One of the original YouTube content creators is Shane Dawson. He started his channel in 2008, and over the years his content has changed drastically.
Shane holds two channels, Shane, his verified main channel, and Shane Dawson TV, a channel that was used for random videos such as skits featuring characters that he created.
He started out making content that was suggestive, using mature language and themes, mostly for the shock affect it would have on his audience.
After he stopped making the crazy videos with the different characters he made in the beginning, he shifted the content to more mainstream videos like galaxy-themed pizza and putting random objects in the microwave.
He has made videos in the past discussing the changes in the atmosphere on his channel. Even though he would make vlogs, there was still a lot he was going through behind the scenes that he was keeping private.
It was obvious that he wasn’t producing content that he enjoyed. It was shortly after some of these changes that he came out as bisexual and explained that he and his girlfriend of four years, Lisa Schwartz, had broken up.
A year after he broke up with Schwartz, Dawson announced that he was now dating Ryland Adams, an actor and YouTuber known for his work on Clevver Media.
In 2017 there was another change in his channel: he starting making more serious videos dealing with intense topics, like his father who left him, his mother, and siblings.
In the past few months, Dawson has contacted several YouTubers that have collaborated with him on his channel. This includes people like Bobby Burns, who after the collab series on Dawson’s channel, recieved a car from him, was able to move to L.A. and now is getting his own series on Dawson’s channel.
In the midst of all the serious topics, his latest series on his channel deals with him spending time with another YouTuber, Molly Burke, who happens to suffer from blindness.
In previous episodes where Dawson has helped other YouTubers, he has referred to himself as being “The Ellen of YouTube.” In his video series with Burke, she drives a vehicle for the first time, which she stated was something she always wanted to do.
Probably one of the most touching moments in the series was when she gave Dawson, and fellow YouTubers Garrett Watts, and Ryland Adams blind simulation goggles which allowed them to experience different types of blindness. Dawson and Burke talked about how this is her daily life and how much she has struggled with her disease. His three videos with Burke have a combined view count of over 14.2 million views within a period of seven days.
Dawson has stated on his Snapchat stories that he feels that he is genuinely happy with the content he has made in the past few months. There is an obvious increase in the amount of time and effort put into his videos.
The shift in his content has lead not only to more viewers, but is a source of inspiration for many. There’s something very real and raw about Shane opening up about parts of his past that he’s hidden for so long.
From talking about his dad, his weight, and now bringing to light the struggles of others, Dawson has begun a series of change on Youtube, finally giving us some real content that will hopefully inspire other Youtubers to do the same.
Paige Rogers
Reporter