10 Noteworthy YouTubers
For many people, YouTube is the world's greatest video-sharing website; to me, it is the world's greatest multi-purpose tool. The phenomenally successful website – founded by three friends – has the power to entertain, excite, inform, enlighten, communicate, cross-pollinate, and awaken. But my list isn't about the website itself, but, rather, about particular YouTubers who have made living on this planet a bit more bearable.
10 Mugumogu (and her cat)
Subscribers: 441,676 (and counting)
We've all watched those "aww look how cute it looks" videos so there's no point denying it. They're here and they're here to stay, which brings me onto number 10 on my list. There are cats that are cute and mischievous – and then there are cats that are cute, mischievous and supertastically (that's probably not even a word, but go with it) clever. And Maru belongs to the latter. Just to be clear, Mugumogu – who's from Japan – is the username of this YouTube channel and Maru (Japanese for circle or round) is her adorable cat, so technically this is a twofold entry.
I don't know if "Mugumogu" is her real name, but I do know that she did the world a great service when she decided to film, and then upload, videos of Maru and his daily antics.
And it's not just members of the YouTube community who have fallen in love with this chubby ball of fur: his fame extends into the mainstream media, mostly in Japan and America, including an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Because of Mugumogu and Maru, my days are now less gloomy, so Thank You to both of you.
9 Jacksfilms
Subscribers: 1,419,630 (and counting)
Jacksfilms was started by John Patrick "Jack" Douglas in 2006 and has since gone from strength to strength. There are people who think they're funny and then there are people like Jack who are funny and entertaining. Let me say that I have watched a number of parodies on YouTube, but his parody of Dexter Morgan (the titular character from the hugely successful TV show) has got to be my favourite.
Jack developed his fascination and love for music and filmmaking in high school, so it's no surprise, then, that he found a natural home at YouTube. His channel isn't just about parodies; the selection includes music videos, sketches and videos where the man himself sassily responds to some of the questions sent by…err, let's just say his more grammatically-challenged fans.
And the fact that he has his own Wikipedia entry shows just how far he has risen on the ladder of life – way above us averagelings (hey, I think I just invented another word). Jack seems to be very fun to work with, and is part of a growing number of people who are making some serious money from YouTube.
8 Matthew Santoro
Subscribers: 708,842 (and counting)
Matt, as he's known, has dedicated his channel to videos that brilliantly intermingle interesting stories, awesome facts and other…well, interesting and awesome things. His "50 Amazing Facts to Blow Your Mind" videos are always a pleasure to watch, as well as all his other videos. Their brilliance, I believe, comes from the way how he infuses a personal touch of comedy – including some double acting – into them.
Having checked out his Facebook page, I can say he definitely has a professional set up in his home, where he makes all his videos. That's just one of the many great things about YouTube: it allows people – I think it's fair to say talented people – to pretty much set up their own "studio" in their own homes and get on the YouTube bandwagon. And this trend of people becoming "YouTube celebrities" certainly isn't showing any signs of waning. Keep them coming, Matt!
7 Silverfish VT
Subscribers: 6,901 (and counting)
Definitely one of lesser known of the entries, but no less informative. I came across Silverfish VT (I think "VT" stands for Vermont) when I became more interested in investing in precious metals, mostly silver. As we all know, YouTube is like an exotic marketplace where one can find a dizzying variety of the weird and wonderful, everything from creepypastas to do-it-yourself tutorials. So, then, it was no surprise that I came across a community of investors who invest in precious metals.
You have to view YouTube as a vast plain, where each bit of territory is ready to be "claimed" by a particular group of like-minded people, whether it's a bunch of people who like to share and discuss videos relating to the increasing role that the private-sector is playing in space exploration, or whether it's investors who want to share videos of them unboxing their latest silver and/or gold purchases and videos discussing the importance of adding this asset class to your portfolio. But Silverfish VT's channel isn't only about precious metals; it's also about empowering people by helping them reclaim their finances. And if it's one thing that the global recession has taught me, it is to become more financially literate and get back as much control of whatever money I have – in fact, that's the main reason that pushed me towards researching precious metals in the first place.
He seems to possess an innate ability to connect things and people that would otherwise share no connection, and then linking them back to precious metals or personal wealth, or something of that nature. Thanks to Silverfish VT, and other like-minded investors on YouTube, I am now much better equipped in terms of knowledge on precious metals and building personal wealth.
6 Crazy Russian Hacker
Subscribers: 1,613,790 (and counting)
cool science experiments
That's what it says on his YouTube channel's "About" section, and you can't get more compact and precise than that! Okay, where do I start? Every one of his videos is a reminder of either how cool science can be or how little we know about the world. It's really amazing how much I've already learnt from this man. His videos are very appealing to people from different age brackets; young, old and everyone in between. I don't really know where he picked up these science tricks and know-how from, but we should thank him anyway.
So whether you're watching one of his videos where he explains how we have been doing something in particular wrong, or a science experiment video, or a how-to video, you're guaranteed to be given an equal dose of amazement and amusement – unless you have no personality whatsoever. And who knows? You may even become a more enlightened human being at the end.
5 Think Fact
Subscribers: 7,447 (and counting)
Think Fact isn't the only YouTuber who poses, and then answers, some pretty interesting and intriguing questions, but he is very good at showing things from a different perspective. It's run by a guy called "Dale" and young (and believe me he is young) Dale clearly has a fascination with a lot of subjects and topics – which is great! You see, I don't see a lot of people from his age bracket show interest of anything outside the area of petty and trivial matters (I hope I'm not being too harsh).
As I've said, he's able to show things and people from different angles, and in doing so makes you think differently, perhaps more accurately. This is important because the world is so complex that it makes absolutely no sense to look at these complexities from a black and white lens. Who knows? You may even come to like what you previously disliked, or vice-versa.
His "What Is Your Country's National Personification" video is one of my favourites. And to top things, he even has a background video on my all-time favourite YouTuber, Vsauce (more on him a little later).
4 Rob Dyke
Subscribers: 334,868 (and counting)
The man with the moustache. Rob's definitely not afraid to hold back any punches – nor should he be. I really enjoy his commentary on the ridiculous, bizarre and sad things that he covers on his YouTube channel. One visit to his YouTube homepage would show that he's clearly fascinated with the stranger side of life, which is great since I share that same fascination. And a quick look at many of his videos would show how brilliant he is at channelling the frustrations and anger of modern life towards creating his funny and tempered YouTube videos. I actually share some of his frustrations about the lunacies and idiocies of the modern world. I highly recommend his "Why Would You Put That on the Internet?" web series. However, I do want to mention that he is considered a bit too conservative for some people, but that shouldn't really bother anyone – unless you have a serious aversion to conservatives.
3 Jesse Ventura
Subscribers: 40,900 (and counting)
If more politicians in the world were like Jesse "The Body" Ventura, then the world would be a radically different place. Actor, author, politician, U.S. Navy Underwater Demolition Team member, veteran and former professional wrestler – this is a man with some heavyweight (did you just see what I did there?) credits under his belt.
Yes, it's fair to say that Jesse is a controversial American politician and that he clearly has an agenda: to dig deep into the ugliness of politics to get to the truth – or at least try to. His videos aren't just rants against injustice and the crimes of the rich and powerful, as he also likes to invite some interesting guests to talk about topics that are seldom covered by the mainstream media. What's also interesting is that he actually broadcasts his "off the grid" videos from Mexico, a place, he says, where drones won't be able to find him. Paranoid or not, the man clearly believes in his cause. He obviously feels very passionate about a number of issues, not just those affecting his country, which makes him even more likable as a human being.
2 WatchMojo
Subscribers: 3,607,684 (and counting)
The folks at WatchMojo are so proficient at what they do (making Top 10 videos) that I'm surprised they don't have more subscribers, or their own TV show, for that matter. I can't actually remember how I came across this YouTube channel, but boy am I glad I did. WatchMojo is now my first go-to place whenever I want to kill some time. And judging by the number of their subscribers, I'm not the only one. They already have their own professional-looking website and I recommend checking that out. I can actually envision Watch Mojo getting bigger and better.
They now have a huge selection of Top 10 videos (e.g. "Top 10 TV Drama Pilot Episodes", "Top 10 Conquerors", "Top 10 Evil Movie Laughs", "Top 10 Fictional Islands", etc.). They even allow people – that's right, ordinary people like me and you – to suggest Top 10 ideas for future videos. That's what I call democracy in action!
1 Vsauce
Subscribers: 7,152,032 (and counting)
And, finally, we've come to my favourite YouTuber of all time. With well over 7 million subscribers (the largest out of all my entries), this is a dude who definitely knows what he's doing. Vsauce was started by Michael Stevens, a man who is a walking, talking factory of cool facts. It's people like Michael who make science and knowledge-seeking look and sound awesome.
To call the quality and content of his YouTube channel great and interesting would be an understatement. His channel is super-duper and mind-blowing; basically it's in a league of its own. And as far as I know, he's the only YouTuber on my list who has actually given a TEDTalk. Michael is a very knowledgeable and likable guy. And the fact that he loves to share his acquired knowledge with the rest of the world makes him one of the coolest guys in the world.
If you were to go to his YouTube homepage, you would see the slogan:
"Our World is Amazing"
Indeed, it really is.
10 Mugumogu (and her cat)
Subscribers: 441,676 (and counting)
We've all watched those "aww look how cute it looks" videos so there's no point denying it. They're here and they're here to stay, which brings me onto number 10 on my list. There are cats that are cute and mischievous – and then there are cats that are cute, mischievous and supertastically (that's probably not even a word, but go with it) clever. And Maru belongs to the latter. Just to be clear, Mugumogu – who's from Japan – is the username of this YouTube channel and Maru (Japanese for circle or round) is her adorable cat, so technically this is a twofold entry.
I don't know if "Mugumogu" is her real name, but I do know that she did the world a great service when she decided to film, and then upload, videos of Maru and his daily antics.
And it's not just members of the YouTube community who have fallen in love with this chubby ball of fur: his fame extends into the mainstream media, mostly in Japan and America, including an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Because of Mugumogu and Maru, my days are now less gloomy, so Thank You to both of you.
9 Jacksfilms
Subscribers: 1,419,630 (and counting)
Jacksfilms was started by John Patrick "Jack" Douglas in 2006 and has since gone from strength to strength. There are people who think they're funny and then there are people like Jack who are funny and entertaining. Let me say that I have watched a number of parodies on YouTube, but his parody of Dexter Morgan (the titular character from the hugely successful TV show) has got to be my favourite.
Jack developed his fascination and love for music and filmmaking in high school, so it's no surprise, then, that he found a natural home at YouTube. His channel isn't just about parodies; the selection includes music videos, sketches and videos where the man himself sassily responds to some of the questions sent by…err, let's just say his more grammatically-challenged fans.
And the fact that he has his own Wikipedia entry shows just how far he has risen on the ladder of life – way above us averagelings (hey, I think I just invented another word). Jack seems to be very fun to work with, and is part of a growing number of people who are making some serious money from YouTube.
8 Matthew Santoro
Subscribers: 708,842 (and counting)
Matt, as he's known, has dedicated his channel to videos that brilliantly intermingle interesting stories, awesome facts and other…well, interesting and awesome things. His "50 Amazing Facts to Blow Your Mind" videos are always a pleasure to watch, as well as all his other videos. Their brilliance, I believe, comes from the way how he infuses a personal touch of comedy – including some double acting – into them.
Having checked out his Facebook page, I can say he definitely has a professional set up in his home, where he makes all his videos. That's just one of the many great things about YouTube: it allows people – I think it's fair to say talented people – to pretty much set up their own "studio" in their own homes and get on the YouTube bandwagon. And this trend of people becoming "YouTube celebrities" certainly isn't showing any signs of waning. Keep them coming, Matt!
7 Silverfish VT
Subscribers: 6,901 (and counting)
Definitely one of lesser known of the entries, but no less informative. I came across Silverfish VT (I think "VT" stands for Vermont) when I became more interested in investing in precious metals, mostly silver. As we all know, YouTube is like an exotic marketplace where one can find a dizzying variety of the weird and wonderful, everything from creepypastas to do-it-yourself tutorials. So, then, it was no surprise that I came across a community of investors who invest in precious metals.
You have to view YouTube as a vast plain, where each bit of territory is ready to be "claimed" by a particular group of like-minded people, whether it's a bunch of people who like to share and discuss videos relating to the increasing role that the private-sector is playing in space exploration, or whether it's investors who want to share videos of them unboxing their latest silver and/or gold purchases and videos discussing the importance of adding this asset class to your portfolio. But Silverfish VT's channel isn't only about precious metals; it's also about empowering people by helping them reclaim their finances. And if it's one thing that the global recession has taught me, it is to become more financially literate and get back as much control of whatever money I have – in fact, that's the main reason that pushed me towards researching precious metals in the first place.
He seems to possess an innate ability to connect things and people that would otherwise share no connection, and then linking them back to precious metals or personal wealth, or something of that nature. Thanks to Silverfish VT, and other like-minded investors on YouTube, I am now much better equipped in terms of knowledge on precious metals and building personal wealth.
6 Crazy Russian Hacker
Subscribers: 1,613,790 (and counting)
cool science experiments
That's what it says on his YouTube channel's "About" section, and you can't get more compact and precise than that! Okay, where do I start? Every one of his videos is a reminder of either how cool science can be or how little we know about the world. It's really amazing how much I've already learnt from this man. His videos are very appealing to people from different age brackets; young, old and everyone in between. I don't really know where he picked up these science tricks and know-how from, but we should thank him anyway.
So whether you're watching one of his videos where he explains how we have been doing something in particular wrong, or a science experiment video, or a how-to video, you're guaranteed to be given an equal dose of amazement and amusement – unless you have no personality whatsoever. And who knows? You may even become a more enlightened human being at the end.
5 Think Fact
Subscribers: 7,447 (and counting)
Think Fact isn't the only YouTuber who poses, and then answers, some pretty interesting and intriguing questions, but he is very good at showing things from a different perspective. It's run by a guy called "Dale" and young (and believe me he is young) Dale clearly has a fascination with a lot of subjects and topics – which is great! You see, I don't see a lot of people from his age bracket show interest of anything outside the area of petty and trivial matters (I hope I'm not being too harsh).
As I've said, he's able to show things and people from different angles, and in doing so makes you think differently, perhaps more accurately. This is important because the world is so complex that it makes absolutely no sense to look at these complexities from a black and white lens. Who knows? You may even come to like what you previously disliked, or vice-versa.
His "What Is Your Country's National Personification" video is one of my favourites. And to top things, he even has a background video on my all-time favourite YouTuber, Vsauce (more on him a little later).
4 Rob Dyke
Subscribers: 334,868 (and counting)
The man with the moustache. Rob's definitely not afraid to hold back any punches – nor should he be. I really enjoy his commentary on the ridiculous, bizarre and sad things that he covers on his YouTube channel. One visit to his YouTube homepage would show that he's clearly fascinated with the stranger side of life, which is great since I share that same fascination. And a quick look at many of his videos would show how brilliant he is at channelling the frustrations and anger of modern life towards creating his funny and tempered YouTube videos. I actually share some of his frustrations about the lunacies and idiocies of the modern world. I highly recommend his "Why Would You Put That on the Internet?" web series. However, I do want to mention that he is considered a bit too conservative for some people, but that shouldn't really bother anyone – unless you have a serious aversion to conservatives.
3 Jesse Ventura
Subscribers: 40,900 (and counting)
If more politicians in the world were like Jesse "The Body" Ventura, then the world would be a radically different place. Actor, author, politician, U.S. Navy Underwater Demolition Team member, veteran and former professional wrestler – this is a man with some heavyweight (did you just see what I did there?) credits under his belt.
Yes, it's fair to say that Jesse is a controversial American politician and that he clearly has an agenda: to dig deep into the ugliness of politics to get to the truth – or at least try to. His videos aren't just rants against injustice and the crimes of the rich and powerful, as he also likes to invite some interesting guests to talk about topics that are seldom covered by the mainstream media. What's also interesting is that he actually broadcasts his "off the grid" videos from Mexico, a place, he says, where drones won't be able to find him. Paranoid or not, the man clearly believes in his cause. He obviously feels very passionate about a number of issues, not just those affecting his country, which makes him even more likable as a human being.
2 WatchMojo
Subscribers: 3,607,684 (and counting)
The folks at WatchMojo are so proficient at what they do (making Top 10 videos) that I'm surprised they don't have more subscribers, or their own TV show, for that matter. I can't actually remember how I came across this YouTube channel, but boy am I glad I did. WatchMojo is now my first go-to place whenever I want to kill some time. And judging by the number of their subscribers, I'm not the only one. They already have their own professional-looking website and I recommend checking that out. I can actually envision Watch Mojo getting bigger and better.
They now have a huge selection of Top 10 videos (e.g. "Top 10 TV Drama Pilot Episodes", "Top 10 Conquerors", "Top 10 Evil Movie Laughs", "Top 10 Fictional Islands", etc.). They even allow people – that's right, ordinary people like me and you – to suggest Top 10 ideas for future videos. That's what I call democracy in action!
1 Vsauce
Subscribers: 7,152,032 (and counting)
And, finally, we've come to my favourite YouTuber of all time. With well over 7 million subscribers (the largest out of all my entries), this is a dude who definitely knows what he's doing. Vsauce was started by Michael Stevens, a man who is a walking, talking factory of cool facts. It's people like Michael who make science and knowledge-seeking look and sound awesome.
To call the quality and content of his YouTube channel great and interesting would be an understatement. His channel is super-duper and mind-blowing; basically it's in a league of its own. And as far as I know, he's the only YouTuber on my list who has actually given a TEDTalk. Michael is a very knowledgeable and likable guy. And the fact that he loves to share his acquired knowledge with the rest of the world makes him one of the coolest guys in the world.
If you were to go to his YouTube homepage, you would see the slogan:
"Our World is Amazing"
Indeed, it really is.
