Biggest Online-Video Community Gathering Ever: July 9-11, LA

Some of the most-viewed YouTube “weblebrities” will gather with hundreds of people in the YouTube community, including video creators and viewers, professionals and stalkers.

phil defranco at vidcon 2010
Phil DeFranco Will Attend July's VidCon, a gathering of hundreds (maybe thousands) of YouTube community people.

The event — called VidCon 2010 and scheduled for July 9-11 — includes rapid-fire stage performances by some of YouTube’s biggest “stars,” including comedy duo Anthony Pedilla and Ian Hecox (“Smosh“), “What The Buck” host Michael Buckley, Phil DeFranco, “SxePhil” and “Like Totally Awesome” host, and Justine Ezarik, YouTube’s token popular hot girl who hails as iJustine (and author of Tasty Blog Snack). Those 5 people alone, mind you, have been seen collectively 1 billion times (if you count both videos on their individual channels, as well as on group channels like TheStation). For those of you not good at math, that’s “an assload” and more views than most television shows.

To put it in perspect, 106 million people watched the last episode of MASH and the 2010 Superbowl. Paranthetically, my stupid videos have been seen 130 million times, and my siblings still refer to it “as your little YouTube videos.” But if I’m on the local Fox news channel I’m suddenly hot.

Back to VidCon: What’s got me most excited are performanced by some of the most talented musicians on YouTube, including the advertainment song duo of Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal (Rhett and Link), the ukulele-playing singer Julia Nunes (know as j and seven a’s), and the cerebral guitarist Hank Green, who is the event’s mastermind. I’m also looking forward to seeing Joe Penna (TheMysteryGuitarMan aka MGM), who wrote the “Nalts, Nalts, It’s Not His Fault” theme song. He’s been on a magical high lately, and he’s eye and ear candy for the whole family (see his recent “Looping Around,” a song that’s almost passing 1 million views, and what my family calls “The Happy Song”).

Although I haven’t hit all of the major YouTube grassroots events, I have gathered with fellow YouTube fanatics in NYC (twice), London, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. A nude female doll with my face has attended other events, and was no doubt far more interesting to meet. The only formal event YouTube has thrown, to my knowledge, was November 2008’s YouTube Live… a show the San Bruno company doesn’t appear to be reviving.

We’ll also see the omnipresent Charles Trippy and Alli Speed, who have documented their each day for a year. Trippy somehow doesn’t have a Wikipedia page, which I find highly suspicious. ZeFrank is also going, and will appear on a panel with other Internet has-beens like me.

13 thoughts on “Biggest Online-Video Community Gathering Ever: July 9-11, LA”

  1. although I may have been complaining all about not being able to go to VidCon on your other posts about this, that might not be so true. You all might actually be seeing the Reubnick there!

    It turns out that my best friend has a great aunt who lives right outside of Los Angeles who would let us stay at her house for free, which is a ridiculously fortunate turn of events for me. So good, in fact, that I would be an idiot NOT to go. Of course, I still have to raise money for plane tickets, and that is my current brick wall. Oh well, I’m trying! I was considering have sort of a Reubnick prop yard-sale on Ebay, but I truly doubt that would bring in much money.

    I still have high hopes, though. Does anybody want to buy a pink hat that says “Florida” on it, featured in my video about Bigfoot? If so, hit me up! The asking price is a meager 200 dollars!

  2. Hey Alexis- not booked yet. Trying to see if I can get Jo and the gang to go to SanFran before/after. Just booked my ad-tech one finally.

    Reubnick- it would be good to finally meet you too.

    And Bobjenz- I DIED with the f’ing Annoying Orange. My kids think I’m a badass because I’ve met you and you’ve cameo’d. Tell Dane I’d give up a nut to be a retarded fruit.

  3. Just to be very clear, we call them your “STUPID, little You Tube videos.” Badass Uncle Nalts.

  4. Well as I recall… mom called the magazine I edited “your little newsletter.” And her friend said “I heard you want to get into radio and television… don’t worry you’ll outgrow that.”

  5. That’s OK, now it is: “Now what do you do for a living? Speak Spanish?” Yes, I’m a domestic in a house full of Ambassadors and Administration officials who went to SAIS with me. Timothy Gietner can bite me.

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