YouTubing

Television has long been obsolete for me. I spent many years analyzing, reviewing, and occasionally appearing on TV. But with the advent of social media, particularly YouTube, broadcast TV is at best an anachronism.

It’s an age thing. I’m in my mid-60s. I was raised on Bewitched and The Wild Wild West, so I remember what it was like. And weirdly enough, YouTube has plenty of the content I grew up on. Yet it’s the newer (to me) channels that grab my attention.

True Crime

If you enjoy watching human depravity, this is the category for you. There is no shortage of stories about murderers, rapists, child abusers, kidnappers, and a colorful variety of human garbage. These videos are watched by millions. It is perhaps the most popular YouTube genre. Channels like That Chapter and Coffeehouse Crime regularly dwell in the dark basement of psychotic experience. How the hosts endure these grisly stories without screaming into the camera is beyond me.

Then there are the serial killers. Michael O’Donoghue told me that in America, serial killers are treated as celebrities. Some even have movies made about them. Mindhunter on Netflix focused on the more famous ones.

I once pitched my agent and editor on a book about serial killers. I picked up on Michael’s observation and wanted to explore it further. Both rejected it. My agent said I was meant for better subjects, like sports. My editor agreed, so I wrote a sports book. Maybe you’ve read it. All 12 of you.

Sports Bros

These channels consist primarily of guys wearing ball caps backwards, arguing about statistics and assessing the skills of those physically superior to them. The man cave experience shared online. There are a few exceptions, like Brandon Perna of That’s Good Sports. Perna is intelligent, witty, self-deprecating, yet knowledgeable about his preferred area, the NFL. He lives in Denver, so the Broncos are his chief (ha) focus. Definitely worth your time.

Sports are a multi-billion dollar industry, attracting countless commentators who appear to have nothing else to do. This is not a knock. Given present reality, there are worse ways to spend one’s time. And while sports have a fascistic core, where jubilant fans occasionally riot, it’s a long way from what’s currently happening in the streets. For now.

Motel Porn

This is what I call my fascination with this genre. It has nothing to do with sex (neither does most porn), but with tours of seedy motels that dot remote areas of the US. I suppose there’s a certain Psycho element to it, though I’m guessing that Norman Bates kept his rooms much cleaner, blood-splattered showers aside.

Some of these places are beyond belief, and it’s amazing they’re allowed to remain in business. Mildew, mold, stained sheets, rusting sinks, sticky floors, the complete motel experience. Traditionally a haven for drug addicts and prostitutes, motels are increasingly occupied by families either evicted from their homes or have nowhere else to go. One step up from the street. Cheap housing in a rancid capitalist environment.

Joe Ramoni

Hats Off Entertainment is one of my favorite YouTube channels. It feeds my love for classic comedy, and Joe knows how to present it. He focuses a lot on the legacy of John Candy, who I also love, but Joe covers other talents, many of whom have been forgotten or misunderstood.

What I really love is how Joe tries to bring fresh eyes to awful productions. He’s not fully successful, but you have to admire the effort. And Joe puts in the work. His editing is smooth, his narration on point, and you can tell that Joe truly appreciates films like The Great Outdoors and Nothing But Trouble, the latter of which is a puzzling mess from the mind of Dan Aykroyd. I’d say it’s one of the worst films I’ve ever seen, but it’s beyond bad. It’s a film that Aykroyd’s Leonard Pinth-Garnell would cherish.

I’ve gotten to know Joe a little bit. He’s a sweet guy who knows his stuff. Hi Joe! Please keep it coming.