YouTube is one of the most popular video-sharing platforms globally, with over two billion monthly active users. It offers individuals an opportunity to showcase their talents, create content, and establish a career as a YouTuber. However, determining who the first famous YouTuber was is not a straightforward task.
YouTube was established in February 2005 by three former PayPal employees: Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim. The platform was initially a video-sharing website where users could upload and share videos. In April 2005, Jawed Karim uploaded the first video on YouTube, which was titled “Me at the zoo.” The video was only 18 seconds long, and it depicted Jawed standing in front of an elephant exhibit at the San Diego Zoo, talking about the elephants’ long trunks.
Although “Me at the zoo” was the first video on YouTube, it did not make Jawed Karim a famous YouTuber. However, it paved the way for numerous YouTube stars in the years to come. Several early YouTubers gained fame, and one of them was Lucas Cruikshank, who played a character called Fred Figglehorn. Fred was a fictional character created by Lucas, who would post videos of himself dressed up as Fred, a high-pitched, hyperactive, and often annoying six-year-old boy. Lucas created the Fred character in 2006, and his videos quickly gained popularity, with millions of views and subscribers.
Fred’s popularity led to a movie deal with Nickelodeon, which released the movie “Fred: The Movie” in 2010. The movie was a hit, and it led to two sequels, “Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred” and “Fred 3: Camp Fred.” Although Lucas’s popularity as Fred has waned over the years, he will always be remembered as one of the first famous YouTubers.
Another early YouTube star was Shane Dawson, who began creating videos in 2008. His unique brand of comedy, which often involved dark humor and satirical commentary on pop culture, quickly gained him a large following. Over the years, Shane has created a variety of content, including comedy sketches, music videos, and even a short-lived TV series.
In 2018, Shane released a documentary series called “The Mind of Jake Paul,” which chronicled the life of controversial YouTuber Jake Paul. The series was a massive hit, and it helped to revitalize Shane’s career, bringing him back into the spotlight and earning him millions of views.
Other notable early YouTubers include iJustine, who began creating videos in 2006 and gained fame for her tech reviews and vlogs, and Smosh, a comedy duo made up of Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla, who began creating videos in 2005 and quickly gained a massive following for their unique brand of humor.
In conclusion, while Jawed Karim’s “Me at the zoo” video was the first video uploaded to YouTube, it did not make him a famous YouTuber. Nevertheless, it opened the doors for numerous YouTube stars, including Lucas Cruikshank, Shane Dawson, iJustine, and Smosh. The platform has allowed many talented individuals to gain exposure and establish a career as a YouTuber. Today, YouTube continues to be a hub for creativity, entertainment, and expression, with many aspiring YouTubers hoping to make their mark on the platform.