Wikitubia:Interviews/Jimi the Hobo

This interview was conducted via email on May 20, 2017 by Aidan Dunphy

Jimi the Hobo is a YouTuber with over 27,500 subscribers as of May 23, 2017.

Q1: How and when did you discover YouTube?


 * How do you expect me to remember where and when I discovered YouTube? I have been a YouTube user probably for at least ten years.

Q2: Can you remember what the first YouTube video that you ever watch was?


 * No I can't say for certain but one old video that sticks in my mind was titled All Your Base Are Belong To Us.

Q3: Can you remember what the first video game that you ever played was?


 * Not certain but probably Pong on Atari.

Q4: How many YouTube videos do you think you've watched in your lifetime?


 * Thousands and thousands.

Q5: How many YouTube channels do you think you are subscribed to?


 * I fluctuate probably between 40 to 100 channels.

Q6: Who was the first YouTuber that you were a fan of?


 * The first channel I was a fan of was probably crabbydogtrix or now better known as Charlie McGrath. Rest In Peace Charlie.

'''Q7: Who influence you to make YouTube videos? '''


 * Nobody influenced me to make videos. But now my viewers inspire me to continue on.

Q8: Currently who is your favorite YouTuber or YouTubers?


 * I don't have a favorite YouTube creator. Everyone combined that I watch makes YouTube special for me.

Q9: What do you think about the new YouTube Advertiser-Friendly content guidelines?


 * YouTube needs to work on itself and policies. This should be a free and open platform for all creators and the creators shouldn't be worried they will be penalized under YouTube's unclear and confusing guidelines.

Q10: How did you come up with Jimi the Hobo as your YouTube channel name?


 * In my very first video I introduced myself to YouTube by saying "Hello everyone. My name is Jimi. I guess you can call me Jimi the tramp, because I am homeless..." I just thought that is what I will call the channel "Jimi the Tramp".

Q11: Was Jimi the Hobo your YouTube channel name when you first created your YouTube channel?


 * So originally the channel was called Jimi the Tramp but after only a day or two I changed it to Jimi the Hobo.

Q12: Do you have a favorite and least favourite video that you have uploaded?


 * No, but what is funny is the videos that I often think are good my viewers don't like, and the videos I hate the viewers love.

Q13: What is your favorite part about having a YouTube channel and being a YouTuber?


 * My favorite part about YouTube is my viewers. My viewers have helped me in so many ways. By that I mean they have given me moral support, advice and even financial help.

Q14: Do you play video games in your free time, if so what games?


 * I used to love playing video games but I am no longer a gamer. One of my last favorites was Hitman.

Q15: What do you use to record and edit your videos?


 * I currently use GoPro 3 Black, GoPro 4 Black, Canon 80D, and the DJI Mavic Pro for recording. I do all my video editing with Cyberlink PowerDirector 15.

Q16: Do you watch your own videos after you upload them?


 * I do. Mainly to insure my editing was done properly and that I didn't leave anything in by accident that I don't want there. I know I should review my videos ahead of time but I often find myself in a hurry to get them uploaded.

Q17: Does any of your family members watch your videos?


 * Yes, numerous family members watch.

Q18: Do you make a living from YouTube, if not what is your occupation?


 * I make money off of YouTube but it is not my sole source of income. Currently the majority of my income is from investing.

Q19: What U.S. states have you visited in your lifetime?


 * I have been to California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida. I plan to visit Hawaii with my daughters in the summer of 2017.

Q20: What countries have you visited in your lifetime?


 * I have been to Thailand, Cambodia, Mexico, Ireland, England, France and Italy. I may be visiting the Netherlands for my first time in the summer of 2017.

Q21: If you were the CEO of YouTube right now is there anything that you would add or change to or about YouTube?


 * I would place restrictions on how many accounts a user can have or make users verify/identify themselves. I would do this to cut down on troll accounts. Stalkers and harassment is a big problem on YouTube and it is impossible to get rid of these lowlifes because of YouTube's bad policies on this matter. A creator can block a troll and the troll can just go and create a new account within seconds and go right back to harassing the creator.

Q22: If you were the founder of YouTube would you have named it YouTube or something else?


 * I would have named it HoboTube.

Q23: Do you think YouTube should make a play button other then it's current 100,000 subscriber, 1 million subscriber, and 10 million subscriber play buttons?


 * They set the bar really high for creators. The little guys should get recognition as well. Some of the best content in my opinion comes from channels with low subscriber rates.

Q24: You currently have over 27,600 subscribers, did you ever think you would have that many subscribers?


 * I never thought my channel would grow so large. It has turned into something beyond my wildest dreams.

Q25: In about the last month you lost over 300 subscribers, why do you think your channel is losing subscribers?


 * My story has changed greatly and I addressed this question in one of my videos titled How I Grew My Channel to Over 29 Thousand Subscribers in Just a Few Months.

Q26: How many subscribers did you have before you started to lose subscribers?


 * I think I had reached a subscriber high of about 29,500.

Q27: You currently have uploaded 110 videos, did you ever think you would have uploaded that many videos?


 * No I never thought I would have uploaded so many videos. Especially so many videos with such revealing content.

Q28: Currently your most viewed video has over 860,000 views, did you ever think one of your videos would have that many views?


 * That video you mentioned was my very first video on YouTube and I never thought that would happen. I was just hoping to reach a few people that I might be able to communicate with while I was living alone in my car.

Q29: What is your lifetime subscriber and video view goal?


 * I don't have goals for subscribers or videos. As long as I stay motivated and people show an interest in what I have to say I will probably just keep making videos.

Q30: What was your lifetime subscriber goal when you first started uploading YouTube videos?


 * I didn't have a goal. I just wanted to reach out to people.

Q31: How long do you think YouTube will last?


 * I think YouTube's longevity depends on how well it treats it's content creators.

Q32: How long do you think you will be uploading YouTube videos?


 * As long as people keep watching.

Q33: Are you planning on going to any YouTube/Gaming conventions?


 * If I was invited to a YouTube convention I would go.

Q34: Have you ever been to a YouTube/Gaming convention before?


 * No, I have never been to a YouTube convention. I never been invited and never known of one in advance.

Q35: What advice would you give to someone who is trying to make videos on YouTube?


 * If a guy living in his car can do it, so can you. You don't need fancy expensive equipment to become a YouTube creator. Use your phone or whatever you have and get started today. Most of all, believe in yourself.

Q36: What is the future for you and your channel?


 * I would like to travel and vlog.

Q37: Have you ever done an interview like this before?


 * I did an interview with one of my subscribers James Cox. https://youtu.be/KkJ8r7et82A.