#RelationshipGoals
This edition of Thumbs Up & Subscribe brings you #RelationshipGoals: five funny videos starring famous YouTubers. These performers have produced content that allows a glimpse into the maker’s daily life (vlogs). These vlogs often include footage of romantic relationships and interactions with family members. As entertainers to a younger demographic, as well as their fellow twenty-somethings, these YouTuber couples are often considered by the hashtag #RelationshipGoals – added to comments and posts by users online to point out their ideal relationships. For example, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt would be the #RelationshipGoals of the 2000s. In the case of these funny YouTubers, their audience admires their stories and romantic interactions on camera, as they not only entertain viewers, but also make each other laugh throughout the year.
Others have decided to provide us with some much needed relationship advice. This includes expectations vs. realities in relationships and outrageous, adventurous sexual experiments. Two videos in this selection bring you fictional couples from two YouTube channels inspiring viewers to relax, have fun, and enjoy spending time with their significant other.
1. Language Challenge – PewdiePie & Marzia
PewdiePie, born Felix Kjellberg, is the single most subscribed YouTuber in the world, with 37.4 million subscribers and an average $7.4 million annual reported income. PewdiePie met his now long-time girlfriend, Marzia, online. The couple travelled to be together, settling first in Sweden, then finally in London, where they live now. Marzia became a YouTuber later on and now has 5.5 million subscribers of her own. In this video, which Marzia uploaded, the couple plays a game and explores the language barriers they had to overcome in order to be together.
2. Girlfriend Caught Cheating Prank – Prank vs. Prank
Jeana and Jesse met in New Jersey almost a decade ago. Today, they maintain two YouTube channels that feed off of their hilarious relationship. Prank vs. Prank is a channel where the couple publishes videos pranking each other; while BF vs. GF is where they upload daily vlogs. Although there are many videos of the couple pranking each other, I selected one by Jeana, who carefully planned a “cheating girlfriend” prank. Jesse attempted to get revenge through a prank of his own multiple times, but Jeana’s original prank continues to be their most popular and successful video with 36 million views.
3. Lesbian Relationships: Expectation vs. Reality – Gay Women’s Channel
Sarah and Adriana have been on YouTube since 2012 producing videos on popular LGBT topics with an emphasis on lesbian pop culture. They are a pair of funny Canadian lesbians based in Toronto. They created the viral video “First Gay Hug,” a web series, and are now producing their first feature film, Almost Adults. Though they are only friends, they often star as a satirical couple in videos like the one selected below.
4. How to Have Sex On An Airplane – Life According to Jimmy
Life According to Jimmy began in 2011 as a collaboration between Jimmy Tatro and Christian A. Pierce. Their most popular video is Breaking Up with Overly Attached Girlfriend, starring the girl from the original viral meme. The LATJ channel also became associated with frat-boy culture after their funny collaborations with Total Frat Move. More recently, Tatro starred as Rooster in 22 Jump Street. Tatro says that this later video was made to encourage couples to try this technique out because he believes it actually works.
5. Dos Equis Man Scare Prank – Just Julien
Julien Solomita’s videos provide a window into the romantic relationship of a very loved, but very reserved and private, celebrity: his girlfriend, YouTube queen Jenna Marbles. Julien has uploaded many videos pranking her often elaborate pranks for April Fool’s Day. The video selected for this edition is one of the simpler and reccurring ones.
