Hello, eSTEEMed readers from far and wide, and welcome to the inaugural issue of "YouTuber Reviews", where I review notable YouTubers every week and determine whether or not they are worth keeping around.
Now here's the skinny on how we're going to break down the review:
We start out with a brief bio on the featured YouTuber and his/her story, then we take a look at the channel description as well as its video history (from debut to most recent, as of the date in which the review article itself is issued), afterwards we perform an in-depth analysis of 3 hand picked videos with 10 hand-picked highlights each (although I must grant you a fair forewarning: odds are, this analysis may contain spoilers), and finally we get down to the overall evaluation.
The review criteria will consist of the following:
Production Value
- Acting
- Screenwriting
- Editing
Content Value
- Material Quality
- Consistency
- Variety
- Novelty
[N.B.: Keep in mind that criteria requirements may be more or less subject to change, from time to time.]
If anyone happens to have any questions, feedback, and/or suggestions regarding the series, please let me know in the comments.
And now, without further ado, on with the review!
This week, we're going to have a look at JonTron.
Born in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA as Jonathan A. Jafari on March 24th, 1990, JonTron is a comedian & Internet personality who is most notable for his media reviews, on-screen memetic mannerisms, and trademark wide goatee.
He has worked with Arin "Egoraptor" Hanson in a collaborative series called "Game Grumps" since 2012, and has made a few cameo appearances in the "Filthy Frank" series.
As of recently, his flagship channel JonTronShow has 5.5 million subscribers and 794 million total views.
[Source: YouTube]
Now that we have the 411 on the man behind the channel, let's move on to his videos.
It all began on August 31, 2010...
A year later, he began to expand into reviewing campy straight-to-video media, such as Birdemic.
More recently, he decided to expand into reviewing other things, with Dan Akroyd's Crystal Skull Vodka and FlexTape.
He even went so far as to create his own original comedy skits.
On average, his videos have generated at least a million views. It's no wonder the Internet looks to him for a daily (OK, maybe not...) dose of hilarity. Well, with a touch of over-the-top acting.
To get a better idea of how his videos made his audience tick, let's catch a glimpse of a choice selection of his 3 videos and analyze them as briefly as we can.
Barbie Games:
0:55-1:25 = Good use of historical background on the subject matter, with humor thrown in.
5:15-5:23 = An important lesson in throwing money at problems... XD
6:51-7:06 = Imagineering, Y U DO DIS?? Might as well blame it on New Jersey for it...
9:03-9:10 = Meta-dreaming at the beach. Could it be... Beach-ception??
9:38-9:45 = Wyoming: a great place to camp. I wonder why Hi Tech Entertainment has decided to leave out any tornado references there...
10:45-10:55 = Hey, what have you got against Florida, Jon? You "Floridaphobic" or something? Oh, a follow-up gag is imminent at 16:10-16:13. Figures... -_-
10:58-11:13 = Not sure whether Nintendo or Hi Tech Entertainment is guilty of copyright infringement...
12:13-12:17 = It says that in the game, you can teach baby horses to fly. And in this video, I don't see any baby horses. But hey, expect a horseback riding game at 13:37 (yes, I said riding, not flying).
12:24-12:30 = Creepy Kardal being a stalker? Nah, he's just in it for the genie lamps, because they're stores of power.
15:23-15:26 = New York Public Library book giveaways? I don't know about that, but the last time I checked, that usually requires the social use of Instagram...Workplace Safety:
0:21-0:30 = Remember, kids: heat can be as dangerous as it is useful.
1:26-1:32 = "Roll Safe" meets transcendental meditation...
4:36-4:51 = Sneezing from pepper? DEBUNKED!
6:44-7:01 = Raw chicken being in the danger zone? This is something new...
8:01-8:20 = I would never shop there (not even for a housewarming gift) it it's the only remaining operational store on Earth. Why not, you ask? Worst. Customer service. Ever! On a lighter note, though...
8:38-8:45 = Not that I believe in karma, but... you reap what you sow, amirite?
9:40-9:58 = Don't look so astonished; heat syncope is actually a thing.
11:53-11:58 = Oh, great, so we're FARBing, now? Just for some airline instruction video!?
15:37-15:49 = Wow. Who'd have thought that a small pen could cause colossal damage?
19:00-20:29 = I gotta say, this has got to be one of the most parody-oriented workplace safety videos I have ever seen.Dr. Ho: License to Practice:
1:13-2:17 = A James Bond intro rip-off that ended in a slightly-dark comedy. That was brief...
2:48-2:50 = Dr. Ho's products have been around for a long time, yet they're not popular enough. No wonder I can't find them in the pharmacy...
3:38-3:43 = Silly JonTron, the Doc's performing chiropractic adjustments, not CPR.
4:06-4:56 = Character assassination via diploma mill suspicion...
5:44-5:51 = Nah. Just pop a placebo and call it a day.
6:15-6:40 = Jon's suspicions are beginning to show, regarding the Decompression Belt.
7:28-7:33 = A posture podium deemed a trap? Nope, it's just Jon's wild imagination...
7:42-7:49 = Accountants might find this line of humor off-scale...
9:04-9:57 = A confusing product unboxing & test. Might as well make experimental artwork out of it...
14:37-17:07 = A follow-up to the said James Bond rip-off. Expect the usual dosage of hilarious oddities tossed in.
Now we proceed with the meat-and-potatoes
of the review: the evaluation.
- Acting: Exaggerated comedic acting
aside, Jon has done quite well regarding his
own brand of unique and thought-provoking
stagecraft on YouTube somewhat
reminiscent of the more controversial Filthy
Frank, it could be mistaken for an actual
reaction (given the added dramatic elements
being thrown in). - Screenwriting: A complement to the
comedy-focused acting, the dialogue is just
as effective in the web show. - Editing: Not only has the original intro
demonstrated the creative use of the chroma
key, but the special effects have made great
strides in his videos, time and again.
Now for the content:
- Material Quality: There comes the
occasional off-topic ramblings in at least
a few videos, whether it's for comedic
purposes or an expression of personal
opinion. But his videos retain their relevance
respective of their titles. - Consistency: Armed with around 100
videos, Jon has managed to upload as much
videos as he feasibly could. In the past year,
though, he has decided to take a more
independent approach to comedy in which
he believes would deliver favorable results,
as described in this video. - Variety: Ranging from obscure and
terrible games to underrated bootleg movies,
JonTron has just the thing you seek in
entertainment for reviewing. A good variety,
indeed. - Novelty: In the field of parody and satire,
Jon has delivered not only the riffing of
infomercials, but also what appears to be
social commentary pertaining the past self
confronting the future setting, as seen in
"Jonny New English".
And finally, the icing on the review cake: the verdict.
Although not exactly the most wholesome YouTube series, JonTron proves to be timeless comedy classic who brings great laughs to millions all across the Internet who seek game reviews, film reviews, and/or a lampoon on an infomercial or two. And not only that, despite his usual sprinkling of expletives in his videos, he makes up for it in philanthropy, with the Official Full Firework Cover and the JonTron Charity Auction Livestream as notable examples. Both fans and critics can agree that there is nothing better than a YouTuber taking an interest in the welfare of the community (be it on a local or international scale). His unforgettable character antics have made a renowned meme out of him, thus making him worthy of respect in the eyes of the online community. Comedic YouTubers like Jon Jafari show promise in the realm of online entertainment, thus making him quite the personality worth keeping an eye on.
With that being said, I would have to grade him...
...an 8.74 out of 10!
Well, that's all for today's YouTuber Reviews. Stay tuned for next week's featured YouTuber!
Who knows? You just might discover a new YouTuber you may have never heard of before.
If you like the inaugural issue, then go ahead and show the "Upvote" icon some love.
Oh, and kindly leave a comment and tell me what you think so far.
See you all next Friday! :D