Another Top 10 Viral Stars Where are They Now
#10: Mason Ramsey
Mason Ramsey is perhaps better known as the Walmart yodeling kid, as he was filmed yodeling Hank Williams’ “Lovesick Blues” in the middle of an Illinois Walmart. This resulted in a newfound interest in Hank Williams and a new career for Mason, as he was signed to Big Loud Records only one month later. 2019 was a big year for the young yodeler (and we never thought we’d say that sentence). He voiced Oliver in “The Angry Birds Movie 2,” released his second EP, titled “Twang,” and was featured on one of the seemingly infinite remixes of Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road.” It’s amazing what a simple viral video can do for someone’s life.
#9: Gunnar Stansson
Gunnar Stansson represents the beauty that was old school YouTube. You may remember him as the man from the “Unforgivable” videos, a series which sees Gunnar telling silly stories in an overly aggressive tone. These videos were an immediate hit, and Stansson began producing and starring in short films. His most recent, a full-length movie called “Steal Kill Destroy,” was released in 2015. He also co-founded HodgeStansson Productions with his friend (and giggly “Unforgivable” cameraman) Logan Hodge, and Hot Topic briefly sold their merchandise in their stores. Unfortunately, Hodge passed away at his Texas home in March of 2018. He was 30 years old.
#8: Psy
Top 10 Viral Stars: Where Are They Now?
2012 belonged to Psy. “Gangnam Style” essentially took over the world, becoming the first video on YouTube to exceed one billion views and entering into The Yale Book of Quotations. Psy was even awarded the Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit in his native South Korea for his “outstanding meritorious services in the fields of culture and art.” Not bad for a song with a goofy dance. Since 2012, Psy has released two more studio albums, “Chiljip Psy-da” and “4X2=8,” the latter reaching #5 in South Korea. He also founded his own record label and management agency called P NATION, and he has signed the artists Jessi, Crush, and Hyuna.
#7: Ted Williams
Top 10 YouTube Stars: Where Are They Now?
A homeless man by the name of Ted Williams went viral in 2011 after displaying his incredible radio voice. Unbeknownst to many, Williams had a past in radio, working as a disc jockey for WVKO-AM in Columbus throughout the 80s and early 90s. However, he found himself spiraling into drug abuse and alcoholism, and he was fired in 1994. Williams returned to WVKO in January of 2016, hosting a talk show titled “The Golden Voice Show.” However, the show only lasted to April, when it was removed from the channel’s programming. He also began working as a sportscaster for Marion, Ohio’s WWGH-FM, and in 2014 he married a woman named Carol Gibson.
#6: Jessica Lee Rose
All hail one of the OG YouTube content creators! Jessica Lee Rose. Rose created the famous (and perhaps infamous) web series “lonelygirl15,” which saw Rose pretending to be a real vlogger who was being affected by a dangerous cult. Viewers originally believed that the videos were genuine, but an investigation by the Los Angeles Times revealed that they were fake and put the kibosh on all the fun. Party poopers. Jessica subsequently embarked on an acting career and has appeared in various short films and web series’. In 2016, she reprised her role as lonelygirl15 and uploaded a video titled “Whatever Happened to lonelygirl15?” She also married a fellow actor named Tim Phillipps in 2017.
#5: Jonathon Ware
Jonathon Ware’s young face will forever remain an iconic piece of internet history. Jonathon was a small but very integral part of a Portland news story covering a local fair. A recently zombified Jonathon was approached by the reporter and asked what he thought of his face paint, resulting in three of the most hilarious words ever uttered on the internet. Unlike many viral stars, Jonathon did not capitalize on his fame, instead choosing to live a normal life out of the spotlight. The last we heard, Jonathon was heading off to college and starting a gaming channel on YouTube called It’s Turtle Time, although the channel has since been deleted.
#4: Charles Ramsey
Top 10 Facts About Charles Manson’s Trial and Imprisonment
Charles Ramsey became a national hero in 2013 when he helped Amanda Berry and her daughter escape the house in which they had been imprisoned for ten years. His actions also resulted in the rescue of Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus, and the eventual arrest of kidnapper Ariel Castro. Ramsey’s news interview subsequently went viral, thanks in large part to his surprising sense of humor. He even provided the inspiration for Walter Bankston on “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” While Ramsey wrote a book called “Dead Giveaway,” he eventually took a friend’s advice and retreated from the spotlight. However, he made a special TV appearance in 2019 when he and Amanda were reunited for the first time in six years.
#3: Sweet Brown
Sweet Brown became one of the internet’s biggest celebrities in 2012 when her interview with Oklahoma’s KFOR-TV went viral. The video became a bona fide sensation, accruing millions of views and numerous remixes and logging “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” into the internet history books. Sweet Brown went on to sue Apple for the “I Got Bronchitis” remix and embarked on various entrepreneurial endeavors, including a line of T-shirts and barbecue sauces. She also did a bit of acting, appearing in local commercials and performing a cameo in “A Madea Christmas.” Sweet Brown has since retreated back into anonymity, and it is believed that she still resides in the historic Oklahoma apartment complex.
#2: Gary Brolsma
Gary Brolsma predates YouTube. That’s how much of a legend he truly is. In December of 2004, Gary uploaded the famous Numa Numa Dance to Newgrounds, a primitive form of YouTube. By November 2006, the video had been viewed more than 700 million times, which is frankly incredible for the pre-YouTube age. Brolsma disappeared from the public eye for some time but re-emerged in 2016 when he starred in the Numa Numa Reunion video. He now runs his eponymous YouTube channel, which he uses to upload pieces of original music. Most of the music comes from his digital album “Haunted House of Pancakes,” which was released through Bandcamp in July of 2019.
#1: Bo Burnham
Top 10 Meme Stars: Where Are They Now?
Bo Burnham is arguably the most influential YouTuber of all time. His career began back in 2006 when he uploaded two songs to YouTube. These songs were “My Whole Family…” and “My ‘Little’ Secret…,” and both became overnight viral sensations. Sensing success, Burnham continued to release videos of musical comedy, which eventually blossomed into a successful stand-up career. 2018 proved to be Bo’s most successful year yet. Not only did he direct Chris Rock’s “Tamborine” special, he released his directorial debut called “Eighth Grade,” which received immense amounts of critical acclaim. The movie earned him numerous awards from various institutions, including the National Board of Review, the Directors Guild of America, and the Writers Guild of America. So, yeah, he’s doing alright for himself.
