Two guys who generally look the same. I can picture them right now. Two white guys in their 20’s with muscles walk into a room. One shirt comes off, the other shirt comes off and they kiss. Pants come off, one blows one, the other one blows the other and they move onto the bed. They eat each other out and then one fucks the other one. They both cum, smile and laugh. End credits. That does not do justice for me for what the act of lovemaking should be. I need sex to be more creative.
Tell us three things that we wouldn’t know by looking at you?
I was a cheerleader in college. I’m usually asleep by 10pm. And secretly I’m an artist. I love to paint.
What would be a book you would suggest to a stranger?
Deepak Chopra’s Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. Love it!
What is a movie that you could watch over and over again?
Magic Mike. Well, really only 2 minutes of it. The part where Channing Tatum is doing his thing on stage. Mmmm. Girl. Give me some of that! Otherwise though, I really like the movie Short Bus.
Do you watch any television shows consistently?
Yeah. I’m big on MythBusters on the Discovery Channel. I also like Fact or Fate on the SciFi Channel.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I’m not that big into music. I’d rather listen to silence.
How do you define SEXY?
I like that quote by Sophia Loren. “Sex appeal is fifty percent what you’ve got and fifty percent what people think you’ve got.”
What is the sexiest city?
Sydney, Australia. Oh my God. Go to the gym Fitness First and spend five minutes in the locker room. There are not words to describe what that is like.
What is the sexiest club?
I haven’t really been to very many. I wouldn’t know.
Let’s play murder, marry, fuck.
Wait, isn’t it chuck, marry, fuck?
What’s chuck?
A nicer way of saying murder but you don’t have to hurt anyone.
Ok, Davey. For you, we’ll change the game. Chuck, marry fuck? Pierre Fitch, Chris Crocker or Neil Patrick Harris?
I would marry Neil Patrick Harris. I would fuck Pierre Fitch. So I guess chuck Chris Crocker, but just by elimination. Nothing personal.
Ok, the same game for Daniel Craig, Ryan Gosling and Taylor Lautner.
I’d fuck Taylor Lautner. Marry Ryan Gosling and I guess chuck Daniel Craig.
What is the biggest misconception people have about you?
I get a lot of comments where people accuse me of being a trust fund baby and that this isn’t a real job. But the reality is that this is very much a full time job and everything that has happened has been very real. People don’t realize the work that goes into what I do. Obviously some luck and serendipity was at play, but a lot of hard work, sweat, tears and blood got me where I’m at today. I’m not freeloading off of someone and I never really have. This is just my way of doing something I love that I feel contributes positively to the world. And I don’t think it gets any better than that. When I was in high school my parents sat me down and explained that they hadn’t set any money aside for me for college and when it came to finances I would have to get scholarships. So I worked really hard and went to college for free with a scholarship. Nothing that I have was given to me.
Would you ever do porn and are there any amateur videos of Davey Wavey out there?
I have nothing against doing porn, but I don’t think I would do it because of the way that other people unfortunately view porn. I think a lot of times if you do it you’re not taken very seriously or you’re seen as unmarketable in a lot of ways which is really unfair. But I think it closes a lot of doors for you so I wouldn’t do porn. And I’m sure there’s a video or two floating around out there.
Do you use any of the products you talk about in your videos?
Oh yeah. I use all of the lubes I talk about. I’m on Grindr and other apps like that. People are often surprised and don’t think it’s really me when they see my picture on there so they block me and say I’m an imposter. (Laughs) If I’m talking about something in my videos it’s a result of my personal experience.
What is the single most important issue of the LGBT community today?
We all just need to be a little bit more kind to one another. I think it’s interesting that gay people are so quick to call people out for bullying but then we turn around and do the exact same thing to each other. It’s sad to me that we’re not holding ourselves to a higher standard. I think we need to live our lives by example.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to come out, no matter their age?
Take your time. Make sure your surround yourself with a really good group of supportive friends.
What is your favorite brand of underwear?
Aussie Bum.
What are your three simple luxuries?
Fresh berries, silicone based lube and MacBook Pro with Retina Display.
Thanks buddy, it was good talking to you!
Yep…anytime!
Be Yourself. Be Fearless. Be Your Own Unexpected Luxury!
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