Value Select (Max Renner)
My new favorite YouTube musician (usurping the throne long-held by KevJumba and NigaHiga).
(Not endorsed: the intro up to 0:12. Not sure what he’s trying to do there.)
Relatable + catchy:
When I’ve been looking at my phone too long, these lyrics start playing in my head:
I never have this problem, since I’m a (recovering) late person, but I still like this one:
And this one:
Note that I don’t endorse any of the songs featuring the weird Willy-Wonka-esque character. Also, I don’t understand at least half his videos. The good ones are great, though.
Micarah Tewers
Come for the sewing tutorials, stay for the house chickens, rat funerals, and slice of small-town life. She lets you into her world, and it’s delightful.
YouTube recommended “I made Kylie Jenner’s Christmas dress for $20” to me for months, and I assumed it was clickbait, until I finally gave in to our algorithmic overlords and watched it. So glad I did.
Also recommended, if you’re interested in costume design:
And here’s why she’s like a real-life Disney princess:
Adam Ragusea
I enjoyed “Making New York-style pizza at home” back when it first went viral, but at the time he had hardly any other videos. (Version 1 was posted Dec. 2018; I’ve linked version 2 below, since you’ll want the updated recipe.)
Well, I recently watched Pancakes 201, which changed the way I make pancakes. This set off a Ragusea-watching marathon.
I’ve now seen almost all his videos.
I learn something new from each one, even when I already know about the topic (like baking soda vs. baking powder—I knew what the difference was, but I never knew how single-acting baking powder companies tried to crush the new double-acting baking powder company when it was first created).
He’s the only food youtuber whose recipes I will actually make!!* (or at least, plan to actually make :P) thanks to approachable dishes like these:
Also, he seems to have high integrity. For example, he:
- Backs up claims with scientific evidence.
- Reminds people that jokes where the punchline is “Adam’s an alcoholic!” (since he uses white wine a lot) are not funny.
- Thoughtfully considers where his viewers are located, and explains things that might be confusing outside the US.
I’m now a devoted Adam Ragusea fan, and will watch any video he makes. I went to “Videos,” sorted by “Most Popular,” scrolled all the way down, and have been working my way back up.
Here’s a gem from the under-viewed section:
*Aug. 2022 update: I finally made one of his recipes—this omelette.
Ordinary Things
This video showed up in my recommended feed:
And I was entranced by his turns of phrase.
Such as here:
Ordinary Things forced me to realize how my chocolate habit is supporting child labor. (I’m even considering giving up KitKats forever.)*
Personal fave:
*Update—March 11, 2023: I haven’t had a KitKat in several months. Woohoo! (I’ve been weaning myself off Lindt and Nestle and on to fair-trade, sugar-free dark chocolate.) I won’t say I’ll never have one again, but it has stopped being a habit.
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