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Ben Going

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Ben Going
Personal information
Born (1985-06-15) June 15, 1985 (age 39)
Websitewww.boh3m3.net
YouTube information
Also known asboh3m3
Channel
Years active2006–11, 2013–present
Genres
Subscribers27.20 thousand[1]
Total views1.51 million[1]

Last updated: 17 July 2024

Ben Going (born June 15, 1985), is an American YouTuber who was prominent during 2006 and 2007. He was based in Torrance, California, and is one of the site's earliest YouTube Partners.[2]

Most of Going's videos are shot in black-and-white. He has claimed to be "the only person on the (YouTube) Most Subscribed List that swears excessively".[3] He wears a signature black hat often in his videos.[4] Subjects of Going's vlogs have included pop culture, the news media, and the state of the YouTube community, in addition to personal anecdotes.

YouTube

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Going intended that his first submission to YouTube, posted in May 2006, serve as an audition tape for MTV's "Jackass".[5][6] That failing, he went on to adopt a vlogger personality that has worked to give him over 44,000 subscribers and a top spot on YouTube's Most Subscribed list.[7]

Two of his videos, No Swearing! (posted June 6, 2006), and Why Do YouTube? (posted November 29, 2006, but has since been removed), were featured on YouTube's homepage and each has a view count over 900,000. Various news outlets have approached Going for his opinion on the state of the YouTube community or YouTube in general.[8][9][10]

Stemming from his video channel's exposure, YouTube paid Going to produce two videos for use in holiday-themed, corporate sponsored promotions in December 2006. The first to be released as part of the YouTube and Coca-Cola Holiday Wish Cast, sponsored by Coca-Cola.[11]

According to Ad week, this promotion marked the first time YouTube made an ad deal with its top users.[12] The second was featured on YouTube's homepage for the YouTube New Year's Eve Countdown, which was put on in partnership with Warner Music Group and sponsored by Chevrolet.[13]

Stickam has credited Going for bringing 1,000 new users to its video networking website hours after he advertised his presence there on YouTube.[14] In January 2007, he hosted a live, 24-hour Stickam broadcast to raise awareness for the Darfur conflict.[15]

In addition to several other popular YouTubers, Going worked with Barenaked Ladies to produce a music video for their single "Sound of Your Voice" in February 2007.[16] The video has been featured on the Bare-naked Ladies' homepage.

In May 2007, YouTube entered Going as one of the first users to take part in its partnership program. As a YouTube partner, Going can capitalize on "promotional opportunities" and advertiser-based revenue sharing.[17][18] He was one of the first twenty to thirty YouTubers to have this status. Although The New York Times once quoted Going's saying that he hopes "video blogging might become some kind of career,"[19] since becoming a YouTube partner he has retracted that statement.[20][21]

YouTubers for net neutrality

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On August 17, 2006, Going posted Save the Internet! to YouTube. Described by Newsday as "a one-minute, black-and-white, tech-age public service announcement", the video, which Going scripted, presents a short argument for net neutrality that includes video appearances by YouTube users Tony Huynh, Barats and Bereta, and Brandon Hardesty, among others. [citation needed]

Free Press blog SavetheInternet.com subsequently featured it,[22] leading the video to gain a view count in excess of 500,000.[23][24] Of the video, Salon.com quoted Ben Scott, one of the coordinators of SaveTheInternet.com, to have said that Going's "Save the Internet!" "is doing the work of 30 full-time communications professionals".[25]

Vegemite wars

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In February 2007, Australian news program A Current Affair picked up Going's January 27, 2007, The Australians are Fooling Us All! and used it to springboard a mock defense of Vegemite. In his video, Going imagines the substance to be made of "yeast, salt, and pain." To counter, A Current Affair enlisted media personality Peter FitzSimons, who suggests Vegemite comprises, rather, "the distilled essence of Australia".[26] Although the segment focuses on Going, it also features Australian YouTubers who profess a fondness for Vegemite, including Natalie Tran[27][28] and Caitlin Hill.[29] A reporter for The Age responded by questioning A Current Affair's journalistic integrity.[30]

Personal life

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Going grew up in Cocoa, Florida, and lived there until just before he started high school.[31] He waited tables in Huntsville, Alabama, at 1892 East throughout the earlier part of his YouTube career.[5] In April 2007, Going moved to Torrance, California,[32] after accepting an offer to apprentice under a professional music video director.[33] The move was facilitated by fan contributions exceeding $1,000 made through PayPal.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "About boh3m3". YouTube.
  2. ^ Kornblum, Janet (October 30, 2007). "These guys draw a YouTube crowd". USA Today. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  3. ^ The Hill Archived 2007-11-12 at the Wayback Machine on Ben Going's MySpace blog as of August 12, 2007
  4. ^ "Top YouTube videographers descend on San Francisco". CNET. February 17, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-13.
  5. ^ a b Tedeschi, Bob (February 26, 2007). "New Hot Properties: YouTube Celebrities". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-06-13.
  6. ^ a b Hoffman, Scott "ExcChatting With Ben Going (Boh3m3 On YouTube)" Archived 2007-10-08 at the Wayback Machine "The Critic" at moviepicturefilm.com, March 17, 2007
  7. ^ Official YouTube Most Subscribed List, YouTube as of June 15, 2007
  8. ^ Kuchment, Anna (September 26, 2006). "Technology: Want to Be a Video Star?". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 2007-05-20. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
  9. ^ Lauria, Peter (November 12, 2006). "Video Venom Popular Posters Revolt Against YouTube". New York Post. Archived from the original on February 23, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
  10. ^ Coyle, Jake (October 11, 2006). "Users wonder about the future of YouTube". Associated Press. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
  11. ^ YouTube and Coca-Cola Introduce Video Greeting Cards for the Holidays Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ Morrissey, Brian "Coke Uses YouTube Stars for Holiday Campaign" Adweek, December 13, 2006 Archived September 11, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ Reardon, Marguerite YouTube hosts New Year's Eve Bash CNET News Blog December 29, 2006
  14. ^ Stickam press release YouTube stars prove real identity live on Stickam Archived 2007-09-26 at the Wayback Machine Stickam, October 5, 2006
  15. ^ Boh3m3, YouTube & Darfur the YouTube channel of neddotcom of darfurby.com Archived 2009-06-11 at the Wayback Machine, January 6, 2007
  16. ^ Moses, Asher YouTubers star in Barenaked music video The Age, February 21, 2007
  17. ^ YouTube Elevates Most Popular Users to Partners, The YouTube Blog May 3, 2007 Archived March 7, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ Miguel Helft (2007-05-05). "Contributors on YouTube May Share Advertising Revenue". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-08-21.
  19. ^ Tedeschi, Bob (February 26, 2007). "New Hot Properties: YouTube Celebrities". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-06-13.
  20. ^ Boh3m3 and Thehill88 are official & the Journey of Vblogging Businessboomer's channel on YouTube, June 11, 2007
  21. ^ "How I started my own successful YouTube channel reviewing tech products". CNBC. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  22. ^ "YouTubers Support Net Neutrality" Archived 2006-10-17 at the Wayback Machine, SavetheInternet.com Archived June 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine as of August 24, 2006
  23. ^ Save the Internet! Boh3m3's channel on YouTube, as of April 17, 2007
  24. ^ "Grassroots Movement Wants Laws to Keep Big Media from Controlling Internet". Newsday. October 10, 2006. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-19.
  25. ^ Reilly, Daniel W. (October 2, 2006). "The telecom slayers". Salon.com. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
  26. ^ YouTube on OZ News: Vegemite Wars badbarb's channel on YouTube, February 8, 2007
  27. ^ private video
  28. ^ "Re: The Australians are fooling us". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2007-01-31. Retrieved 2009-03-14.
  29. ^ "Vegemite 101". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2006-12-20. Retrieved 2007-06-19.
  30. ^ Ed "Last Laugh: Vegemite Wars (or How to Get on National TV in Australia Without Really Trying)" Archived 2015-11-08 at the Wayback Machine "The Last Laugh" Archived 2011-06-29 at the Wayback Machine blog, The Age, February 8, 2007
  31. ^ Memoirs Of a Childhood Asshat Boh3m3's channel on YouTube, December 7, 2006
  32. ^ The California Chronicles: Packing, Madness, and TV's Death Boh3m3's channel on YouTube, April 5, 2007
  33. ^ The BIG Secret Revealed! Boh3m3's channel on YouTube, as of May 30, 2007
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