This interview was conducted on April 16, 2020, by Lavgup.
Girbeagly is a YouTuber with over 36,000 subscribers.
Q1: How and when did you discover YouTube?
- I discovered YouTube long before I started making my own videos, probably sometime in 2008. Some friends showed me a few Ryan Higa videos, so it was where I went to watch comedy content.
Q2: Do you remember what the first video you ever watched on YouTube is?
- Ryan Higa's "Asian Boy - Yank Dat Cameltoe". It was horrible, because it's all my friends sang to me for weeks.
Q3: How many videos do you estimate you have watched?
- Absolutely no way of knowing, but it’s got to be in the thousands. I’ve slowed down in recent years, since I focus on activities outside of YouTube to keep myself more balanced.
Q4: Which YouTuber(s) do you enjoy watching the most right now?
- I'll always have a soft spot for one of my best friends Ethan (both his main CrankGameplays channel and the stuff he’s doing for Unus Annus), but lately I’ve been very into video essay channels like Jenny Nicholson and Defunctland!
Q5: Who is the most subscribed YouTuber that subscribes to you?
- I honestly don't know which friends are subbed to me, but a handful of my friends have millions of subscribers, so possibly one of them!
Q6: Who was the first YouTube channel you were a fan of?
- I got very, very into the sketch comedy of Ryan Higa and his crew. Around the same time, I got into SeaNanners' Let’s Play videos and was obsessed with that format.
Q7: What genre do you think is the best/most enjoyable on YouTube right now?
- I absolutely love video essays - they’re entertaining, often witty, and I get to learn something new with each one I watch. At the same time, I know that’s incredibly subjective, since a lot of people like more mindless content, which I totally get, I’m just a boomer.
Q8: You have over 36 thousand subscribers, did you ever think you’d have that many?
- Absolutely not. The fact more people than my mom and my girlfriend have given my content a chance is wild to me, but I’m unbelievably grateful.
Q9: Your most viewed video has over 86 thousand views, did you ever think it’d have that many, why do you think it has that many?
- I’m disappointed but not surprised that video has so many views, since the concept of it alone is so bizarre and very "edgy". It blew up only because I managed to record it right before PewDiePie (and a few other big names) covered it and the algorithm sent waves of people my way.
Q10: Do you wish to pursue your career in voice acting even further?
- 100%! It’s been my dream since I was a kid and the fact I’m getting any roles at all is overwhelming in the best way!
Q11: What/who inspired you to create content on YouTube for over 7 years now?
- My girlfriend Morgan has been with me forever (12 years!) and has watched me play video games for the entirety of that time. We got very into Let's Plays together because of people like SeaNanners, Markiplier, etc. and she pointed out that I NEVER stop talking over video games while playing them for her, much like a Let’s Play. Without her encouragement to start, I never would have tried to make people laugh the way my early inspirations did for me and I’d never be where I am today.
Q12: You’ve been on YouTube for over 7 years now, did you ever think you would be creating content for this long?
- Honestly, I think deep down I knew I’d be making content forever - since the first time I put a camera on myself, nerves and all, I loved the feeling of sharing some of myself with the world. I just never expected to actually become a full-time creator!
Q13: What advice would you give to someone who is trying to make videos on YouTube?
- This is incredibly cliche, but just do it and be yourself. People don't want to watch someone obsessed with getting high numbers or putting on an act. Get used to being on camera first and foremost - understand how you look, sound, act, etc. while presenting yourself in the most comfortable way that’s true to you. People looking for the type of content you create will find you and stick around for who you are, rough edges and all, as you work towards improving.
Q14: Do you edit your own videos? If so, how long does it take?
- I do! Depending on the type of video, it can take anywhere from an hour to most of the day. I tend to stick to a fast, loose Let’s Play format for convenience and speed if my week is crammed, though!
Q15: Do you design your own thumbnails? If so, how long does that take?
- I design them, but up until I got some recent constructive criticism from my Unus Annus friends, I wasn’t putting any effort into them. My thumbs lately take anywhere from 5 - 20 minutes, depending on how much Photoshop magic I need.
Q16: Do you watch your videos after uploading them?
- I quickly scrub/skim through them, just to make sure there aren’t any errors, but I generally don’t watch them in their entirety. 7 years at this and I still don’t like the sound of my own voice.
Q17: What’s your favourite thing about being a YouTuber?
- I love the community it’s connected me to. I’ve met literally thousands of fans and dozens of friends, all because I started sharing my humor, passion, and interests with the world! The sense of togetherness is intense and awesome.
Q18: How long do you think YouTube will last for?
- Google has more money than God, so I’d say indefinitely. People are always hungry for the type of convenient, ready-to-consume content that video platforms like YouTube provide. It’s also the biggest fish in the proverbial pond, so audiences are very comfortable and familiar with going there for their video fix.
Q19: If you were the CEO of YouTube, what would you change?
- I'd open up more communication with creators driving traffic to the site. I understand the business side of everything, where a lot of investors get to call the shots, but as a creator, it kind of sucks to have features changed/implemented that even my most influential friends on the platform are surprised by.
Q20: Do you think it’s just a coincidence you received Slytherin both times after taking the Pottermore Sorting quiz?
- Oh, absolutely not. I’m a living, breathing mass of sass. I’m ambitious and try to stay aware of every contingency in life. Even before the official Pottermore quiz, I would almost always get Slytherin, with only a few saying I was on the line between Slytherin and Gryffindor.
Q21: Which gaming console do you recommend playing on?
- I’m a PC player for almost everything, but I really love my Nintendo Switch for fun, casual gaming (i.e. Pokemon and Animal Crossing) and my PS4 for its huge stockpile of fantastic JRPGs and adventure games.
Q22: Why are you scared of needles?
- Like any true phobia, it all started irrationally - I know needles can't really harm me and the pain itself doesn’t bother me much, but there’s something about them that creeps me out beyond words. My parents guess it’s trauma from when I got a big splinter in my foot as a very young kid and they had to hold me down to pry it out with tweezers.
Q23: Has your channel been affected by COPPA?
- Not in the slightest, fortunately.
Q24: Who is your favourite musician, and why?
- I grew up with music being a huge part of my identity and as a result I don't really have many favorite musicians or genres, since I sample from and enjoy everything. The album "Define the Great Line" by the metalcore group Underoath is one of my all-time favorites, however, as it got me through a very rough time in life where I was struggling poorly against my own inner demons.
Q25: How do you feel after raising almost 30 thousand dollars for charity?
- I'm incredibly appreciative of my community for stepping up to help with every charity effort I’ve ever made. At the same time, I know we can do even more. I want to never stop helping others.
Q26: What is your shoe size?
- Men's size 7. I’ve got actual baby feet.
Q27: Do you prefer regular bacon over turkey bacon?
- I don't have a preference, since both are fantastic.
Q28: What’s your favorite color?
- Green, specifically kelly green, as it’s a variation I can see a bit more clearly despite my colorblindness.
Q29: Do you like working from home or at an office?
- I spent a huge amount of my adult life working at an office and hated it. I love being able to work from home, although it does mean my schedule is atrocious at times.
Q30: Have you ever done an interview like this before?
- I've done a handful over the years, but I really enjoyed this one!