This is sort of a long story so I will sum it up:
There is this man on youtube who makes hilarious videos.
He has inspired several topics on this blog.
I consider him a "youtube sensation" because he's pretty darn popular on youtube and it's astonishing that his ideas are so creative and never duplicated!
He agreed to do an interview for this blog and I am completely honored to have him answering my questions!
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I give you...
PAUL DAVIS GRIFFIN
1) What inspired you to start your hilarious videos?
I actually had a Youtube channel two years before I created PaulDavisGriffin. A fellow member of my high school cross country team was being a real jerk to me, and considering the fact that I was very small for my age, I couldn't exactly beat the guy up. I decided to get more creative. I filmed him in secret for months, found young actors, wrote scripts, photoshopped pictures, and eventually put together a full length cryptozoology styled documentary that denied his my douche friend's existence altogether. The video had about 700 views before it got kicked off Youtube, which is nothing compared to the millions I have gotten now, but I think I made my point.
2) How do you come up with ideas for your videos?
I've always had a very bizarre sense of humor that was lost amongst my peers. In a way, I was very misunderstood for the majority of my life. Youtube has become a way for me to express myself and be understood by the people around me. My videos usually don't start with the intention of making a video. It usually starts with me and a friend of mine hanging out, and at some point, I'll say "wouldn't it be funny if...." Then I grab a pen and some paper and write out my idea in a format that I can film.
3) How do you get your hair to be like that all the time?
I literally do nothing to it. Well, I wash it, and I'm pretty picky about the shampoo and conditioner I use, but then I just let it dry and it does it's thing. You can thank my mom for my curly boyish hair.
4) What is it like to be a cat?
It's pretty cool, I guess.... *sniff*
5) If you could get one message out to your fans, or Grifflings, what would it be?
I've actually given this a lot of thought in the past year. I think that big-named Youtubers have a lot of potential to change the world. The amount of youth from around the world that tune into these Youtube partners every day is sensational. Why waste that potential on fart jokes? I've decided that when I'm a bit further along in youtube, and have more of a solid following, I'd like to help in the fight against school bullying and teenaged depression, and cause that is not handled nearly well enough, and something that I personally have a lot of history with as well. I think it's important to remind people that Paul Davis Griffin was beat up every week in middle school....now I have fan girls, and those bullies work at Walmart.
6) Has anyone actually confused you with Harry Styles? (They do resemble each other)
Funny story, I actually was in New York City about a year ago, and decided to see a few broadway shows while I was there. One of which was How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying with Nick Jonas. Now, I'm not exactly a Jonas Brothers fanatic, but my friend Shelley was, and wanted to get there very early to stand outside the building with the rest of the screaming girls and wait for Nick to show up. We turned the corner to the theatre, and there was a sudden hundred odd girls screaming in my direction....what I didn't know at the time was that the band One Direction was also in town, and everyone was convinced until I got closer that I was Harry Styles. I was sorry to disappoint them, and then to stand there awkwardly with them for the next hour and a half.
7) Favorite moment filming and why?
Oh wow, there are so many good ones. My favorite is probably during the filming of The Blaire Witch Project: Westminster Railway. [SPOILERS!!] The first scene we filmed was the last scene of the film, when our friend Hannah is mysteriously killed and I desert my only chance of safety due to overwhelming guilt. Due to the amount of screaming and cursing that was going to be done in this scene, we walked fifteen minutes into the woods so that no one would hear and, say, call the police or anything. What we didn't know, is that on our left in the distance was a firing range. To our right was a public pool. And as we cursed and screamed and cried and murdered each other, the sound of gunfire could be heard in the distance, and everyone at the public pool could hear every word we were saying. Apparently, they thought we were shooting each other (with guns, not cameras.) As we were leaving the woods and we began nearing my car, we suddenly saw a cob car speed up with sirens blaring...then a second...then a third....until there were eventually five police cars. Me, being the oldest member of the group, ran over to them to explain the situation. I gave them our IDs, even showed them a piece of footage, and everything was very calm...until Drew freaking Malino walks out with his costume still on; a blood soaked white t-shit. Somehow, that didn't exactly comfort the officers. Thankfully, the sheriff was a very understanding and sweet middle aged woman who told us "Just call us next time you're planning on filming anything else like that."
8 ) Would you rather be a dinosaur or a pixie? -What kind?
I've always thought if I was going to be a mythical creature of some sort, I'd make a hell of a wood elf. But if it has to be between dinosaurs and pixies? Dinosaurs all the way. I used to be obsessed with dinosaurs when I was a kid, collecting action figures and books and eating things like Jurassic Park up. And if I had to pick a species? Pterodactyl. I just think theres something endearing about "Paul the Pterodactyl."
9) Would you use your internet credibility for good or for evil? -What would you do?
In the long run? Good. But I think I'd like to cause a little chaos along the way. Nothing truly malevolent or hurtful to anyone in any way just enough to push other people's buttons for my own amusement. My father always used to say that I was a very "facetious" child.
10) What is it like to be a youtube sensation?
I don't know if I'd be considered a sensation. I mean, to some people, sure! I definitely have a very devoted following of some really awesome people, but honestly? Most of the time, I just feel like a very normal person. I may seem in my videos to be a very loud and obnoxious person, and I definitely can be, but deep down I'm more of an introvert. The first time I was ever approached for an autograph, I was thrown incredibly off guard and had no idea how to handle the situation, although it is very cool to be able to type your own name into Google and find fan fiction.
So basically this guy is totally awesome and funny and all that jazz.
To those wondering about the "cat" question:
Paul is amazing and an inspiration and his hair is fantastic! Subscribe to his youtube channel or 'like' him on facebook and become a "Griffling" just like me!
(The mustache isn't legit)
THANK YOU, PAUL, FOR DOING THIS INTERVIEW!
