Ben Going

Ben Going (born June 15, 1985), username boh3m3 (pronounced bo-heem) on YouTube, is a video blog personality based in Torrance, California. He was fairly popular on YouTube in 2006 and into 2007, and an early YouTube partner.[1]

Ben Going
Personal information
Born (1985-06-15) June 15, 1985
Cocoa, Florida, U.S.
Websitewww.boh3m3.net
YouTube information
Also known asboh3m3
Channel
Years active2006–11, 2013–present
Genre
Catchphrase(s)"Hey, kids!"

Most of Going's videos are shot in black-and-white. He has claimed to be "the only person on the (YouTube) Most Subscribed List that swears excessively".[2] Often in his videos, he wears a signature black hat.[3] Subjects of Going's vlogs have included pop culture, the news media, and the state of the YouTube community, in addition to personal anecdotes.

YouTube

Going intended that his first submission to YouTube, posted in May 2006, serve as an audition tape for MTV's "Jackass".[4][5] That failing, he went on to adopt a vlogger personality that has worked to give him over 44,000 subscribers and a top spot on YouTube's Most Subscribed list.[6] Two of his videos, No Swearing! (posted June 6, 2006) and Why Do YouTube? (posted November 29, 2006 but has since been removed), were featured on YouTube's homepage and each has a view count over 900,000. Various news outlets have approached Going for his opinion on the state of the YouTube community or YouTube in general.[7][8][9]

Stemming from his video channel's exposure, YouTube paid Going to produce two videos for use in holiday-themed, corporate sponsored promotions in December 2006. The first to be released as part of the YouTube and Coca-Cola Holiday WishCast, sponsored by Coca-Cola.[10] According to Adweek, this promotion marked the first time YouTube made an ad deal with its top users.[11] The second was featured on YouTube's homepage for the YouTube New Year's Eve Countdown, which was put on in partnership with Warner Music Group and sponsored by Chevrolet.[12]

Stickam has credited Going for bringing 1,000 new users to its video networking website hours after he advertised his presence there on YouTube.[13] In January 2007, he hosted a live, 24-hour Stickam broadcast to raise awareness for the Darfur conflict.[14]

In addition to several other popular YouTube users, Going worked with Barenaked Ladies to produce a music video for their single "Sound of Your Voice" in February 2007.[15] The video has been featured on the Barenaked Ladies' homepage.

In May 2007, YouTube entered Going as one of the first users to take part in its partnership program. As a YouTube partner, Going can capitalize on "promotional opportunities" and advertiser based revenue sharing.[16][17] He was one of the first twenty to thirty YouTube users to have this status. Although The New York Times once quoted Going's saying that he hopes "video blogging might become some kind of career,"[18] since becoming a YouTube partner he has retracted that statement.[19]

YouTubers for net neutrality

On August 17, 2006, Going posted Save the Internet! to YouTube. Described by Newsday as "a one-minute, black-and-white, tech-age public service announcement", the video, which Going scripted, presents a short argument for net neutrality that includes video appearances by YouTube users Tony Huynh, Barats and Bereta, and Brandon Hardesty, among others. Free Press blog SavetheInternet.com subsequently featured it,[20] leading the video to gain a view count in excess of 500,000.[21][22] Of the video, Salon.com quoted Ben Scott, one of the coordinators of SaveTheInternet.com, to have said that Going's "Save the Internet!" "is doing the work of 30 full-time communications professionals".[23]

Vegemite wars

In February 2007, Australian news program A Current Affair picked up Going's January 27, 2007, The Australians are Fooling Us All! and used it to springboard a mock defense of Vegemite. In his video, Going imagines the substance to be made of "yeast, salt and pain." To counter, A Current Affair enlisted media personality Peter FitzSimons, who suggests Vegemite comprises, rather, "the distilled essence of Australia".[24] Although the segment focuses on Going, it also features Australian YouTubers who profess a fondness for Vegemite, including Natalie Tran[25][26] and Caitlin Hill.[27] A reporter for The Age responded by questioning A Current Affair's journalistic integrity.[28]

Personal life

Going grew up in Cocoa, Florida, and lived there until just before he started high school.[29] He waited tables in Huntsville, Alabama, at 1892 East throughout the earlier part of his YouTube career.[4] In April 2007, Going moved to Torrance, California,[30] after accepting an offer to apprentice under a professional music video director.[31] The move was facilitated by fan contributions exceeding $1,000 made through PayPal.[5]

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See also

References
  1. Kornblum, Janet (October 30, 2007). "These guys draw a YouTube crowd". USA Today. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  2. The Hill Archived 2007-11-12 at the Wayback Machine on Ben Going's MySpace blog as of August 12, 2007
  3. "Top YouTube videographers descend on San Francisco". CNET. February 17, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-13. 'I don't have any groupies yet,' said Ben Going when asked whether his Internet fame has changed his life. The 21-year-old waiter from Huntsville, Alabama, has a regular YouTube audience that numbers over 43,000 subscribers. Two minutes after making his joke, Going was approached by two red-haired teenagers who asked him for an autograph. Going, known at YouTube as Boh3m3, shrugged at a reporter and appeared simultaneously thrilled and embarrassed. Lowering his hat, the one Going wears in many of his videos, he signed away.
  4. Tedeschi, Bob (February 26, 2007). "New Hot Properties: YouTube Celebrities". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-06-13."Ben Going, creator of Boh3m3, another of YouTube’s most popular channels, started his YouTube series in part because he aspired to work with the Jackass team. Mr. Going, a waiter in Huntsville, Alabama, who shoots videos from his bedroom, now says he hopes 'video blogging might become some kind of career.'"
  5. Hoffman, Scott "ExcChatting With Ben Going (Boh3m3 On YouTube)" Archived 2007-10-08 at the Wayback Machine "The Critic" at moviepicturefilm.com, March 17, 2007
  6. Official YouTube Most Subscribed List, YouTube as of June 15, 2007
  7. Kuchment, Anna (September 26, 2006). "Technology: Want to Be a Video Star?". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 2007-05-20. Retrieved 2007-06-17. "People are looking for an emotional connection," says Ben Going, a.k.a. boh3m3, a 21-year-old from Huntsville, Alabama, who vlogs about music at MySpace.com and YouTube. Discuss your passions, but keep it short: no more than two or three minutes.
  8. Lauria, Peter (November 12, 2006). "Video Venom Popular Posters Revolt Against YouTube". New York Post. Archived from the original on February 23, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-18. 'I'm starting to feel some twinges of betrayal,' said Ben Going, better known to YouTube users as Boh3M3. 'They seem to be more money-oriented than I imagined.'
  9. Coyle, Jake (October 11, 2006). "Users wonder about the future of YouTube". Associated Press. Retrieved 2007-06-18. A prominent figure of the YouTube community, boh3m3 said, "Come on, man. Google is good. If it had to be bought by any company, I have to say Google is a ... great choice."
  10. YouTube and Coca-Cola Introduce Video Greeting Cards for the Holidays Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine Joint YouTube and Coca-Cola press release December 12, 2006 For the first time people will be able to send their own personal videos as a holiday greeting card online. Visitors can share their holiday spirit by uploading their own videos, customizing video greetings created by popular YouTube personalities, Geriatric1927, Boh3m3, Terra Naomi, Renetto, TheWineKone and LisaNova, or sharing holiday-themed videos from Coca-Cola including clips from vintage Coke advertisements.
  11. Morrissey, Brian "Coke Uses YouTube Stars for Holiday Campaign" Adweek, December 13, 2006 Archived September 11, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  12. Reardon, Marguerite YouTube hosts New Year's Eve Bash CNET News Blog December 29, 2006 Special video messages from YouTube celebrities, such as Boh3m3, Smosh, Terra Naomi, Renetto, Chad Vadar, and TheWineKone, along with artists from WMG labels Atlantic Records, Warner Bros. Records and Warner Music International will be featured on the home page.
  13. Stickam press release YouTube stars prove real identity live on Stickam Archived 2007-09-26 at the Wayback Machine Stickam, October 5, 2006 "...genuine high-profile video bloggers like boh3m3, who creates YouTube's 9th most subscribed channel, are using Stickam’s unique broadcasting and social networking site as a valuable tool for confirming their true identities live...."I think it's quite an awesome site," boh3m3 said about Stickam. "I wouldn’t be surprised if more YouTube people started using it as a tool to talk to the fans." boh3m3 achieved instant popularity on Stickam after announcing his plans to "Go Live" on the site. Just hours after his post appeared on YouTube, nearly 1,000 new Stickam accounts were created, and hundreds of members signed onto boh3m3's friend list. His profile received almost 10,000 views in just two days."
  14. Boh3m3, YouTube & Darfur the YouTube channel of neddotcom of darfurby.com Archived 2009-06-11 at the Wayback Machine, January 6, 2007
  15. Moses, Asher YouTubers star in Barenaked music video The Age, February 21, 2007
  16. YouTube Elevates Most Popular Users to Partners, The YouTube Blog May 3, 2007 Archived March 7, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  17. Miguel Helft (2007-05-05). "Contributors on YouTube May Share Advertising Revenue". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-08-21.
  18. Tedeschi, Bob (February 26, 2007). "New Hot Properties: YouTube Celebrities". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-06-13. Ben Going, creator of Boh3m3, another of YouTube's most popular channels, started his YouTube series in part because he aspired to work with the Jackass team. Mr. Going, a waiter in Huntsville, Alabama, who shoots videos from his bedroom, now says he hopes 'video blogging might become some kind of career.'
  19. Boh3m3 and Thehill88 are official & the Journey of Vblogging Businessboomer's channel on YouTube, June 11, 2007
  20. "YouTubers Support Net Neutrality" Archived 2006-10-17 at the Wayback Machine, SavetheInternet.com Archived June 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine as of August 24, 2006
  21. Save the Internet! Boh3m3's channel on YouTube, as of April 17, 2007
  22. "Grassroots Movement Wants Laws to Keep Big Media from Controlling Internet". Newsday. October 10, 2006. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-19. A 21-year-old waiter from Huntsville, Alabama, Ben Going, wrote the script, got a few figures from the online video site YouTube to participate, and posted the clip on the site. With more than 536,000 views by YouTube users, the video demonstrates how the seemingly obscure topic has transformed into a grassroots movement that claims its goal is to keep the Internet free from interference by telecommunications giants.
  23. Reilly, Daniel W. (October 2, 2006). "The telecom slayers". Salon.com. Retrieved 2007-06-20. In the first week after it was posted on YouTube on Aug. 17, the video was viewed over 350,000 times, according to figures provided by the site. By comparison, the infamous "Macaca" video of Virginia Sen. George Allen calling a man of Indian descent the racial slur, was viewed 200,000 times in roughly the same amount of time. A testament to the power of viral marketing, the Net neutrality video "is doing the work of 30 full-time communications professionals," Scott says.....Going says he pieced the video together because he feels that his hobby, his business, his way of life, is under attack.
  24. YouTube on OZ News: Vegemite Wars badbarb's channel on YouTube, February 8, 2007
  25. private video
  26. "Re: The Australians are fooling us". YouTube. Retrieved 2009-03-14.
  27. "Vegemite 101". YouTube. Retrieved 2007-06-19.
  28. Ed "Last Laugh: Vegemite Wars (or How to Get on National TV in Australia Without Really Trying)" "The Last Laugh" blog, The Age, February 8, 2007
  29. Memoirs Of a Childhood Asshat Boh3m3's channel on YouTube, December 7, 2006
  30. The California Chronicles: Packing, Madness, and TV's Death Boh3m3's channel on YouTube, April 5, 2007
  31. The BIG Secret Revealed! Boh3m3's channel on YouTube, as of May 30, 2007
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