An Unhinged Look At Influencer Culture

[@ZackarySmigel]

Use code ZACKARY at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan: incogni.com/zackary Big thanks to everyone who helped out on this video! It was a massive undertaking, so thank you!!!

[@killjoy8372]

Its wild to see all the men treat parasocial relationships kind of casually and as this hypothetical extreme and then the women have multiple real stories of being harrassed and in danger even with very few followers

[@ulogy]

JREG is also like...not a good metric for how to handle critics. He lives in a fairly safe area, in Canada (very low risk of getting shot), and openly inviting crazy bastards in like this is the most effective way for him to defuse any real threat. Things can get crazy for dudes as well, it's just way more likely to be like, someone breaking into your studio while you're shooting a video, a la Linus Tech Tips, or your house getting firebombed a la FriendlyJoardies, rather than someone making oddly specific sexual advances. Definitely way more likely to get creepy messages as a woman, though.

[@kateh2893]

FOR REAL!

[@ccw2312]

The woman saying her parasocial stalker wanting to marry her and put multiple babies in her vs the man being like "what are they going to do. Kill me? Go for it. Give me money" shows a lot.

[@pointsixteen]

right? watching that section freaked me the fuck out. what an extremely ‘man’ way to think

[@xman5393]

Political influencers get swatted all the time and are sent death and bomb threats. So I think it also depends on the content are if you. Or you are in a beef with another influencer.

[@macandfries6765]

tbf it IS jreg i would not go to him if you want actual opinions. guy just does things

[@ThatCreeNative1]

Difference between a woman and man experience as public figure plain as day.

[@M-Soares]

@@pointsixteen Don't take anything jreg says seriously, his entire schtick is being extremely ironical all the time

[@hazeust]

LOL leave it to jreg to say “just keep pushing it until there’s a police report”

[@singular9]

jreg is the only one who says it like it is, because the EVIDENCE and REALITY seem to back him up.

[@Big_Orc]

Haven't watched yet and I see Jreg in the comments, I'm ready for a banger

[@juliacoves5873]

@@singular9people have been killed before though. A KZbinr died from being doxed . Tana mongeau has been hurt by her stalker, Trisha paytas has been hurt by her stalker, I’m sure there are less famous women who have been hurt by their stalker. There is evidence out there. Jreg and you are picking and choosing what to see.

[@ALonesomeStreet]

As much as I like JREG’s casualness about being doxxed, as he’s right that the majority of cases are “benign”, I can’t help but think of Gavin and Meg having a guy break into their house and try and kill Gav to get with Meg. I definitely think the level of crazy is heavily weighted at female creators, but it’s hard to downplay how serious it is for any creator.

[@evanthesquirrel]

Sssniperwolf wants to chat

[@KILLKILLKILLKILLKILLKILLKILL]

how about swatting? Thats a real concern

[@danielbaker1510]

2024 breakout youtuber of the year: this guy

[@Mogswamp]

this was a great video, it's cool to think about each individual journey that brought all those creators together. ty for the interview homie

[@fernlikespossums]

mogswamp jumpscare

[@bigmanpictures]

mog!!

[@stellad463]

DUUUDE I know mogswamp puts a good name to influencers ur an unproblematic KING

[@Kristik]

mogging all over the swamp rn

[@coldhazzard]

pretending you're NOT an influencer is the true infiltration here

[@pirate4460]

I only recognized one influencer in this video: Zackary Smigel

[@brianthomas8411]

Right? And swell entertainment.

[@RoloFilms]

At 45:53, that's Jontron at the afterparty, he's a pretty well known gaming youtuber. Also: Obviously if you're a bigger creator, you're not going to just walk around on a VidCon floor as you'll be stormed by fans. So, yea, those creators will not be in any shot of this video. ;)

[@willbe3043]

@@RoloFilms Yeah, well known for his love for the Great Replacement Theory

[@Voingous]

@@RoloFilms Top 10 Nazis

[@DJPleasureSeekingMissle]

44:26 The Act Man

[@the.dirt.man.]

so glad zackary made this video especially for me. Our bond is so close it's like we're best friends🥰🥰

[@eclecticraeen]

Lmao

[@DammitJeff]

SUPER proud of how this video came out, and a REALLY accurate representation of how VidCon really felt for a lot of us :’) come back to LA soon! It was a ton of fun working on this with you 😊

[@noticiasinmundicias]

bruh jreg is literally insane

[@eenc485]

It's really telling how vastly different the womens experiences with parasocial relationships are compared to the men.

[@joaoie]

29:21 man never heard of Christina Grimmie I guess

[@shiftydog6969]

Jreg is completely wrong on the doxxing part. It truly can ruin lives, maybe not death but stress, harrassment and lack of privacy causes issues not just to creators but their families too. Callums Corner is a prime example of this.

[@dannyseville2543]

The biggest surprise from this video is there are some people that aren't narcissistic a-holes. Most of them come across that way but a few actually seem like people I could bear to be around for more than 15 seconds.

[@ZackarySmigel]

Most of the people I met were incredibly down to earth. And that surprised me at first, but thinking about it more perhaps the internet has given us the wrong impression on things.

[@DammitJeff]

98% of people are just playing a bit. Even people who were so called "enemies" were hanging out with each other and talking at parties. All the internet persona stuff is just for show. These are still real people lol

[@Xenephos]

I’ve met and talked with two creators who come off as arrogant and crude in their online personas (Tomato and Jabroni Mike), but ended up being extremely approachable and, well, “normal” in person. I’m pretty sure a lot of what we see in content isn’t how that person really is, so I never interpret someone’s online persona as their real one, no matter how “normal” it comes off as.

[@sassygrilledcheese]

KZbinrs once they make good money are like "omg guess its time to hire an editor!" no, how about a BODYGUARD. How about a 12 foot fence around your house. Ppl are insane.

[@CoyoteDen]

that moment in 43:30 really doubles down on the whole "parasocial" thing on how users dont even see them as people and just see them as "commodities"

[@kkulist]

I truly burst out into laughter at that moment-not because it was /funny/, but because it was so ironic that it was hilarious. If that makes any sense

[@sazjnk95]

Honestly, until the uncomfortable walk-off, I thought it was a planned skit because of just how perfect a point was being made before they showed up. Then he walked off and I just felt uncomfortable, because it wasn't a skit.

[@Mokobass]

Pure irony and a great way to accentuate a point. 😂 the sticking the phone in his face like he’s an exotic animal

[@evanthesquirrel]

​@@sazjnk95i met Tycho from Penny Arcade at PAX. And then affain. And then again. I got his and Gabe's signatures like 5 times each. At some point i stopped seeing them as celebrities.

[@JREG]

Thank you for shedding light on our #notallinfluencers movement Zackary!

[@GarackTheMad]

Good one Jreg! You really showed those influencers who's boss!

[@MarcelVos]

Zack, when will you finally realize that we are meant for eachother and that if you accept the truth we would have the best marriage that ever marriaged?!?!?

[@stevenwallace582]

Does Zack even play RCT? I feel like that has to be a must

[@ZackarySmigel]

@@stevenwallace582 I grew up on RCT, love the game, and Marcel's videos. Currently AOE 2 DE is my go-to though 👀

[@JayeSmacks]

great video! yeah the hyatt thing was weird and makes the event very different. you should come to vidsummit this year! its great for meeting other like minded people and creators

[@ZackarySmigel]

Thanks dude. Vidsummit is definitely on my list! Likely not this year, but perhaps the next!

[@Lacewise]

jreg reminds me of every guy I know who won’t go to therapy. “Yeah I don’t care what happens to me. I can walk off anything! Even death!” Meanwhile I’m just… trying to decide when to naturally drop the definition of disassociation into the conversation

[@KWABOTY]

He's playing a bit

[@Blanktester685]

@@KWABOTY everything is a bit until it isn't.

[@reneequintana7027]

Great video, but I really wished you interviewed more women on how they view parasocial relationships. It seems to be much more concerning from a woman's perspective and more likely to receive creepy stalkers or unsolicited images.

[@ZackarySmigel]

Regarding the convention, I just tried to interview as many people as possible! I really wasn't looking for a specific type of person to interview. I just walked the floor and anyone who was willing to talk to me I talked to! Hope that clears that up.

[@opnuul]

it's so funny that the woman was like "i have this stalker who will never give up his harassment campaign of me and if we met in person he might try to r-word and kill me" and the man was like "i totally want you to parasocialize with me. please give me all of your attention" it's just so obvious that we are, as a collective, way less capable of treating women normally as compared to men. anyway. nice upload! my parasocial bestie made appearances in still form in this video, can you guess who it is? 🤭🤭💞

[@TheVincenzoGaming]

also the fact that nobody gives a man the time of day so they're always starved for attention.

[@TheBobaJames]

The amount of disrespect is unreal, you see a friend doing an interview but yet you still make yourself known and can’t wait until they are finished. 37:08

[@gabi-sw8zw]

im glad you found your voice just being yourself. your content is wonderful and over A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE agree! yay! keep up the great work. so excited to see you hit a million in the coming year or two.

[@lucksker]

Another banger. Because of transparency i feel like you make better documentaries than Netflix and many other media companies.

[@ZackarySmigel]

Wow! What a compliment, thank you!

[@emiluh]

I agree with this comment so much

[@Tessie_tess]

I love the style of your videos, and calling out fans,creators, KZbin and everyone your amazing

[@emmalinemay]

Tells a lot about how the women experience more stalking and harassment. I think when the dude said "they usually respect boundaries" its like yeah, they respect YOUR boundaries as a dude. Not the little girl who had a dude outsider her house bc they think they have some sort of claim over you as a woman, even as a little girl

[@emmalinemay]

The guys are like "we're too fake, we need to connect more" and the women are like "I'm fearing for my safety"

[@ulogy]

Risk of sexual violence isn't exactly the same, honestly. A dude being followed down the street is probably thinking someone's gonna either mug him or demand a selfie; not quite the same for the ladies. I wouldn't take them saying folks generally respect their boundaries as fully truthful or a message to not make efforts to discourage this type of stuff though.

[@GeekDetour]

My goodness, I just watched some of your videos about KZbin - I had a great time! Thanks man. Recent months had been rough (like, two years ago I was definitely making more money out of KZbin than now). I am enjoying your broad critique and perception about so many aspects of this crazy journey. Thanks and good luck in your channel too!

[@SteveRamsey]

I recognize that house! Great job on the video, Zack!

[@APFC95]

I didnt hear a word for the entire video because i was trying to figure out how Zacks hair looked so majestic the WHOLE TIME!

[@nationsquid]

Already loving all of this!! As always, it was such a pleasure getting to see you again in person. You are a great creator, and most importantly, a great friend. Please return to LA soon!! :)

[@bigmanpictures]

this video may have not blown up but i think it is very informative and you did a great job on it. thanks for all the videos you make, i'll always reserve time to watch 'em!

[@mjj6976]

Pretty convinced JREG is a psychopath.

[@macandfries6765]

hes definitely a character

[@yes24__]

yeah he's fucked up. he has no clue or care about his own safety. does anyone not remember what happened to Christina Grimmie!!!'

[@M-Soares]

Not a psycopath, just schoziphrenic and bipolar, not a joke.

[@ulogy]

He's got schizophrenia and would definitely rate high on the autism quotient. Ultimately, he's not wrong; he can't stop the crazies, might as well make it clear he's not gonna validate them.

[@carlamoss89]

Everyone is just a regular person at the end of the day. I've learned this very quickly working in Los Angeles. I've met celebrities, KZbinrs, studio CEOs without even knowing it. I became friends with the coo of Paramount at the time not even knowing who the hell he was bc he frequented the place I worked at. I treat everyone like they're just some dude down the street now and I think that's a very healthy way of doing it. We're all just people doing different things for a living and no one is worth more or less because of what they do to make that living. It's just a job, and there is more to people than where they work.

[@DanielsWall]

Great Video

[@lukethill387]

One of the biggest problems I have is how a lot of influencers have no problem doing whatever they can to gain viewers, but the instant any fans try to create a geniune relationship with them they get shut down. I find most influencers are very disingenuous with their fans by baiting them into thinking they have real relationships to then go onto exploiting them for personal gain. I think it makes sense that some fans take it too far because they probably feel cheated.

[@artchad]

So happy you made a full vid on this years vidcon, was truly hype as hell

[@mauriciocorrea4811]

You have become one of my favorite KZbinrs recently. I’m loving your content, it’s great!

[@DampeS8N]

I know it has probably been a wild and crazy-fast year for you; but someone with 140k subs thinking they aren't an influencer is peak influencer shit. :D You've made it, dawg.

[@BeingShari]

The guy at @27:00 seems like he needs to contact the suicidal hotline, I’m worried for him

[@sangera]

It's wild that the creator track is over double the community track.

[@ulogy]

And they can't even include a 27¢ laminated badge print, haha. Organic fandom conventions seem way better.

[@therealmichirukaiou]

This is a Certified Hood Classic.

[@checkyourlevels]

"The Canadian's Airbnb" 🤣 🇨🇦 Great video Zack!

[@afampus]

How do you make bangers after bangers? You are so real and I appreciate you for that. Keep working and making good videos man

[@zuthalron7123]

This is a great video, yet another banger. You're not my favorite youtuber (Sorry but you can't beat Vsauce) but you are definitely one of the most important youtubers I know of when it comes to understanding youtube and netizens. I really love what you research and I hope you don't stop doing videos like this or your other youtube related videos even if they might get less views. THank you, kindly.

[@ZackarySmigel]

Thanks for the kind words! It means a lot. I’m definitely planning on doing more videos like this in the future, but also more in the social science category. Really, I just want to cover topics that I feel deserve more attention or something that I can bring a unique perspective to.

[@zuthalron7123]

@@ZackarySmigel Yippee!! :3

[@CallMeTeci]

Influencer are basically Content Creators, that dont create any value for their audience (aka content) and still somehow managed to rise up to fame. Either by looking good or by being very controversial. And i never understood why so many flock to people that would sell their whole audience on a whimp and did nothing to deserve any of it.

[@virionspiral]

Just as most things, that can be explained away by the masses of people being idiots.

[@bvandy11]

Love this vid by the guy he interviewed at 38:30 misquotes "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take"

[@coloradogam1ng]

It’s genuinely baffling that this guy have 188k subscribers literally have had the hardest binge watch these videos

[@pantheo9457]

ive always been curious about vidcon but none of the videos about it that ive stumbled upon felt authentic - this one did :)

[@KameTrick]

Nice job with this video, I hope it does well. As a creator who's thought of attending a creator con but hasn't yet, this gave a lot of neat insights and ideas about what I could expect. Also shoutout to Jeff! Cool to see you guys get to meet up. :)

[@thrildmedia8798]

Another banger! I am surprised the parasocial aspect of social media isn't explored more on social media

[@walterlippmann4361]

"A big part of a parasocial relationship or a big part of 'social media' in general -- making a living off of social media -- is exploiting the parasocial relationship that your fans have."

[@kloymusic]

This vid was awesome, thanks for crystallizing the vidcon experience into a 47 minute banger. It was great 2 meet you & can't wait for the next one 🔜

[@asherscott3151]

This is such a good YT channel

[@labellabeach631]

Once again Zack Smigel knocks it out of the park! You made me feel like I was right there and I needed that since I couldn’t go! 🙌

[@SilasFluff]

Excellent video! It looks like you did a good job showing what goes on at vidcon and kind of what networking is like for influencers. The talk of parasocial relationships reminded me of a parasocial relationship I had of my own where I felt too connected to a streamer I didn't know that well. That "relationship" was a flop. I misjudged how well they knew me, shared some stuff that needn't be shared, got told to never talk to them again and stay out of their life. I didn't get the memo, so I got blocked. Haunts me to this day that I could be so dumb and callous to do that to someone. At least I wasn't anywhere near as bad as that one guy one of your friends had to deal with I guess. I wish I could just forget about them easily, but the obsession ran deep. To think I actually thought we were friends. Not a great time.

[@DM-yj9qf]

going to an influencer convention seems like a great place to stalk your favourite influencer

[@TriggerTrue]

Wow this video was great! Parasocial is such a fascinating sector of relationships to deep dive in this context. I think on some level we all experience them even in real life relationships. It’s easy to put people on a pedestal without realizing. A real work example would be a leader at a church, you see them and interact but because a lot of them have multiple people needing their attention the relationship doesn’t exactly even out for both sides. Or a boss. There is social hierarchy in most situations that let this occur. Some people get really angry at someone they can’t have access to and others are able to further cultivate this into true friendships. It’s just how we are in a situation that determines this dynamic I feel.

[@kaseyhooper3930]

love you and your vids. also has anyone told you you look slightly like Bo Burnham in ‘Inside’? lol that dude you interviewed gave me the ick tho. don’t know if it was dry humor or something, but as a woman, it felt very privileged of him. love youuuuu though. new fave youtuber and wish you so much success!

[@willcarpenter5546]

Zach I've been here since the first KZbin Doc you put out. I've loved everything you've done ever since. Ps I stopped at a Sheetz on a road trip and it was garbage and insanely over priced.

[@ZackarySmigel]

Thanks for the kind words! Sorry to hear about your bad sheetz experience, that's wild!

[@willcarpenter5546]

@@ZackarySmigel it was a bummer. But it still wasn't even close to the worst gas station on our trip.

[@alphamuplays1669]

Fine parasocial to me is like being Instagram friends with someone from a different department at work, if you happen to run into them and mention the hike they went on the other day and ask where it was because it looked nice, thats pretty normal. Bad parasocial is driving an hour to another building in another town to ask about it and spending 30 minutes talking about all their posts and asking how their dog is after they ate a frog 3 months ago is weird.

[@davidcleckley]

I cant tell if 43:15 was a bit or not and i think that fits the theme of the video perfectly.

[@Deadponygaming]

There wre WAY worse things that have come from doxxing. Swatting is an immediate result of being Doxxed and people have been killed or just died from the experience. What the hell is that guy on.

[@MIDSIZEDSEDANLIKET]

OUTSTANDING VIDEO ESSAY AS USUAL! AS SOMEONE STRUGGLING WITH STARTING A CONTENT CREATION PATH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRANSPARENCY!!!

[@lDominicl]

@2:10 You never answered the question about how that guy has such great hair. :(

[@billhacks]

Everyone is a special and unique person just like everyone else watching. Buy the hype, buy the shirt, buy the hat, buy the stickers. Listen to the words from the sponsor. Send more money. Much love from your "creator". I think that sums up social media but I might have missed something. If I did, be sure to hate me for it with a passion.

[@BattleDuck-ov4fm]

I found this video interesting and insightful - you made a new fan. Thanks for making the video.

[@bangtanssera]

very off topic but yes your hair is gorgeous

[@Enraged.]

The internet is simultaneously one of the best and worst things humanity has ever created

[@googleuser2480]

Hey buddy, glad we got to hangout today. I'm going to buy a car so I can catch you at the next event. 😂 Just kidding lol

[@standbymode7599]

Seeing that your addressing your problems with interviewing people is great, a real 'grabbing the bull by the horns' approach which should be commended and if I had to give advice (which your not asking for I know lol) is that some of my favourite interviewers have more follow up questions and have somewhat authority over the interview but finding your style is the journey ! The topic of parasocial relationships online really should be shown more and I feel it's great that you've shone a light on the good and bad sides, from the creators to the fans! p.s The cameraperson who shot you interviewing people needs work or invest in a tripod or something, really distracting AND Chipolie CEO has addressed the portion sizing and will make changes lol! (doesn't effect me living in the UK but a win is a win)

[@donnygat]

im very wary of getting into youtube because im scared of being stalked. ive had an online stalker before and its fucking scary. especially as a woman, id be scared of someone recognizing me in pubĺic and following me. i do plan to make videos anonymously but some of the stuff i want to make would be better with a face attached. idk, fame is fucking scary. like simple shit like taking a train becomes impossible if youre recognizable.

[@stinkerfresca9795]

you have to frame that legendary photo 45:54

[@markoboychuk]

My favorite youtubers are those that are authentic, and your content oozes authenticity. Keep being you man, love to see it 👍🏼

[@MsHannahFTW]

Love all of the content! One of the best creators in this space and this video perfectly exemplifies that

[@Rossinator-i8r]

When someone says «You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take » you know they’re Canadian.

[@krillianlastrange4886]

I don't know who Jreg is, but I do know coke talk when I hear it.

[@juliacoves5873]

Facts

[@TitanInvictusTube]

Oh shit! Got to see my name in the Patreon list. Very cool. Love the content, man!

[@ZackarySmigel]

Thanks so much for your support!

[@COD4MANDAN]

I'm from Pittsburgh so it's awesome to see someone who lives close to home (even if you are from ohio). Love the really high quality videos, keep up the good work!

[@Annabelle10074]

I started watching you at the KZbin algorithm video and I couldn’t believe you weren’t already an influencer. You really found your niche! This was a banger just like the rest!

[@RedisNotaFlavor]

The Hair volume is going crazy in this vid. When are you getting a Keeps ad collaboration? 😂😂

[@Urduhkhan]

This is 5 months later so probably nobody is reading this, but that Mexican restaurant is the bomb lol. We ate there 4 years running going to Blizzcon at the same place.

[@CamCommand99]

Having met Jreg irl, he made me feel uncomfortably comfortable

[@ulogy]

A Canadian with schizophrenia making you feel uncomfortably comfortable - sounds about right.

[@CreativeMindsAudio]

45:14 - you look like you are standing next to your twin brother 😂. Great video btw!

[@MissingTexture]

super big fan of this channel and the content- keep doing awesome things, super engaging vids. Cheers

[@yes24__]

JREG gives stalkers vibes and someone who incredibly mentally unwell

[@trucklov3r]

my dune bucket in the corner speaking to me like green goblin

[@bardofhighrenown]

I feel like there is a hidden aspect to unhealthy parasocial relationships that doesn't get acknowledged, even in the mild case like we saw near the end of the video or the problem you mentioned of fans asking them meaningless questions at q&a's; how broken is our society that a person would spend hundreds or potentially thousands of dollars and travel across the country to see someone that doesn't know them? It speaks to how lonely and isolated people have really become.

[@friendlypotato7950]

Wouldn’t have found this if it wasn’t for Jreg posting about this vid. Glad I found it

[@KelaBeats]

I've never understood twitchcon or vidcon as things a fan goes to. What a weird thing. As much as I appreciate the hard work content creators do (as I do it for a business for a job), influencers are just regular people... you go to see regular ass people. That are probably, most likely, definitely shit tier humans.

[@DuragsTuRiches]

This is an amazing video and really paint a new perspective towards influencers keep up the great work

[@Watersurf]

Great job on the video and covering the topic of creators and their followers! The interviews also really helped bring everything together. Keep up the good work!

[@randomtinypotatocried]

I couldn't listen to JREG. Something about him feels really off

[@macandfries6765]

yeah everyone gets that feeling hes just kinda like that

[@ArgaJacint]

I think it's intentional. He rarely stops playing this meta-ironic, schrödinger's serious statement game. At least on his main channel and in public appearances.

[@ThatCreeNative1]

@@ArgaJacint He's the Temu version of Nathan Fielder. That's the best description of him.

[@SnoFitzroy]

@@ThatCreeNative1 I have no fucking clue who that is, which tells me your comparison is...inverse from the truth at best

[@DoctorBeees]

Amazing work here!

[@Elc22]

This has been a very insightful video. Lots of really interesting, well thought-out, and helpful views on parasocial relationships and how every creator has their own take on them. The only chat that was concerning was with JREG, his statements seem to point to potential issues with some level of depression or sociopathy (or some kind of pretty severe psychological condition), as it was showing through his body language as well (this is speculation on my part).

[@gabrielleengel7476]

Finally got around to watching this! So informative and interesting!

[@kweebec]

Great video. It sucks that in the UK one of the major "influencer/creator" conventions was recently cancelled (insomnia gaming festival), it was kinda falling off after covid, but it had such a similar vibe to what you describe in 2015/2016

[@Knobblytyressoggysocks]

I upload simple vids on youtube, gives me something to do with my teen son as he doesn't want to spend time with his boring mum. It's the one thing we can do together. I cannot imagine broadcasting my entire life or sharing personal stories to strangers, doing or saying something that could come back and haunt me later in life. Its concerning how some of these kids will fare later in life if youtube ends for them. That JReg (?) Is vile 😤

[@zayexotic2423]

Lmao we gotta protect this man at all cost, you never know what your gonna get with this dude