Davey Wavey: Naked and Raw; Living His Life By Example!

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!

Check out all of Davey Wavey’s Videos and Blog Links at his YouTube Channel HERE

Check out our YouTube Channel HERE!

Please Follow Us:

“Best new gay young adult love story of 2014! Relatable at any age!”

the before now and after then official cover_peter monn

* Images Provided by Davey Wavey via his Facebook Fan Page.

John Salomone(a.k.a. dudeneedaeaseonup)…The Cutest Most Un-Sexiest Nerd

On an almost daily basis we get asked how we pick who we interview.  The answer is simple.  We attempt to interview people who we feel are contributing to the world around us.  Those individuals, for whatever reason, who make us feel better about ourselves, give us hope and make our lives just a little bit better.  More definitively, those individuals who, although we’re a little embarrassed to admit, we find ourselves absolutely intrigued.  Whether they’re reality stars like Lauren Conrad or the cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Chelsea Lately comediennes Sarah Colonna and Heather McDonald, DJ’s like Kaskade or YouTubers like Tyler Oakley and Joseph Birdsong, we have to know what magic they posses that makes them different than everyone else and makes them entertaining.  Don’t we all wish we had that juice flowing through our veins?

John Salomone just happens to be one of those people.  The star of his YouTube channel dudeneedsaeaseonup probably wouldn’t consider himself a star at all.  In fact, in looking back at his very first video, “John’s Intro”, we were surprised that he questioned the possibility for success on YouTube and he even stated he couldn’t imagine meeting people who wanted to me him because of his videos.  Five years later and he’s receiving 10,000 views a video, has over 60,000 subscribers and we’ve received tons of messages from his fans suggesting we interview him.  Maybe it’s because he’s undeniably cute or humble or humbly cute.   Or maybe its because he gives such incredible and relatable advice. as seen in his video “Be Yourself“, where he suggests, “If someone ever tries to change you for them…drop them! No friend should ever manipulate another friend into doing and being the person they want you to be.” Whatever the reason, we’ve been watching consistently for over the last year and we love him so much we wish he was one of our best friends!

We think we have it figured out.  We think we know what makes John Salomone irresistible to watch.  If you go back to his very first video and watch closely he tells us warns us, “I’m real, by the way.  I’m 100% authentic.” And he has proven this.  He is so absolutely genuine and comedic that we felt compelled to interview him and find out how he became so confident and been able to be himself and make no apologies.

1.    Define yourself using only 8 words.

“No, I’m not wearing these pokemon badges ironically.”

2.    What are three things about you we wouldn’t know by looking at you?

– I’m 23 (because I look like I’m 18)
– I own 12 tamagotchis, 2 digimon, and 1 gigapet (and have loved all of them)
– I’m a giant nerd

3.    What inspired you to make your first YouTube video?

I was watching a lot of other videobloggers at the time and it seemed like something fun to do! These were first-generation vloggers; people like boh3m3, renetto, zipster08, filthywhore, lonelygirl15, and a bunch of others I can’t remember right now. I guess I just felt like I had something to say and back when I started in 2006 I didn’t have too many people in my life to say it to. Basically I wanted an excuse to talk to myself.

4.    Why do you think you have such a large following?

Sometimes I ask myself that question, especially when looking at how many people can’t even pronounce my username (and I don’t blame them). I think I’m just really good at talking and holding people’s attention. When I make a vlog I really feel like I’m speaking to an audience sitting in front of me and I think my viewers can sense that.

5.    What are three opportunities you’ve had as a result of your videos?

In 2008 me and 4 of my friends made a collab channel called VlogCandy and most of my opportunities have come as a result of that. We were invited to perform at Playlist Live in 2011 and did a live game show where we had people come up onstage and do trivia, improv, and even a physical challenge! The summer before that we held a VlogCandy “beach bash” and met a bunch of our subscribers in California where we played games, made s’mores, and sang by a campfire. It’s a huge highlight of my YouTube “career” because we met so many great people and had so much fun. I guess we always just wanted our subscribers to have fun and not have a normal gathering where people just awkwardly stand around signing things or a normal Q&A onstage because those can get really boring. We always wanted to keep our viewers entertained because we owed so much to them. I guess my last “opportunities” have been making friends all over the world and having an audience to share my artwork with. Without YouTube I don’t think too many people would know about my drawings, so it’s nice that it’s easier to get my work out there! 

6.    Tell us about your art work and illustrations.

Was that not the perfect segue? I’ve been doing art my entire life and am currently focusing on illustration and pixel art, but I’m also really interested in photography and stop-motion animation. As a kid I always loved drawing comics, so my ultimate goal is to create my own graphic novel. I’ve always been drawn to monsters so they’re involved in a lot of my artwork. In fact, monsters are a main focus in both of my graphic novel ideas! I’m currently scripting out one of them and will hopefully have a lot of the artwork done by the end of the year.

7.    How does your artwork interact or affect your videos or vice versa?

I’ve had a few stop-motion animations on my channel (and my fave would be Stitched: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLx3qsdcqsc ) and I’ve also experimented with combining animation with video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Jif-EJB5v8g#t=129s ) Most importantly I was able to document my monster-themed art show at my school! (http://youtu.be/DCV5fZ7J73Y)

8.    Who are your three favorite YouTubers of all time?

Oh god, honestly I don’t think I could choose just 3. I might cheat a little here. Actually I’m going to cheat a LOT here. So I love everybody from my current (though slightly inactive) collab channel http://www.youtube.com/okaysaturday. As far as collab channels go I’m also really into http://www.youtube.com/AGayADay. Anything http://www.youtube.com/josephbirdsong and http://www.youtube.com/tyleroakley post is pure gold (and if you’re a reader of this website, you already know all about them :D) and you also NEED to be watching http://www.youtube.com/justaddtommy and http://www.youtube.com/haltiamava, who are both hilarious. Oh, and Johneepixels7 (though not as active as he used to be) is absolutely adorable, go check him out too. Okay, I cheated REALLY BAD don’t be mad at me!

9.    Do you think there is arrogance from the original YouTubers about being the first?

Well, I think there might be some kind of animosity there but it’s not because they’re the first, it’s because they were able to witness the drastic change youtube has made since the website started. I think the community is more divided over the way things used to be when the YOU in youtube was more important, and the way things are now, with tons of ads and commercialization. Everything on youtube now is about high production value and money and advertising and networking, which is perfectly fine if you’re into that, but a lot of people including myself are way more interested in the community and just doing videos for fun.

10.    How do you define sexy? What is the sexiest city? Song to have sex to? Song to kiss to? Sexiest YouTuber?

HA! You are speaking to the un-sexiest guy ever right here so I’m going to have fun with these questions:

-I think it’s a kind of attitude. There are people who I haven’t been attracted to physically but who I still thought were “sexy” because of the way they carried themselves. Confidence is super attractive.
-New York City (where I live), of course
-Pokemon battle music
-The Benny Hill theme
-Oh my god I can’t say that here! All of the dudes I end up liking tend to be youtubers I meet in real life. I seriously need to cut that out.

11.    If you could only listen to three CD’s for the rest of your life and they couldn’t be mixed what would they be?

-Electra Heart by Marina and the Diamonds, which I have been listening to almost every day for about 2 or 3 months now and have yet to get tired of it
-Would It Kill You? by Hellogoodbye, which is just really cute and folkie pop indie feeling
-Frengers by Mew, which is one of the first bands I ever fell in love with back when I was a freshman in high school and I still love EVERY track from that album

12.    What advice would you give someone wanting to make videos and gain some kind of following?

I’m the wrong person to ask because I firmly believe in making videos for fun, not for money or popularity. Unfortunately with how big YouTube has become there are some things you NEED to do to gain a following and it no longer relies entirely on video content, but I’m not going to talk about that stuff. My number one bit of advice is to make sure that no matter what you do YOU’RE HAVING FUN! Don’t get obsessed with numbers! Don’t count every single one of your subscribers! Don’t compare how many subs you and all your friends have! Don’t feel pressured to do something for popularity! Just make videos you enjoy making and I think it will be way more satisfying in the end.

13.    Do you ever receive hate messages as a result of your videos and if so how do you respond?

Every now and then I’ll get a negative comment (my favorites are ones like “U R GAY”, which is simply factual and not offensive) and while in the past I would get pissed off and have arguments with people in the comments section I’ve learned to not really care anymore. It’s not always necessary to defend myself because 99% of the comments I get are positive ones, so why let just one or two jerks ruin my day? If I ever do respond I usually just try to troll them back, but it’s all in good fun.

14.    What are your five greatest weaknesses?

-I’m so cool it makes everyone around me jealous and sometimes I can’t find an appropriate pair of sunglasses to wear so it takes me like hours before I leave the house
-My arms are so strong that sometimes I accidentally break things without trying
-My hair is so shiny it blinds anybody who sees me and sometimes helicopters try to land on my roof because they think I’m shining a distress signal at them from my window
-My voice is so soothing that people fall asleep while I’m talking to them
-I smell so good that I attract swarms of bees

15.     Murder, marry, fuck? Daniel Craig. Darren Criss.  Adam Levine?

Murder Daniel Craig, EFF Adam Levine, and marry Darren Criss. Then I can do it with him for the rest of my life. Livin da dream~*

16.    Murder, marry, fuck? Tyler Oakley. Joe Birdsong. Chris Crocker?

HAHAHA! You’re bringing my friends into this! Okay, fine. I think I’d murder Chris Crocker only because I don’t know him, EFF Tyler Oakley, and marry Joe~

17.     Are you currently in a relationship? If not, what’s your type and what’s important to you in a partner?

I am currently QUITE single. I don’t think I have a particular type physically but I think I’m realizing now that I just want somebody with a really positive attitude. I’ve been interested in the deep & brooding and pessimistic & cynical types before, and it gets exhausting after a while. I’m down for being sarcastic and making fun of each other and being serious every now and then, but overall I just want someone who smiles and laughs a lot

18.     Are YouTubers really able to make a living from just doing videos?

Absolutely! I’m not one of those people, but there’s a lot of youtubers who make a living off their videos who I really respect. If you get a big enough following and devote a LOT of time to it, it’s totally possible.

19.     What are five goals you’d like to achieve by the time you’re 30?

-Publish a graphic novel (or two…or three)
-Travel more
-Fall in love
-GET IN SHAPE (summer beach bod…2013? Ugh.)
-Be even more open about my sexual orientation on youtube (hopefully helping others in the process) and apologize to no one for it

20.     What are your 3 simple luxuries?

-Spending a night cooking dinner with my friends
-Frozen yogurt anytime anywhere
-Long talks at ungodly hours of the night/morning that remind me why I love my friends so much

Thanks Buddy!

Be Yourself.  Be Fearless.  Be Your Own Unexpected Luxury!

Check out John’s videos and all his links on his YouTube channel dudeneedaeaseonup!

Follow Us:

And check out our interviews with YouTubers Tyler Oakley, Joseph Birdsong, Will and RJ, Glozell, JohnnyBoy and Gregory Gorgeous!

 

Images provided by John Salomone

WARNING: We allow 100 words or less of content per interview to be taken, with a link to our original interview, and used without our authorization. Content larger than 100 words or copying our entire interview without our authorization to be used in ANY manner will result in our taking legal action per copyright infringement.

Will and RJ…YouTube’s Most Adorable Couple!

There’s nothing extraordinary about Will and RJ.  Well, other than the fact that they’re both handsome, intellectual, respectful, caring and concerned about equality.  In a world full of selfishness, lack of concern for others, intolerable cruelty and arrogance, Will and RJ are literally two of the nicest guys you will ever meet.  Fortunately, you don’t have to go very far to meet them.  Turn on your computer every day about 1pm, go to Will’s YouTube channel, Shep689, and he’s probably uploaded the newest installment of their year-long, daily video log.  We’re absolutely obsessed! If by 5pm their newest video hasn’t been uploaded, we’re panicking and wondering...is something wrong with Will and RJ?

So what makes them so entertaining to watch? Who knows.  It’s not exactly always a thrill a minute. Yet there we are, everyday, watching their lives unfold.   A typical day in their lives consists of getting up, driving to their separate jobs, Will showing us around his office for the umpteenth time, RJ playing name that tune to some song no one’s ever heard of before, dinner at Chipotle(which we’ve now grown accustomed to again because of you!), drinking margarita’s or wine, being cute before bed and, of course, saying good night.  Although this may all seem rather mundane they may just be the new pioneers of the entertainment world today.  In a world obsessed with reality television, they have done the unthinkable by bringing the viewer into their lives 24 hours a day for 365 days of the year!  Although this isn’t the first time it’s been done on YouTube, they are just interesting and adorable enough to make it work.  Without even thinking about it they have created the perfect show with an enticing main cast, secondary characters, main plots and subplots.

Oh, and let’s not forget Will’s obsession with watching Desperate Housewives. This is very, very important because we believe Will is a little too analytical to miss the ironic resemblance between their life and Desperate Housewives, especially his idol Bree Van De Kamp.  In an interesting twist, while Will’s favorite show lingers in the background, Will and RJ have composed the most intriguing reality show…where art doesn’t necessarily imitate life, but instead presents a mirror reflection.   One to us that is definitely more interesting than anything found on Wisteria Lane.  One that made us thirsty to find out what beats beneath the chests of these two kind geniuses. Other than our pop culture fascination to find out more about them personally, it was truly an honor to be allowed to dig deep into the minds of another gay couple who represents, without fear, the message that love is love.

1. How long have you been together and how did you meet?

W – We’ve been together since October 2009 (so about 2.5 years), a month after we met at the LGBTQ student resource center at FSU. I was a volunteer and RJ walked in working on a documentary for one of his film classes.  I said hello and then proceeded to interrogate everyone else in the center trying to get information on him. I told everyone there “That is MINE.”

R – Note that he said “that is mine”, not “HE is mine”…

W – People kept trying to tell me not to waste my time because he was straight, but you see how much that meant to me haha.

R – Mind you, I had only told people that so that they would leave me alone and let me do my work. But Will was obviously undeterred.  A day or two later he finds me on Facebook and starts messaging me. We went on a date shortly thereafter. The rest is pretty much history.

2. How did you each get started making YouTube videos?

W – Way back in 2008, I think, my friend Alex posted video and linked them on Facebook. I checked out some of his stuff and it seemed pretty funny. Then I saw that he was subscribed to particular channels, like 5awesomegays and Tyler Oakley, and that’s when I discovered what vlogging really was. I thought to myself as I watched these videos, “I could totally do this,” and here we are.

R – I got started on YouTube because of Will. Before we started dating, I didn’t even have an account, much less any desire to participate in the whole vlogging thing. I got all my introductions to it through being around Will and watching him do what he does. Meanwhile, I was getting my degrees in media production and writing so I constantly found myself helping him out with editing or lighting or shot composition. At first, I was doing my best to be a good boyfriend and be supportive, but it didn’t take long for me to start enjoying it. It was shortly thereafter that I had the epiphany: “wait a minute, if I’m putting all this effort into making YouTube videos, why don’t I start vlogging on my own channel?” The rest of the story is on YouTube.

3. What inspired you to make a video a day for a year?

R – Our subscribers, hands down. Every so often we would do day-in-the-life videos whenever we would do fun stuff like Disney or Universal Studios. Will had offered up the idea of doing a daily vlog much in the same fashion as another famous couple on YouTube, Charles and Alli Trippy. But we never thought that people would want to just watch us go about our daily routine. But more and more subscribers kept asking us to vlog every day so we decided to try it for just a month. The response was very positive, so we decided to go for another month. Finally, we made a wager with the subscribers, get Will to 10,000 subscribers and we would vlog for every single day in 2012. They delivered and then some, so now we’re making good on our promise.

4. What are the most gratifying and most difficult parts of making a video every day for a year?

W – The most gratifying is definitely to read the comments made on each video and see how appreciative our subscribers are of the amount of time we spend making our videos. The most difficult part would probably be finding the time/internet connection to upload our videos. Editing takes about 15 minutes, but the importing, exporting, and uploading is about another hour, so it can get pretty time-consuming.

R – Yeah, I would have to agree when I say that the most gratifying part would be the comments, messages, emails, letters, and so on telling us how much we’ve helped them through a rough time or how much we’ve given them hope that they’ll find their perfect match some day. Since Will pretty much does the editing, the hardest part for me is always remembering to bring the camera whenever we go somewhere and not leaving it there when we come back.

5. What has been the best opportunity that has come as a result of these videos?

R – Well, having Chipotle’s corporate headquarters send us gift certificate for free food was pretty awesome. Doing this interview is pretty sweet as well. But really, since we’ve only been doing the everyday vlogs for a few months now, it’s still pretty early in determining what sort of professional opportunities might arise. More so, it’s been about having the opportunity to interact with so many different people all around the world. Getting the chance to touch their lives and having them do the same to us.

6. Do you believe there are things too personal to discuss or display in your videos?

W – What’s funny is that we recently had a serious discussion about this. I think that’s it’s important for us to have some semblance of privacy, for the sake of our own sanity, but also try to portray our lives together as honestly as possible. It’s impossible to put everything in the videos, that much is true, but there are things that we make sure to not include due to legal ramifications or the possibility of it putting strain on our relationship.

R – The good news is that we’re the ones shooting the footage and doing the editing, so we control what goes in the videos and what doesn’t. But when it comes to boundaries, most of what gets left out is stuff that involves our interactions with people who don’t feel comfortable being on camera. As far as Will and I are concerned, it’s just about making judgment calls whenever the question pops up.

7. Who are your top 5 Favorite YouTubers? What is your all-time favorite video by someone else and by you?

W – Let’s see…Tyler Oakley would definitely be one. So would our friends Andrew (lepreas) and Simon (sighmoansays). Natalie Tran has been one of my favorites from the very beginning.

R – I have to add Charles and Alli to the list (CTFxC) just because they are a big inspiration for us. I also have to throw out honorable mentions to Nicola Foti (soudlyawake), Grace Helbig (dailygrace), Michael Buckley (WHATTHEBUCKSHOW), Louis Virtel (louisvirtel), and Smosh.

8. Can you explain VidCon? What are you most excited about experiencing?(They have since been to VidCon and have uploaded videos of their experiences)

R – Good question. I’ve never been to VidCon or any sort of YouTube gathering. Care to explain, dear?

W – Well I haven’t been to VidCon either but I know that it’s the be all end all of YouTube gatherings. It’s a convention for YouTube creators and fans. If you’re a fan, it’s a great place to go and try to meet your favorite Youtubers and interact with them. If you’re a Youtuber yourself, it’s a great place to network and hang out in person with some of the people you normally only interact with online.

R – What he said.

W – I’d say that I’m most looking forward to having drinks with a few of my favorite Youtubers and possibly meeting some that I’ve never had the chance to meet before. Oh, and meeting up with subscribers, of course!

R – Three words: Drunken Youtuber Karaoke. I don’t know if that’s already on the agenda but I am going to make it happen somehow.

9. Do you receive any hate mail or comments and if so how does it affect you? How do you respond?

W – Oh my God, yes. And I love them. I would much rather them come to my channel than to go to someone else’s channel because they don’t affect me.

R – Yeah, I generally try not to feed the trolls, especially the ones who use the word “fag”. There’s no talking to those people. But every so often someone will come along and make some sort of self-entitled, bitchy, condescending comment and I will always feel compelled to put those people in their place. It’s like “I’m sorry, just because you’re entitled to your opinion doesn’t mean you’re entitled to share it or that it counts for anything.”

10. What advice would you give new YouTubers who want to become well followed YouTubers?

W – I would tell them to watch other Youtubers to get a sense of what works in terms of shooting styles, lighting, editing, that sort of thing. As far as content goes, I’d say just be yourself.

R – I say give us something we haven’t seen before. There are literally millions of others out there trying to do the exact same thing, so what do you have to offer that others don’t? Or, if you’re in good shape, you can just go the cheap route like Davey Wavey and just make all of your videos half naked. Just don’t expect anyone to take you seriously…

W – Right.

11. What are three things about the other person that we wouldn’t know by looking at them?

R – Let’s see… I’d say the first thing is that Will stops at nothing to get what he wants. Seriously, it doesn’t matter what the thing is or what gets in his way. If he wants queso dip, we’ll be at a Mexican restaurant by the end of the day. If we’re watching Desperate Housewives on DVD, and the season ends, we’ll have three more seasons bought by the end of the week. Will also has the capacity to be extremely, unbearably cute, usually whenever he knows he’s in trouble or whenever he wants me to pay attention to him. Finally, I’d say it’s that Will is the most fabulous drunk I have ever seen. He’s like a cross between Audrey Hepburn and Beyonce…but with a little bit more leaning. Just don’t leave him alone anywhere or try to get him to say the phrase “honey butter chicken biscuit”.

W – First and foremost is how intense he is. Nothing is ever mitigated or simple. Everything is just such a big deal. When it comes to how devoted he is, he is absolutely 140% devoted to everything. When it comes to his relationships with friends or family, he is always 140% involved. In this way, it’s hard to get him to relax. Another aspect would be how he in the most honest person on this planet. I’ve yet to meet someone who has taught me more about truth and honesty than him, and he’s shown me how much a couple can benefit from honesty. Lastly, I’d have to say is that you’d never guess how great in the sack he is. Cuz he’s perfect. (Sorry, I had to.)

12. Ok…so what’s the deal with Chipotle?

W – <Gasp> I’m almost offended. It’s just the best thing ever!

R – Yeah, it’s really not that complicated. We both love food, especially Mexican food, and Chipotle is good enough that we don’t mind eating it two/three/four/seven times a week.

13. To each of you: What are your three favorite books, movies, television shows and stores?

R – Gosh, so many favorites to list. Alright…books would have to be Chronicle of a Death Foretold, then Slaughterhouse Five, and I have to list a graphic novel too, so I might as well go with Watchmen, because it’s pretty much the greatest one ever written (but there’s a lot of competition). Movies would be, first, Fight Club, then probably Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and I have to list our couple’s favorite, The Birdcage. TV shows are tricky since we’ve gotten each other hooked on our favorites, but I’d say first is House, then Inside the Actors Studio, and I have to say The Daily Show, if for no other reason than I’ve written paper after paper about it. What’s funny about my favorite stores is that none of them are in the city where we live. I absolutely adore Zara and everything in it. As much as it pains me, I admit that I’m always buying assorted stuff in Urban Outfitters. Finally, I’m not sure if this counts, but I’m always throwing away money on nice underwear at Freshpair.com. It’s kind of unhealthy…

W – Okay, I’m not like RJ, I’m just going to list stuff.  Books: Life of Pi, the Harry Potter series, and I really liked One Hundred Years of Solitude. Movies: The Birdcage, The Devil Wears Prada, Matilda. TV Shows: Desperate Housewives, Six Feet Under, Brothers and Sisters. Stores: H&M, Urban Outfitters, Williams Sonoma. See, that was much easier, right?

R – Shut up.

14. You have established yourselves as gay role models and activists, maybe without even realizing it.  What message to do you think is important to carry to gay teens and what do you believe are the biggest LGBT issues in our country?

W – First of all is the importance of self worth, and knowing that, even if people may treat you poorly, it doesn’t mean that you are any less than them. To me, marriage equality is important, but dealing with bullying is a much bigger issue for me.

R – I don’t think there are multiple issues so much as one issue—equality. We deserve to be treated equally, whether we’re at work or at school or in church or just minding our own business trying to live our lives. We deserve the same treatment as anyone and everyone else, and if you’re gay (aged 6 or 16 or 60), you shouldn’t settle for anything less than that. Period.

15. With the exception of saying “I love you”, in the past, you have both shown very little physical affection towards each other in the videos. Has this been a conscience decision?

R – Well, I wouldn’t say that it’s a conscious decision. Will and I were never big on PDA in the first place. It’s just something that we’ve always felt was best suited for when we’re at home. We were both raised in pretty conservative households.

W – Not to mention that, whenever we do display or affection, it’s usually not something that’s appropriate for YouTube…

16. Will, you have shared a very moving coming out story on video.  Based on your experience, what advice would you give to people, no matter their age, who are wanting or planning to come out?

W – It’s a constant balancing act of being yourself and not upsetting those closest to you. When it comes to coming out, timing is everything, and every situation is different. If I had to give any advice, I’d say make sure that coming out doesn’t do more harm than good.

R – Coming out is a process. It’s not like getting knighted where one person anoints you and then you’re that way for the rest of your life. Every time you meet someone new, the question arises about how to best address the subject. It’s my opinion that the only thing that should keep you from coming out is safety. Unless coming out carries the real possibility of physical or mental harm, I say that there’s never going to be a perfect time to do it, so why waste time agonizing over it? Also, I’d say that, in most situations, especially when dealing with the subject in your day-to-day interaction with people, treat it like a non-issue, because it is. Once people see that it’s not a big deal, then they won’t be so freaked out about it.

17. How do you define sexy?  What do you believe is the sexiest city in the world? Sexiest thing about Florida? Sexiest song? Sexiest YouTuber? Sexiest pair of RJ’s underwear?

R – I guess sexy is all about owning what you’ve got. For me, it’s not about any particular type of guy. I’ve seen blonde, brunette, even redhead guys who were sexy. Different body types, different degrees of body hair… it’s just about owning what you’ve got and not being afraid to get what you want. It’s kind of a slippery slope, though, since arrogance is extremely off-putting.

W – I’m the same in that sexy changes from guy to guy. The least common factor, for me, would be Hispanics.

R – Sure, whatever. So I guess that would be the sexiest thing about Florida: the Hispanics. So is there any particularly Hispanic city?

W – I don’t know. I feel like it would be really sexy to go to a city in Brazil.

R – Yeah, or Australia. I dunno, we haven’t really gotten to travel outside the country just yet. Sexiest music for me? I dunno, I have playlists. But my favorite would probably be “What Goes Around…Comes Around”. That song makes me want to make a baby.

W – I dunno why, Deadmau5 is so hot to me. Like, if they were to play that in a club, I would make out with everyone. Sexiest YouTuber would be Anthony Padilla from Smosh. What would I do to him, let me count the ways…

R – Yeah he’s definitely attractive. Him and Michael Aranda. He’s pretty. So what’s my sexiest pair of underwear?

W – Easy, that red and black pair of Gregg Homme briefs that make your package look really good.

R – Oh yeah, those. They’re red and black and they cradle your package in this lovely hammock of microfiber and put everything on display.

18. You are planning on launching a website and have asked viewers for donations to achieve this goal.  Can you discuss your plan for your website and where you would like to see your YouTube presence take you in the next five years?

R – One of the great things that’s happened as a result of this everyday vlog, sort of by accident, is the community that’s evolved around it. So we wanted to create something that will allow it to expand beyond the confines of YouTube. So we explored a bunch of different options and we decided that the only way that we could do what we wanted on our terms was to create a website.

W – Yeah the main purpose of the website was to create an “advice column” of sorts to allow us to answer the hundreds of messages we get from viewers in an organized fashion. We would allow them to submit the questions/messages anonymously and we would post them for everyone to see and learn from the experience. We’re hoping to get questions about everything from relationship advice (because there aren’t that many advice columns for gay relationships out there) to coming out advice and everything in between.

R – But there’s more to the site than just that. We felt like we’ve created a community so we wanted to create a space where the viewers could interact with us on a more personal level and vise versa. As for the donations, we were already planning on doing this by ourselves, but it’s a difficult task to accomplish with the time and resources available to us. So, we’ve given people an opportunity to help us out if they wanna see this move along quicker. And we’ve been SO overwhelmed at the response already. We truly have the best subscribers out there.

W – It’s true. I couldn’t believe the amount of support we were receiving – we’ve even had to say no at times! But as for our presence in 5 years, I would like for the channel to gain popularity with the It Gets Better Project as proof that it does get better. The movement has been instrumental in showing troubled teens to tough it out, but there are few instances where there’s proof. That’s what our channel is all about. And of course we would like more subscribers and all that jazz haha.

19. You often discuss getting married in your videos.  Are there any plans in the future and will we get to see an engagement?

W – Actually, yes to both questions. We’ve been to so many weddings this year and we also work wedding as cater-waiters, so we’ve already determined what we want for our wedding. As for the engagement, RJ will be proposing to me since I gave RJ a promise ring near the beginning of our relationship when I decided to really give our relationship a shot.

R – Yeah, so no pressure, right? Well there’s still the problem of it being outlawed here in Florida, which has kinda put the brakes on things. But we do plan on moving to LA next year so hopefully there will be legal groundwork for us to do that by the time we arrive. Thing is, though, as far as getting hitched and getting engaged goes, we’re already pretty certain that it’s going to happen. So, for me at least, there’s no point in rushing. I’d much rather take some time and really do everything right. After all, we really only get one shot at this, so I want things to be special. But it would be cruel, though, to include subscribers in our relationship thus far and then leave them out of the engagement and ceremony. So don’t worry. No matter what happens, we will try everything we can to bring you guys along for the ride. I can promise that.

20. What are your three simple luxuries?

R – For me, “simple luxuries” are all about giving yourself that little something extra from day to day. There’s the stuff you need to get through the day, and there’s the extra things that make life enjoyable. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a thing for wearing nice underwear. It’s one way to spoil yourself (and your boyfriend) in the most intimate way. Beyond that, it’s all about sharing good meals with good company, whether we’re out or cooking at home. Oh, and there must always be a stash of great wine on hand.

W – See, I take a much less materialistic approach. After spending a majority of my life with some people that didn’t appreciate me, I like the ability to decide my company and be with people that I actually give a damn about. Another luxury would be taking naps. I fucking love naps. My life would be so much less worth living without naps. Third luxury… would be time spent with RJ. I feel like RJ has been the answer to why my life was so difficult in the beginning. I always told myself that there was a reason, and RJ is that reason. Any and all time spent with him is more than I could have ever asked for. Okay, now I’m done being sappy.

R – Yeah, way to make me sound like a douche…

Thanks boys!

Be Yourself.  Be Fearless.  Be Your Own Unexpected Luxury!

Visit Will’s YouTube Channel Shep689 to find all of their links to Twitter, Facebook and where to buy merchandise!

 

 

 

Follow Us:

 

“Best new gay young adult love story of 2014 that’s relatable at any age!”

the before now and after then official cover_peter monn

 

*Photos provided by Will Shepherd

WARNING: We allow 100 words or less of content per interview to be taken, with a link to our original interview, and used without our authorization. Content larger than 100 words or copying our entire interview without our authorization to be used in ANY manner will result in our taking legal action per copyright infringement.

 

 

 

 

 

Joseph Birdsong…THE Interview

He is probably one of the most naturally, hilarious people on YouTube.  We literally cannot get through one of his videos in its entirety without laughing our asses off.  Maybe its because you wouldn’t expect him to be as funny or forthright by looking at him, but he continues to surprise us time after time.  Whether he’s talking about his tattoos or bedazzling a vibrator, he is uniformly himself…undeniably.  We love this guy.  Not only has his podcast on iTunes made it to the #4 slot but he’s also had an internship at Allure magazine and had highly successful personal and collaboration channels on YouTube.  His writing, which we hope to find layered between the pages of his book someday, is just as honest and amusing as his videos and podcast.  Actually, his writing, found on his blog Cup of Joe, is so good it might qualify him to be the next David Sedaris or Augusten Burroughs.  If his answer to our first question doesn’t quench your thirst for all that he is, keep reading…Joseph Birdsong never ceases to amaze.

1. Describe yourself using 7 words and your age?

I’ll take another bottle of Boone’s Farm. And I’m 24.

2. How did you get started making YouTube videos?

I started college in 2006 and had no friends, so I started watching some vloggers. It all sounds pretty depressing, actually. I decided to start making my own videos in early 2007 and it kinda just took off from there.

3. Explain the difference between your personal YouTube videos and your participation in the collab channel “5awesomegays”?

5awesomegays was a channel I did with four other guys that was more about our friendship and interaction with each other. We usually had a theme each week or else caught up with what we were all doing in life.

My own channel is more of a free-for-all. I mostly do little comedy videos, but sometimes there are musical things or artsy things. This past week I rolled around in a pile of cardigans and sang a parody of Shakira’s “She Wolf.” I think that should sum things up pretty well.

4. What opportunities have come from your making YouTube videos?

I guess most people want to hear about the financial and job opportunities—and those have been great—but the most important opportunities I’ve found are the ones that include making great friends. Most of my best friends in life have been linked in some way with the work I’ve done online. There are so many exciting people out there. Without the online stuff, I never would’ve gotten to move to Philly or work in NY or travel all over the country. Right now I’m enjoying working with My Damn Channel for Answerly, which is an opportunity I don’t think I’d have had otherwise.

5. What advice would you give to a new YouTuber who wants to become a well-followed YouTuber?

Turn the other direction and run away as fast as you can. No, but really, I think that’s the problem now. Most people start now because they want to be well-followed and well-known. People use to want to be part of a community and find friends and express themselves through videos. Now that people have seen how it can be beneficial in other ways, everyone wants a piece of the action, and it’s just totally changed the dynamics of everything. It’s not all necessarily a bad thing, but if you’re really gonna go for it, find a nice brand of alcohol to keep you company along the way and start planning the funeral for your social life.

6. Tell us about your podcast and how it began.

The podcast started as a separate outlet to share the personal humor essays that I write about my life or daily observations. I didn’t really expect much to come from it, but I think it eventually peaked at #4 on the iTunes comedy chart and just became sort of its own monster. I don’t think I really ever intended for it to go on forever, so it ended after about twenty episodes or so. I’d like to include a lot of those short essays in a book someday, along with some other ones I never published.

7. Describe your experience having an internship at Allure magazine.

Working at Allure was terrifying and a lot of hard work, but I think an internship should be a lot of work. I steamed a dress for Taylor Swift once, but I never got to see her. And then one time I got to go on a photoshoot and worked for so long there was blood in my shoes that night. One time I got to photograph some male models in their underwear. That was a pretty awesome day, except it made me feel a little bit like a troll.

8. What are five things we wouldn’t know by looking at you?

I love reading manga, my favorite Pokemon is Staryu, my favorite color is purple, my favorite food is black olives, and I guess you wouldn’t be able to tell that I’m probably wearing granny panties.

9. Are you currently in a relationship? What are you attracted to in a partner?

I’m currently dating a couple people, but am not in a relationship. Gotta keep things spicy, you know?

I don’t think I really have a type of guy I’m always attracted to. Personality-wise, I prefer someone who doesn’t take himself seriously. Ever. Physically, I generally go for guys who are taller than me, but it’s the same with my friends, too. All of my best friends are taller than me, which isn’t that hard to do. I’m only 5’7”. And then, of course, I’m always on the lookout for a rich, older person who is about to peace out that I can marry. But hey, aren’t we all?

10. One of your projects is giving sex and relationship advice.  What things are you most asked and do any of the questions surprise you?

Yes! I am the sex and relationships guru for My Damn Channel’s Answerly page. It’s probably my favorite thing to do.

Surprisingly, a lot of the questions are about long-distance relationships. I think there are a lot more of those going on these days now that we’re in the Age of the Online Dating. It’s really interesting to see. And then a lot of people want advice on coming out or sex tips.

Of course, some people just go all out and ask about S&M or bondage or anal beads. One guy wanted to know how to introduce bacon into the bedroom. Actually, they’re all (for the most part) pretty valid questions, and I’m glad people feel comfortable enough to ask me. It’s a good mix between serious and not-so-serious. It’s the best job in the world.

11. What is too serious to joke about? What is something too personal to talk about in a YouTube video?

I believe that nothing is off limits when it comes to jokes. I’m not a very serious person. Whenever I find myself getting a bit too serious, I step back and am like “You know, you’ll be dead someday.” And that just makes me laugh, which is a little morbid I guess.

There are definitely some things I wouldn’t joke about in videos or on my site, but it’s usually because I know people will take it wrong, and not because I don’t think it’s funny. I think we’d all be a lot happier if we just lightened up a bit. Live your life like you’re on a crazy reality show. Sing loudly with the windows down. Wear a few wigs and take on a few different personas. Scream your own name during sex. (I learned that last tip from Tumblr.) Mix it up a little!

12. What is your favorite hat? Cardigan? Object that is bedazzled? Favorite movie? Favorite book? Favorite band or musician?

Well, I just retired my favorite Pokemon cap and bought a new one. But that old one was with me for many years. When I pick my favorite cardigan, I feel like Angelina Jolie having to pick her favorite kid. I’d have to say just my oversized, heather grey cardigan from AA. As far as bedazzling goes, I’m really into these phone cases I’ve been bedazzling recently, but I also enjoy bedazzling sunglasses, wine bottles, shoes…and, of course, there’s my bedazzled ukulele, which is pretty damn glamourous. My favorite movies are The Lizzie McGuire Movie and Drop Dead Gorgeous, and I’ll read anything written by David Sedaris and Chelsea Handler. My favorite musicians are Robyn and Hilary Duff, and I’m currently really into One Direction, too. I just put up a poster of them in my closet. It’s out of control.

13. Who are your five favorite YouTubers? What is your all-time favorite video by someone else? What are your three favorite videos you have made?

My five favorite YouTubers are probably TheHill88, paperlilies, mememolly, communitychannel, and MelissaJenna. I say those because they were some of the first people I watched and I still love them, but I also currently watch a ton of different channels.

My favorite video is actually just some interviewer asking Britney Spears if she’s ever licked a battery. I swear it’s the best thing ever. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sk3eemlFQQ)

I generally hate all my own videos, but there are a few I’m a little proud of:

“Look Who’s Laughing Now” Definitely my favorite video I’ve ever made. – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx8HuHXD9D4

“I’ll be your sea” This is a compilation video of vacation footage. It takes me back to some good times. – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmhZBZlY1HQ

“The Cardigan Song” This is one of my most recent videos. I think it came together decently. – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-TZCabINUs

14. What do you think are the three most important lgbt issues in our country today?

I think all of them are the most important. I think it’s an issue in itself that we have to refer to them as “issues” when it’s just basic human rights. The biggest issue is just treating everyone like a human.

15. If you could be invisible for an entire day, what would you do?

I actually just asked this question in a video and got some amazing responses. I think someone said they’d wait until Scarlett Johansson was in the shower and then flush her toilet. I’d probably do something like that except with Zac Efron. That way I’d get to see him in the shower and hear him scream, so everybody wins.

16. What does your family think of your videos and podcasts?

People actually ask me this a lot. I think they think my parents would disapprove of the things I say and some of the stories I tell, when actually they’re very proud of me. I’m sure my family doesn’t agree 100% with everything I do, but they understand why I do it. I try to be myself in videos so other people feel comfortable being themselves. I talk about sex and relationships because I feel like there are so many people who still think it’s such a taboo thing. I mean, I don’t think you should walk down the street shouting about how you just had sex, but I do think a lot of people grow up quite sexually repressed or sexually shamed, and that’s not good. Those are the people who grow up really confused about everything and end up having sex with goats or something. If I can save just one person from goat sex, then I’ll consider myself a success in life.

17. How often do you get noticed and what do people usually say?

I don’t get noticed too much now that I’m in Arkansas. When I was living in Philly or working in NYC, it happened every once in a while. And it only happens when I look my worst, like if I have a cold and boogers are everywhere. People usually say something like, “Oh! I watch your videos!” and then I stumble around awkwardly and turn red. But it’s fun!

18. Do you ever receive hate mail or comments and if so how do you respond?

Yes, and it’s quite fun sometimes. Occasionally, I read through them on the phone with my best friend. I try not to respond to them, but sometimes there will just be that one that really gets to you or you’re in a bad mood and just use it as an outlet to take out your frustrations. We’re all human and deserve to go a little crazy sometimes.

19. Where do you hope to be in five years?

Living in the English countryside and running a cat farm. Hopefully I’ll have a book out by then.

20. What are your three simple luxuries?

Playing the ukulele, obsessively replaying Tomb Raider games, and buying new cardigans.

Thanks Buddy!

Click HERE to visit Joseph Birdsong’s Website: Cup of Joe Show(Links to ALL his stuff!)

Click HERE for his YouTube channel Disneykid1

Check out our YouTube channel HERE!

Check out Peter’s YouTube channel HERE!

Check out all of our other INTERVIEWS including Tyler Oakley, Glozell & Johnnyboyxo!

Follow Us:

*Images provided by Joseph Birdsong.

WARNING: We allow 100 words or less of content per interview to be taken, with a link to our original interview, and used without our authorization. Content larger than 100 words or copying our entire interview without our authorization to be used in ANY manner will result in our taking legal action per copyright infringement.

 

 

 

 

 

Tyler Oakley…THE Interview!

We adore Tyler Oakley.  No…seriously.  We love him.  We’ve been watching his videos on YouTube for so long now that we feel like he’s one of our best friends.  If you watch his videos, you know what we mean.  If you don’t, its time to get with the program.  Tyler is endearing, adorable, sweet, stylish, hilarious and nice.  In fact…he’s reinvented “nice”.  In a world where someone’s lack of good looks would prompt characteristics of being “nice”, Tyler has made being “nice” super, super attractive.  But let’s be honest…he’s super attractive too.  Whether he’s drooling over Darren Criss, Blaine from Glee, or frolicking through Thailand, the stories and anecdotes in his videos make him an internet phenomenon, or YouTube celebrity(with over 150,000 dedicated subscribers and over 22million video views), who would probably blush and say, “Oh, girl” if complimented.  Nonetheless, he is a strong voice of gay youth, making everyone, young or old, wishing they were his close friend.

1. What motivated you to begin making videos on YouTube?

When I was a freshman in college in 2007, I saw a video by a guy named William Sledd… and he was just talking into his camera about his life. I started browsing around and saw that he had tons of videos, and there were other people on YouTube that were also doing what he was doing. I had just gotten my laptop (and it had it’s own webcam built in), and my friends had all moved all around the country to go to their own schools, so I figured, why not keep in touch with them through video-blogging? Back then, I had no intention of having people who didn’t know me watch my videos, and my videos were NOTHING like how they are today.

 

2. What was the moment you knew you had made it big on YouTube and how long did it take to get there?

I remember seeing I had 100 views on a video, and I knew… I did NOT have 100 friends. From there, it kind of felt like… okay, I guess people are watching, why not put out more stuff for them to enjoy? The first moment I made it “big” on YouTube I’d say is when I got a post-card from The Trevor Project thanking me for a video I made about them. That was a really sweet moment where I realized that what I did on here could make an impact in the real world.

 

3. What are three opportunities you cherish which have come as a result of your videos?

I’ve gotten so many opportunities from making videos, it’s really hard to pick just three! For starters, I got to meet Lady Gaga, because Perez Hilton was one of my subscribers and gave me a hookup (video here). I also got to co-host The Trevor Project’s red carpet event Trevor Live (video here). One of my absolute favorite things that has come out of my time making YouTube is all the friends I’ve been able to make from the YouTube community – even my best friend that I live with now, we met 5 years ago while making videos together in the dorms while we were in college (video here).

 

4. What is it like to have a huge gay following and fan base?

It’s an amazing opportunity! I wouldn’t necessarily call it huge, but I think of it as potentially very powerful – in the sense that the people who follow me have the power to change the world – and if I influence them to do something positive for the gay community, they could influence five other people and create a snow-ball effect. It’s a great feeling! Also, the thought of younger gay kids following me is really inspiring, because I didn’t have someone to watch while I was younger. I hope to not necessarily be a role-model, because I do make lots of mistakes… but instead, be an inspiration – to learn from your mistakes and to take charge of your own potential and do something with it.

5. Who are your 5 favorite YouTubers to watch?

I watch so many people! Truly, I probably am subscribed to over 100 people that I regularly watch. It’s weird, but these are like my friends! A few of my favorites include: milesjaiproductions, justaddtommy, dudeneedaeaseonup, italktosnakes, tonjesml

 

6. What kind of camera and editing software do you use for your videos?

I use a Canon Vixia HF S21 to film, and edit in iMovie.

 

7. How did your obsession with having your hair look perfect begin?

LOL! Well, starting with 5th grade when I had a bowl cut parted in the middle!

 

8. What’s a topic too personal to discuss on YouTube? What embarrasses you to talk about?

I don’t think I’d ever talk my sex life… just seems tacky!

 

9. What do you think are the 3 most profound YouTube videos ever made?

So You Got Dumped – it’s a video I often send to people who ask me for relationship advice. Fairy Doors & Wanderlust – a video I made about my hometown in Michigan as a reminder to myself to always explore. How to Pray the Gay Away – it was a response to my homophobic aunt who posted that she was praying for me on Facebook.

10.What are your 3 favorite videos you’ve made on YouTube?

How to Put on a Condom – was just super silly, fun and goofy. Me & my Boyfriend – it was right after I broke up with a long-term relationship, and EVERYONE was asking questions about it, it was my way of saying, “No, I won’t comment on it, and yes, you will click this video.” My last would have to be a tie for my traveling videos: Taking over Tokyo and Taking over Thailand – I watch them all the time to relive my adventures traveling abroad.

 

11. What are 3 things we wouldn’t know by looking at you?

I have 12 brothers and sisters, I make the best guacamole in San Francisco, I can rap any Nicki Minaj lyric.

 

12. If you could only listen to 3 CD’s for the rest of your life and they couldn’t be mixed, what would they be?

Born this Way by Lady Gaga, Body Talk by Robyn, All I Ever Wanted by Kelly Clarkson.

 

13. Have you ever received any fan male or hate male which really changed your perspective on the impact you have through your videos?

I try my hardest to not let hate mail influence me – because anybody can put out hate, it takes a much stronger person to put out themselves. I will say I got some criticism regarding language I used in the past about cultural appropriation and gender/trans issues that made me reconsider my approach to the topics. As far as positivity in fan mail, everything people send me pushes me to continue – I read every fan message and letter I get, and everything encourages me to continue, even when people are sometimes jerks.

14. How do you define sexy? Who is the sexiest celebrity?  Where is the sexiest place to kiss? Sexiest YouTuber? Sexiest song?

Sexy to me is the ability to keep me attracted to you while keeping me guessing. I’m currently obsessed with Darren Criss, who plays Blaine on Glee. I got to interview him at Trevor Live and I fell in love, and since then I’ve been obsessed (video here). Sexiest place to kiss would probably be a subtle kiss in public – it tells me that you’re not showy, but you’re also not afraid to be yourself. Sexiest YouTuber would have to be corporalcadet – I’ve had a crush on him for years. Sexiest song? That’s too hard!

 

15. What are 3 books you would suggest to a stranger?

“I Am Not Myself These Days” by Josh Kilmer Purcell (all time favorite book – funny, sad, heart-warming, inspiring), “Dry” by Augusten Burroughs (gives perspective, makes you reconsider your addictions in your own life), “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green (helped me reconsider priorities, death and love).

 

16. Let’s play murder, marry, fuck: Darren Criss, Neil Patrick Harris and Ricky Martin?

Sorry Neil! I’ve got to murder you. I’m marrying Darren and fucking Ricky!

 

17. We adore your boyish innocence, but on an adult note, tell us your thoughts about Grindr, gay porn and gay clubs?

I think I’ve got a pretty interesting perspective on this, as I come from a small mid-west town and now live in San Francisco. In Michigan, you could see people in the entire state on Grindr, there were only a few gay bars, and back when I lived there, gay porn was my introduction to what gay sex would be like. Since then, I’ve moved to San Francisco, where the closest person to you on Grindr is 10 feet away, I live between 10 gay bars where I can be picky and choosey, and not only do I see the fantasy in gay porn, I can now meet the stars of it in my local gay bar every weekend. Grindr: it is what you make of it. I’d never hook up with someone off of it, but I have gotten dates from it (I have one this Friday – that’s weird.) No judgment, but I just am scared of the possibilities, which I think is more than justifiable. Gay porn, I don’t really have much of an opinion on… I approve! Gay clubs can get exhausting, as the people in there can sometimes be the most judgmental people around. I’ve luckily gotten into a good group of friends here in San Francisco where we are able to always go to new bars and always have fun – and it’s not all about finding someone to have sex with that night.

18. What do you think is the most important gay issue today and what do you think should be done about it?

I mean, there are tons of gay issues that are important, from gay marriage to adoption rights to work-place discrimination and more… but I think the biggest gay issue is the level of involvement of the gay community to demand change. So many gays think that other gays will take care of it. People don’t march in the streets, they don’t want to miss an episode of Glee. To fix this, people need to realize that they CAN make a change, but no one person can do it alone.

 

19. What 3 things would you like to have accomplished in the next 10 years?

By the time I’m 33, I want to have met my (first) husband, have a job that doesn’t have to make a difference for the gay community (because full equality will have already been achieved), and be able to look back at tons of adventures in traveling. I’m a pretty simple guy with simple pleasures!

 

20. What are your three simple luxuries?

Three things that always bring a smile to my face: making guacamole for my friends, getting pedicures with my mom, exploring an airport I’ve never been in.

 

Thanks Buddy!

Be Yourself.  Be Fearless.  Be Your Own Unexpected Luxury!

See all of Tyler’s videos on his YouTube channel HERE!

Follow Tyler on Twitter HERE!

Become Tyler’s fan on Facebook HERE!

Buy Tyler’s merchandise HERE! 

Check out all of other interviews!

Follow Us:

 

 

“Best new gay young adult love story of 2014! Relatable at any age!”

the before now and after then official cover_peter monn

 

*Photographs courtesy of Tyler Oakley

WARNING: We allow 100 words or less of content per interview to be taken, with a link to our original interview, and used without our authorization. Content larger than 100 words or copying our entire interview without our authorization to be used in ANY manner will result in our taking legal action per copyright infringement.

Johnny Boy…THE Interview!

By far, one of the most hilarious people on YouTube, JohnnyBoyxo has a humor so raw and a vulnerability so rare, she is easily at the top of the list of our favorite sensations on YouTube.  With over 29 Million video views, we’re obviously not the only ones in love with Johnny Boy! Her videos range from her discussing the hilarious behaviors of her family members to social commentary on celebrities. In her video Kim Kardashian: I HATE YOU & YOUR FAKE “MARRIAGE”(which just happens to be the video which won us over) she says,So guys, Kim Kardashian is single again and the McRib is back at McDonalds.  Black men all over the US Fucking A are having the best week of their lives.” We’re not really sure what we expected before we interviewed her.  Like we said, she seems so undeniably raw that we assumed she would snap back at all of our questions with some witty response.  Needless to say, we were pleasantly surprised when she answered our questions honestly and seriously and welcomed our every request…every bit the perfect lady.  Even more endearing than her absolute professionalism and her kind words was the extent to how she views the world.  After reading some of the harsh comments mixed in with the overwhelming praise she receives from her fans, we sent her a message explaining the sadness we felt in people’s ignorance.  Her response: “The love outweighs the hate.”  We found that behind the camera allowing us into her world is a woman with much more wisdom than humor…a true inspiration to us all.  Aces Johnny Boy…you’re one fine bitch!

1. Who exactly is Johnny Boy? Tell us about yourself.

I’m 21.  I’m a singer, comedian, model and I do whatever I want when I want. I don’t let anyone tell me how to live my life and  I just live life on the edge and I like to have fun.

2. What inspired you to do your first YouTube video?

I had been going thru alot of personal stuff in high school and YouTube was a way for me to give my opinions on things and people would actually listen to me.

3. Why do you think, out of the millions of people who post videos on YouTube that you have received so much recognition?

I honestly don’t know… I never thought I’d be a “YouTube celebrity” or whatever people wanna call it.  I just turned on my camera and whether I acted like a mess or was showing people my personal (serious) side people seemed to want more. It’s really weird.

4. What does it take to be successful on YouTube?

Being yourself.. I think that if you try too hard at something it shows. Real recognizes real. 

5. Tell us about your music career.

Well I’ve been singing since I was 5 years old.  I was in my school’s church choir growing up and everything. I’ve recorded a bunch of singles and an album EP called “Trannylicious” It’s mostly what I’m known for… but I’ve been trying newer things lately and I’m excited for my new album “Trannylicious 2.0” to come out and show everyone a different side of me.

6. Is there anything too private to discuss on YouTube?

Definately. I try to keep my personal life as personal as possible. Not everyone needs to know who I’m dating or what I’m doing everyday. Some things should stay private. (Although in her newest video I’m Transgender…And That’s Okay she gets a little bit more personal.)

7. How old were you when you began transitioning and can you tell us a little bit about that process for you?

Well… I knew this is what I always wanted to be and I started pretty young around 16/17.  I’m happy with everything i’ve done thus far.

8. How do you define yourself by society’s terms? Transsexual, transgendered, tranny, female?

Female. Definately. 

9. How important do you believe it is to be politically correct regarding these terms?

Eh, I feel like sometimes its funny when people make the ’tranny’ jokes about me but other times it’s really annoying because I’m more of a woman than most of the girls I know! Even my mother and sister say they’re jealous of my boobs and legs. It’s hilarious actually.

10. If JohnnyBoy was the next President of the United States, what 3 things would you put into effect immediately?

Gay marriage, legalizing marijuana and I’d paint the White House pink.

11. Do you have a boyfriend? What is your type?

No I do not at the moment.. My type is anyone who isn’t an asshole and doesn’t wanna only bang me and actually wants to get to know me. Hahaha!

12. What are five things you ALWAYS carry in your purse? And do you have a favorite purse?

Lip gloss, bronzer, debit card, mace and a pair of underwear. My favorite purse would have to be my new Louis Vuitton silver bag. I have an obsession with LV.

13. Do you get hate mail or comments? How do you respond to these?

Actually not as many as people would think.  As I’ve gotten older it’s gotten better. Theres the occasional hater but I feel like any person with success has a pack of haters. It’s life. You just have to keep your head up and live your life for you not anybody else.

14. If you could only listen to three CD’s for the rest of your life and they couldn’t be mixed, what would they be?

Lana Del Rey – Born to Die. Britney Spears – Hit Me Baby One More Time. And I’m really feeling Drake’s first album right now.

15. Tell us something about you we wouldn’t know by looking at you?

I’m a really good soccer player. Not many people know I used to play on a team and everything. I guess thats why I’m so good at kicking guys in (their) balls now that I’m older. Hahaha!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16. You’ve talked about your mom and even had her in at least one of your videos.  How supportive is she of you?

My mom is one of my best friends. She’s always been supportive of my lifestyle and never doubts what I do. I’m lucky in that aspect. 

17. What advice would you give parents of transgendered teens?

Support your kids because you never know when you’ll lose them forever. It’s not worth it. 

18. How do you define SEXY? And what is the…Sexiest Movie? Sexiest Song? Sexiest Brand? Sexiest Celebrity?

I feel like the sexiest thing a person can be is confident. If you’re not comfortable with yourself how do you expect other people to be? Sexiest movie: Cruel Intentions (Ryan Philippe can GET IT!)  Sexiest song: anything by Drake is so sexy! Sexiest brand: Victoria’s Secret is one of my obsessions.  I own practically EVERYTHING! Haha my family hates it. Sexiest celebrity: I’m gonna haveto say Ryan Phillipe.  He’s just so sexy all the time!

19. What are your three simple luxuries?

I take at least one bubble bath a day. People think I’m crazy but it’s my way of escaping reality for a little bit. I love going out and clubbing with my friends (another thing I get called out on).  People seem to think I party too much but I just like to have fun. Lastly, I love writing music.  It’s therapeudic.  Even if I’m writing a rap about busting a ho’s head in. For me it’s just really fun.

20. Boxers, briefs, jockstraps…or nothing at all.

I don’t wear underwear. I’m classy.

Thanks Johnny Boy!!! We love ya!!

 

Check out JohnnyBoyxo’s video below and visit her site HERE! Check out her music on iTunes HERE!

 

Also check out our interviews of YouTube sensation Gregory Gorgeous and Transsexual Superstar Maria Roman!

 

Be Yourself.  Be Unafraid.  Be Your Own Unexpected Luxury!

 

Also check out our interviews of YouTube sensation Gregory Gorgeous and Transsexual Superstar Maria Roman!

Follow Us:

 

*Photographs courtesy of Johnny Boy.

WARNING: We allow 100 words or less of content per interview to be taken, with a link to our original interview, and used without our authorization. Content larger than 100 words or copying our entire interview without our authorization to be used in ANY manner will result in our taking legal action per copyright infringement.

 

 

 

 

Glozell…Funniest Bitch on YouTube!!!

Exactly one year ago we discovered, within days of Perez Hilton, the comedic heroics of GloZell Green! One year later, we find ourselves rolling in laughter this morning as we watch her newest video over and over and over again! So, for those who don’t know GloZell, we thought we’d show you a few of our favorite, more recent videos and revisit our interview below…

1. You have been termed the “Queen of YouTube” with over 600 videos. How did you get started on YouTube?
I have 853 Videos honey. I was uploading my videos through Goggle and it was so slow on my computer so I started up loading on You Tube in order to post on my blog (GloZelllovesjayleno.blogspot.com) and one day. I noticed that I had comments on You Tube. And it kept growing and growing. My blog was named after Jay Leno because I was attending the Tonight Show with Jay Leno everyday. I did that for a little over 2 years oh that’s where you got the 600 from. I went to over 600 live freezing taping of the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

2. You identify yourself as a stand-up comedienne? Who are three of your role models in the field of comedy?
I do.. well I pretend to be an Stand-up. I tell stories of what really happened to me and people crack up. I don’t feel like I tell jokes. I loVe Carol Burnett, Phyllis Diller, Betty White (wait I better mention some black people)Whoopi, Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby, (okay I’m going back) Robin Williams, Lucille Ball, Tom Conway, Jay Leno, Dave Chapplle, EDDIE MURPHY, The Wayans from In Living Color, Saturday Night Live Cast…. the list goes on and on.

3. We think your funniest video is the Rhianna “Rude Boy” video. Where do you get your inspiration for your videos?
I have a friend (Leslie) who analyzes everything. And she was talking about THE THONG SONG and how passionate the singer was about thongs. Inside I was cracking up. 10 plus years later. I hear these Songs…by Ke$ha then Rude Boy after we know Rhianna was with a Chris Brown. The Rudest boy she ever had. ( As far as we know)

4. Recently, Perez Hilton posted you on his website. What did it feel like to be validated by the consummate social reviewer Perez?
AMAZING… like being told you are going to LIVE!!!! He justified my talent to the world. I have millions of hits because of him.

Click here to read the rest of our GloZell interview All Hail the NEW QUEEN of Comedy!

Enjoy…
Be Yourself.  Be Fearless.  Be Your Own Unexpected Luxury.

Follow Us:



*Photo from GloZell’s Official Fan Page on Facebook

Gregory Gorgeous is Living Like No One Is Watching!

We have spent hours upon hours watching YouTube videos, following our favorites and waiting for them to post their next video. Hell, we even started our own YouTube channel! One night we came across Gregory Gorgeous’ videos on his channel and we were instantly entranced. If you’ve watched a lot of YouTube videos you realize quickly that these “personalities” either have it…or they don’t. With over 13 million upload views and over 3.3 million channel views, Gregory Gorgeous definitely has it. But what exactly is it that makes us drawn to some YouTubers more than others. For us, his absolute sincerity, beauty, candor and especially his sense of humor made us hungry for more and by early the next day we had watched every single video. We started by watching a video on haters and we immediately fell in love with his confidence and the strong message he sent to his viewers as he almost relished in the fact that he was able to live the life he wanted, unabashed, while “haters” wrote nasty and vile comments, leaving him only to assume that they were intimidated by him. God, this was awesome! Where did this kid come from? We knew instantly he was going to one day be starring in national ad campaigns for makeup companies an fashion houses as well as starring in indie films; possibly even having his own television reality show. After five years of YouTube videos, he is currently starring in the web-based, YouTube, reality series The Avenue, produced by Fisher/Morris productions. After hours and hours of watching his videos, two things are very, very clear. One, he is absolutely infectious and contagious! We just can’t get enough. Coining the phrase, “You know what I mean?”, we find ourselves laughing about things he has said and wishing he was one of our best friends, hanging out and driving around with us. (Yes Greg, that is an invitation!) The second thing that is certain is that he is absolutely “Gorgeous”, with or without makeup. As we watched his makeup tutorial videos, we could not believe how good he looked made up, holding his favorite purse and walking in his favorite pair of shoes. But as we watched some of his older videos, we turned to each other and laughed. “He’s a really, cute guy!” One thing is sure, he exudes confidence and is self-assured in who he is, making his viewers stronger, wishing they too had the same kind of confidence. And there is much more to come from Gregory Gorgeous. Because, as he says at the end of the season finale of The Avenue, “All I know for sure is that this isn’t the end of my story. It’s just the beginning. The beginning of another chapter.”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TWzq–Dq0g]

We fell in love with you from the first video we saw of you. What compliments do you typically receive from people?

Well people often offer compliments regarding my makeup. I do spend quite a bit of time on my makeup so I always really appreciate compliments about that.

On your videos, you have stated that you get some negative comments from people. What do you do with this negativity and does it ever affect you?
There are always going to be haters honestly, I try not to let it get to me. It’s always interesting to see what people are going to say about the videos that I post and I appreciate their interest and opinions. I never let it affect me though, it’s part of being a YouTube personality.

What do you believe are three things it takes to have a successful YouTube following?
I think that the best advice I could give someone is to stay true to yourself, talk with your audience, and have fun! That is what I have done and it’s been an amazing experience overall.

Currently you’re working on a reality series on YouTube called “The Avenue”? Can you tell us about this project and where people can find it.
The Avenue is a project I was approached about almost a year ago. It’s an online reality-based TV show that follows me and four other girls around Toronto. There’s a lot of drama but it also shows my fans what I do everyday. You can catch the first season at www.theavenueshow.com

If you could only listen to three CD’s for the rest of your life and they couldn’t be mixed, what would they be?
Oh that’s tough… I would have to say: Spice Girls, Britney Spears, and 50 Cent: Get Rich or Die Tryin’!

What are your three favorite television shows, magazines and fashion designers? Movies?

The Game, America’s Next Top Model, Wendy Williams
Vanity Fair, Vogue, Glamour
Alexander McQueen, Balamari, DSquared
Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Titanic, Mean Girls

If you’re here for a greater and deeper purpose, what do you think it is?
I think that ever since I can remember I’ve wanted to help people with their self esteem. Life is too short to worry about what everyone else thinks about you. I really want everyone to live like no one is watching.

What are three specific makeup items you will never throw away and are “musts” for you?

Oh God how do I pick just three… Well if I had to choose I would pick foundation, mascara, and bronzer.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXGM8czL9Zg]
Who do you believe are the three most beautiful women alive? Who are the three most beautiful women of all time?
Alive:
Megan Fox
Gwen Stefani
Sofia Vergara

All time:
Marilyn Monroe
Farrah Fawcett
Audrey Hepburn


How do you define “sexy”?
Sexy is confidence. Anyone who exudes confidence will naturally be sexy

What are three things people wouldn’t know about you by looking at you?
I think people would be surprised to know that even though I like dressing up and going out, I do like staying in with friends. Relaxing nights are fun and I definitely make time for them.

If you could go back in time and redo anything you’ve done in your career, what would you consider changing?
That’s difficult… I’m sure if I thought about it I could find something, but I live with no regrets. I’m happy where I am right now and it’s the choices you make that shape you.

Who would be the perfect man for you?

Well I like them muscular so I’d say either 50 cent or Ryan Reynolds.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueTTTb6nVXI]
You’ve done tons of question videos. What’s a question you’ve never been asked that you wished you were asked and answer the question.
People on the internet are psycho and will ask people anything. I have a few questions I wished people wouldn’t have asked me! Haha.

On a guy…boxers, briefs, jockstraps…or nothing at all?

Boxers for sure.

Thanks Greg!
Ciao!
Eyes Open, We’re Watching!

*Special Thanks to Gregory Gorgeous and Stephane Pares/Talent Representative/Fisher Morris Productions
Photographs From the Gregory Gorgeous Facebook Fan Page

WARNING: We allow 100 words or less of content per interview to be taken and used, with a link to our original interview, without our authorization. Content larger than 100 words or copying our entire interview without our authorization to be used in ANY manner will result in our taking legal action per copyright infringement.

GloZell…All Hail the NEW QUEEN of Comedy!

We found her totally by accident. A friend had posted her infamous translation of Rihanna’s “Rude Boy” video from YouTube on his Facebook page, like many others, and a star was born. It didn’t hurt that Perez Hilton found her as well, fell in love with her and thus the rest was history. For the last two months, we’ve pulled out our phones constantly to show our friends her videos on YouTube. We knew instantly, with her clicking tongue and her reference to Alcoholics Anonymous as “Triple A Meetings”, she was a comedic sight to be reckoned and revered, knowing no boundaries as she creates absolutely hilarious characters and undercuts celebrities so right on that you know she’s in trouble if she meets the likes of Rhianna, Ke$ha or Sandra Bullock. Or maybe they are the ones in trouble…she seems to be able to hold her own.

But what we love about her most, is that she isn’t just someone we want to watch videos of on YouTube…we want to call her up at 5 on a Saturday and say, “Hey Girl, what time we picking you up and which wig are you wearing. New hair Mama?” She’s the friend you want next to you to make your day go faster. We can easily imagine our weekends filled with car loads of laughter…(This is an invite Glozella Baby!)

Whatever her future holds(probably quite a bit since some of her videos have garnished over 4 Million views!!!)we wanted to find out more about her ride to fame so far…and what exactly, is hidden underneath all of those amazing wigs!!! But before we find out…enjoy one of her most hilarious videos and see all of her videos on YouTube at GloZell’s Reality Show Life!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL6_WFUQJ5E]

1. You have been termed the “Queen of YouTube” with over 600 videos. How did you get started on YouTube?
I have 853 Videos honey. I was uploading my videos through Goggle and it was so slow on my computer so I started up loading on You Tube in order to post on my blog (GloZelllovesjayleno.blogspot.com) and one day. I noticed that I had comments on You Tube. And it kept growing and growing. My blog was named after Jay Leno because I was attending the Tonight Show with Jay Leno everyday. I did that for a little over 2 years oh that’s where you got the 600 from. I went to over 600 live freezing taping of the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

2. You identify yourself as a stand-up comedienne? Who are three of your role models in the field of comedy?
I do.. well I pretend to be an Stand-up. I tell stories of what really happened to me and people crack up. I don’t feel like I tell jokes. I loVe Carol Burnett, Phyllis Diller, Betty White (wait I better mention some black people)Whoopi, Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby, (okay I’m going back) Robin Williams, Lucille Ball, Tom Conway, Jay Leno, Dave Chapplle, EDDIE MURPHY, The Wayans from In Living Color, Saturday Night Live Cast…. the list goes on and on.

3. We think your funniest video is the Rhianna “Rude Boy” video. Where do you get your inspiration for your videos?
I have a friend (Leslie) who analyzes everything. And she was talking about THE THONG SONG and how passionate the singer was about thongs. Inside I was cracking up. 10 plus years later. I hear these Songs…by Ke$ha then Rude Boy after we know Rhianna was with a Chris Brown. The Rudest boy she ever had. ( As far as we know)

4. Recently, Perez Hilton posted you on his website. What did it feel like to be validated by the consummate social reviewer Perez?
AMAZING… like being told you are going to LIVE!!!! He justified my talent to the world. I have millions of hits because of him.

5. What is too funny to laugh about?
Nothing.

6. Has your humor ever gotten you through difficult situations in your life? How would you recommend to others to utilize their humor in their own lives?
OH YES… anything that has passion behind it… someone that you cant stand, that horrible job/boss, family, relationships, any difficult situation can be made funny because its so real and believable. Anything you have gone though someone else has also.

7. When will YOU know you’ve made it?
When I’m on T.V. I loVe that ole’ box.

8. What are the three funniest movies of all time?
I always wanted to do a remake of Richard Pryor’s movie THE TOY. Friday, Borat, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Neapolitan Dynamite, Boomerang, Waiting for Guffman, Ace Ventura Pet Detective…the list goes on. (Sorry you said three)

9. Who are three celebrities you haven’t met but would love to meet?
(I met Michael Jackson that would be my first 10 slots) (I will be meeting Perez Hilton tomorrow) Hmmmm Oprah, Howard Stern, Carrol Burnett ( Some list huh? LOL)

10. What three celebrities are almost too easy to make fun of?
The young starlets… they are very creative in getting attention. So it’s endless commentary. Ha ha ha.

11. Have you ever received hate mail regarding your videos?
WHAT? YES… my character Kelonda not you Momma… death threats.

12. We are sure someday you will have your own television show. If you did what would you call it?
Thank you very much. “The GloZell Show”

13. We love that in your videos there is always a wig in the background. How many wigs do you own and which is your favorite? Do your wigs give you different personality traits when you where them?
Ha ha ha … you really do watch my videos. I have about 20 wigs. The most famous the Tracy Kool-aide hair wig. That’s from the over 4 Million hit video “My Push up bra will help me get my man back” Yes they all have a different personality and names.

14. If you weren’t in the arts industry, what would you be doing?
Crying in a corner somewhere! I would be a Music Teacher. I have a Bachelors of Fine Arts from the University of Florida. (excuse me, it’s a must) GO GATORS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

15. GloZell for President in 2012…What are the three platforms you support?
Freedom of speech, Freedom of Love whom ever you want, Freedom of we can agree to disagree and one more. All you can eat Buffets everywhere.

16. You say on your videos, “I don’t judge it”. What is one thing you do judge?
People who want to hate and be mean just for the sake of being mean and nasty. I don’t mind anyone having a different opinion. Plus people hate the opinion of a made up character? I’m like hey… it’s listed under COMEDY.

17. Our dream would be to have a GloZell video about the boys of raannt. If you were to do one about us, what would you talk about?
I would talk about how hot you are, and I’m sure you will give me some hints as to what you want covered…LoL.

18. Have you met Kesha and if not, what would you say to her if you did?
You know… I KNOW that day is coming… I just feel it. I would say… girl you know your lyrics is Jacked up… and she will say no Jack Daniels ha ha ha.

19. What about Rhianna?
She would probably take me down before I could say anything. They all know I’m right though!

20. What are your three personal favorite videos you have done?
Ke$ha Tik Tok Lyric Translation, Rhianna Rude Boy Lyric Translation, My Push up Bra will help me get my man back.

21. On men…boxers, briefs, jockstraps…or nothing at all?
NOTHING AT ALL … YEAH!

OK GloZell…We’re waiting for OUR SEXY Video…haha!!!…Love ya Gal!, Peace and Blessings…Peace and Blessings!!!

To Keep Up With GloZell Follow Her Blog HERE!

Eyes Open…We’re Watching!