Kel Lauren - They make videos on graphic design, but I find them really entertaining, even as someone who has no interest in being a graphic designer. Every time I watch their videos, I just feel instantly relaxed. I don't think they've been posting as much lately, but they have a great & unique backlog of vids to go through! Something very different from what other YT'ers are doing.
Ashley Norton - If you like Mic's Mike, Ashley's content is in in a similar fun, pop-culture commentary vein. Hers is more straightforward talking with less fun gimmicks (no wall-webs like Mike does), but she's still very funny and compassionate in her approach to topics. She covers nostalgic topics like old bandom drama and 2000s/early 2010s TV stars/shows. I like that she seems to focus on what she's interested in, instead of recycling the same discourse/hot topics that the algorithm pushes.
Mila Tequila - She does a lot of longform retrospectives on 2000s phenomenons, so they're really good for putting on and listening to while you're painting, cleaning, etc. I also appreciate that she doesn't have the specific type of boring, monotone, video-essay voice that can make a lot of people zone out! Hers feels more conversational.
Casey Aonso & UnCarley - Both do some fun pop culture tier list ranking vids that I think Mike's Mic enjoyers would like! UnCarley does some videos similar to his style with wall webs & Casey's whole channel is great.
ModernGurlz & Mina Le - Have some great fashion content! Modern Gurlz has some really interesting trend analysis videos & Mina Le does great interesting commentary on fashion history.
As for individual videos, this one had some refreshing relatability & charm that I feel like I haven't seen in a hot second on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/ZFhA26rPNy4?si=d9bmyekxAEv0zC5s
Feb 8, 2024
Related Recs
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i'm aware this is very long but hope it helps <3
books:
- colorless wonderland
- * emmie * - go-to for classics and relaxing vlogs
- a clockword reader - mostly fantasy + cozy atmosphere
- ana wallace johnson - always reading books i've never heard of + very cool vibe
- booksandLala - does lots of challenges and themes
- caricanread
- lexi aka newlynova
- noelle gallagher - love love her vibes
- sally thames - pls come back
- shawn mccomb - insane
- shitty book club - v funny
- the book leo
- paperbacksanddaisies
- fantine - v v cool vibes
- natalie.mp4
- bookpogo
- paperbackdreams
vlogs:
- caricakes - lives in seoul + very cozy
- chelsea callaghan - realistic vlogs of nyc life
- claire mcgory - underrated vlogs of life at st andrews scotland
- dobochobo
- dustin vuong
- emma chamberlain
- jingsuu - mostly study vlogs at oxford
- linh truong
- moya mawhinney
- ruby granger
- emma chamberlain
- jesycu
- elyse myers
- miadimilano
- leah's fieldnotes
- leandra yomo
- lauren louise
- claudia sulewski
video essays:
- alice capelle
- mina le
- shanspeare
- yhara zayd
- princess weekes
- lola sebastian
- the morbid zoo
- cj the x
- broey deschanel
- upinurbiz
- philosophy tube
- contra points
deep dives on random topics:
- ashley norton
- wendigoon
- bobbi brocolli - amazing animation + love knowing about science drama
- mic the snare - music deepdives
- gregcubed - deep dives into musicians
movies/shows deep dives:
- haley whipjack - love the once upon a time vids
- jane mulcahy - esp teen wolf vids
- jenny nicholson
- mike's mic - been a fan since the pigeon dating simulator
- pop culture detective
- sarah z
- sloan stowe
- uncarley
- babbity kate - love her video on bella's khaki skirt from twilight
- elievileye
- big joel
- gracietalksaboutthings - v underrated
- lindsay ellis
- friendly space ninja
funny people:
- danny gonzalez
- drew gooden
- eddy burback - also has very thoughtful video on apple vision goggles
- kaychung - stresses me out but love
- meditations for the anxious mind
- micarah tewers
- nicole rafiee
- good mythical morning - just look beyond the thumbnails
- brian david gilbert
- the sequel nobody wanted
- leo vader
- meditations for the anxious mind
educational:
- horses - wonderful story telling w/ visuals
- channel 5 with andrew callghan - very thought provoking yet entertaining
- intelexual media - such high quality content on topics that you don't hear much about
- jay foreman - very funny kinda like horrible history
- kaz rowe - obscure historical topics
- knowing better - deep dives into interesting groups like mormons
- kendra gaylord - love love love her interior design/architecture videos
- last week tonight w/ john oliver
- LEMMiNO
- wendover productions
- etymologynerd
miscellaneous:
- leena norms
- exurb1a - very creative stories
- vlogbrothers - always cheers me up
- nobody - amazingly specific playlists
- ultravclet - also cool playlists
- doobydobap - cooking vids
- mythical kitchen
Oct 21, 2024
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Commentary/ video essays/ analysis, etc.: because these keep me from having my own opinions, prevent my brain from having wrinkles in it, and I enjoy them.
Content about current topics in general:
1. Uncarley
2. D'angelo Wallace.
3. Tee Noir.
4. Shanspeare.
5. Philosophy Tube .
6. ContraPoints.
Journalistic content/ documentaries:
1. CHUPPL.
2. Defunctland.
Content primarily centered around movies and shows:
1. Yhara Zayd.
2. elle literacy.
3. Trin Lovell.
4. Friendly Space Ninja.
Content centered around fashion:
HauteLeMode.
Booktubers: because I love to read. They are not as numerous because I'm picky with the personalities I take recommendations from.
1. Shawn Mccomb.
2. Ana Wallace Johnson.
3. Csop.
Note: I also recommend Uncarley's videos. She started as a booktuber but pivoted into more of a commentary channel. However I love her recommendations still.
Podcasts:
1. Girl Historians: A Comedy Podcast: each season they talk about different topics. It's two seasons so far. First one was about the the sinking of the Titanic. Currently they're talking about the Salem Witch Trials.
2. NickyandCoco: they talk about people and/or brands in the entertainment industry and how they have gotten a push through the lens of marketing. It's been very educational.
3. BroskiReport: another comedy podcast I love.
4. Rebuttal Podcast: Reb Masel goes in depth about cases that the public may not know about, contributing to this true-crime podcast through her perspective as a lawyer.
Vloggers: they have a special place in my heart because this is how i learned English and it’s a method I’ve used with the other languages I’ve been learning.
1. Hannah Elise.
2. Nailea Devora.
3. Kennedy Walsh.
4. Avrey Ovard.
5. Emma Chamberlain.
Feb 22, 2024
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the video essayists
🌟defunctland: classic. i feel like this is the basic answer for anyone who’s into video essays, but you must understand that i’ve been a theme park fiend since childhood and used to watch defunctland long before he blew up, so he’s special to me.
🌟contrapoints: whoever LIED and told me she did something really fucked up, leading me to take a year-long break from her content, is going to hell. so damn smart. baltimore legend.
🌟broeydeschanel: my favorite film critic. sensible, funny, and generally way more thoughtful with her critiques than other influencer critic types.
book recs
🌟bigbooklady: great recommendations that are outside of the run-of-the-mill indie girl genre
🌟ana wallace: same deal but more mature. opens my eyes & tastes in a way that social media doesn’t allow for
🌟carley thorne: standup comedian and booktube veteran with a balance of popular and niche recs. retired from booktube-ing for a style that i’m not jazzed about, but i still love her.
lifestyle/vlog-y
🌟linh truong: i’ve been following them since high school and we’re the same age. big comfort creator, i think i’ve seen nearly every video
🌟benjiplant: goated interior design content. unfortunately, he and his partner’s home was destroyed by the los angeles fires. go watch his videos and don’t you dare skip the ads!!
🌟kate brock: vibes. good vlogs, good outfits. lots of comfort
🌟halle burns: another creator close to my age who makes wonderful, comforting content. i’m not a vegan but i loveee to watch her put together the craziest veg food combos.
🌟2014 dan and phil: not much else to say here!
Jan 21, 2025
Top Recs from @gforce2001
I love doing collages, cuz all you really need are magazine cutouts and glue. There's a very low barrier to entry, skill-wise AND supply-wise, unlike painting. Digital collages are fun too, but I try to have less screentime by doing the paper ones. If I want to re-use pieces instead of gluing them down permanently, sometimes I'll just take a picture of the current arrangement to immortalize it, and then start over on a new composition. That way, I don't have to constantly buy new magazines to get new cutouts. This is one of my favorite ones I've done so far:
Aug 22, 2024
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This is the only thing that keeps me sane at work. It's so slow right now. If anyone is wondering why I've posted like 9 times today.
Mar 9, 2025
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i always get stuck choosing which stuff to watch/read/get into next when i look at my huge former watchlists & TBR's. a lot of items are things i put on there years ago and never got around to, so usually by the time i check the list again, my tastes have totally changed. i realized it was hard to get myself excited or motivated about half the stuff i put on there anymore, but i felt indebted to knocking it out anyway just because it was on the list. i'd recommend letting your current feelings/impulses take the wheel, and trust that you'll come back around to any of the other options if they're right for you later on.
Apr 18, 2024