Cory Williams
Encyclopedia
Cory Williams also known as "Mr. Safety" from SMP Films, is an actor and YouTube
personality who lives in Thousand Oaks, California
.
(aka SungHero), who was cast for a featured role in Superbad, was the first known YouTube user to transition with the aid of an agent. Brandon Hardesty
was the third YouTube user to transition into feature films for his role in the film Bart Got A Room. Williams also has a cameo in the music video "Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss
" by Bloodhound Gang
as well as "White People For Peace
" by Against Me!
.
. He then developed a following by posting original music tracks to his MySpace
profile, leading MySpace to sponsor him on a cross-country tour. In September 2005, Golden Palace Casino
sponsored Williams, making him the first video blogger to receive corporate sponsorship. Williams is the creator of SMP Films, which was named after his friends in his home town of Turlock, California
. The "SMP" stands for "Simple Minded People".
Williams has made all of his newer videos available to view and download in 720p
HD on Vimeo
, another video-sharing website that obtained high-definition capabilities before YouTube added "high quality" and "HD" features.
"The Mean Kitty Song" (or "Hey Little Sparta"), based on his cat with the same name, is Williams' most popular video to date. As of November 9, 2011, it has attracted over 57 million views. In one year, it became the top 21 of YouTube's list of all-time favorite videos, top 39 of YouTube's list of all-time most discussed videos, number 1 all-time most discussed Pets & Animals video, and number 4 all-time most viewed Pets & Animals video, and is the No. 1 all-time favorite video in the Pets & Animals section. The video was also aired by CBS
' The Early Show
and a few other television shows as well.
Cory is regularly on Kate Elliott's daily vlogs. The Cats, Loki and Sparta (often referred to as Pokie and Moo respectively) also make appearances.
On October 9, 2008, he announced that he will no longer be focusing on himself as the only main character of his videos. Instead he will be focusing on directing and promoting lesser known YouTube users with talent.
On December 10, 2008, Williams was mentioned on the front page of The New York Times as being one of YouTube's top earners. "Half of the profits come from YouTube’s advertisements, and the other half come from sponsorships and product placements within his videos".
, but with added quirks and recurring gags that include car warps and the dropping of the camera. Many of his videos feature his close friend Kate, she is a fellow vlogger and business partner from England who goes by the username Katersoneseven on YouTube, and it was from appearing on her vlogs initially that Cory gained enough confidence to start his own vlogging channel. Other guests who have appeared in his vlogs include his ex-wife Stephanie, his mother, a variety of his friends, and the occasional passer-by. As of November 9, 2011, the channel has over 60,000 subscribers.
which would be different because no "real" reviews on 3D
videogames existed at the time. As of November 9, 2011, the channel has obtained over 12,000 subscribers despite having only one video.
on DirecTV
channel 101 in the United States. The show features other popular video bloggers such as thewinekone, boh3m3, TheHill88, Kevin Nalty
, Kassem G and many other notable YouTube users. It aired daily on DirecTV channel 101 until the show was canceled in June 2008. This marks the first time in which a YouTube user has transitioned into a television role without the aid of an agent. Williams was also named as one of the "Who's Who on YouTube" by G4TV's Attack of the Show on July 31, 2008 and also made a guest appearance on Tom Green's House Tonight on The Comedy Network
in Canada.
Williams has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and MTV Scarred.
Outside of YouTube, Williams works for a viral video project called "I Got Shotgun" (which was created by General Motors
) in which he interviews celebrities on the red carpet about their personal opinions on the future of new media.
On September 18, 2008, Williams was featured on The Tyra Show for his music video "The Mean Kitty Song". In the episode titled "YouTube Made Me Famous", Tyra Banks
announced that Williams makes a monthly income of $20,000 (US). Williams' response to Tyra's comment about his income was, "The money I make each month isn't from YouTube alone but through sponsorship, consulting, and acting gigs."
On September 17, 2009, Williams was a guest on The Bonnie Hunt Show
. This was also the first time his cats Sparta and Loki had been taped for television in front of a live studio audience. The topic focused on Cory's ability to comfort animals in extreme situations which led him to performing "comfort tricks" with Sparta.
; Williams's associated video went on to receive over 1.3 million views. The second gathering, held at Pier 39
in San Francisco, California, managed to attract many of YouTube's highest viewed users, YouTube employees, and attention in the mainstream press. Notable YouTubers who attended include Caitlin Hill
, Ben Going
, Smosh
, and Paul Robinett
, Yousef Abu-Taleb
and Jackson Davis
, the actors who play DanielBeast and jonastko in the YouTube series lonelygirl15
. Another "As One" gathering was held on July 7, 2007 in New York City
and one other gathering also took place on December 1, 2007 in Melbourne, Australia
.
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
personality who lives in Thousand Oaks, California
Thousand Oaks, California
Thousand Oaks is a city in southeastern Ventura County, California, in the United States. It was named after the many oak trees that grace the area, and the city seal is adorned with an oak....
.
Biography
In early October 2007, Williams starred in his first feature film role as the character "Hunter" in the movie Faded Memories, which opened in theaters on November 14, 2008. The first trailer to the movie was released on YouTube, August 3, 2008. This marked the first known instance in which a YouTube user, without an agent, made a direct transition to film acting. Naathan PhanNaathan Phan
Naathan Phan is an American actor and Internet personality. He had a small role as a party-going teenager in the 2007 comedy film Superbad and he also played a driver's ed student in Reno 911!, among other television, film, and stage roles.In April 2007, Naathan Phan joined the national tour of...
(aka SungHero), who was cast for a featured role in Superbad, was the first known YouTube user to transition with the aid of an agent. Brandon Hardesty
Brandon Hardesty
Brandon Allan Hardesty is an American comedic performer and actor. Hardesty posts original comedy videos as well as "uncanny" recreations of scenes from movies, playing every part himself, excluding a few of his projects, such as his Little Rascals and the original Batman movie...
was the third YouTube user to transition into feature films for his role in the film Bart Got A Room. Williams also has a cameo in the music video "Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss
Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss
"Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss" is the eleventh track and the second single on the Bloodhound Gang's 2005 album Hefty Fine. The title is an onomatopoeic representation of a typical dance beat.-Music video:...
" by Bloodhound Gang
Bloodhound Gang
Bloodhound Gang is a Collegeville, Pennsylvania-based American comedy band, although it began as a rap group and gradually changed its genre throughout the years...
as well as "White People For Peace
White People for Peace
"White People for Peace: is a 7" single by punk band Against Me! released in 2007, containing two new songs: the title track, and "Full Sesh". In the United States, it was pressed on both black and red vinyl, with a reported 4,500 and 500 copies pressed respectively...
" by Against Me!
Against Me!
Against Me! is an American punk rock band formed in 1997 in Naples, Florida and relocated to Gainesville, Florida in 1999. Their first full-length album, released on No Idea Records in 2002, was Against Me! Is Reinventing Axl Rose. They have released music on Misanthrope Records, Crasshole Records,...
.
Internet history
Williams started streaming online video in March 2005 on NewgroundsNewgrounds
Newgrounds is an American entertainment and social media website. Founded on July 6, 1995 by Tom Fulp, the site primarily hosts Adobe Flash animations and games, but also features a music-oriented page, along with an art portal...
. He then developed a following by posting original music tracks to his MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
profile, leading MySpace to sponsor him on a cross-country tour. In September 2005, Golden Palace Casino
GoldenPalace.com
GoldenPalace.com is an online casino, hosted at Mohawk Internet Technologies, which is located in the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory near Montreal. They are well-known for their publicity stunts. They are also known for large 'bonuses' which must be waged a comparatively excessive fifty times before...
sponsored Williams, making him the first video blogger to receive corporate sponsorship. Williams is the creator of SMP Films, which was named after his friends in his home town of Turlock, California
Turlock, California
Turlock is a city in Stanislaus County, California, United States, part of the Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 Census, Turlock had a population of 80,549, up from 55,810 at the 2000 census, making it the second-largest city in Stanislaus County.-Geography:Turlock lies in the...
. The "SMP" stands for "Simple Minded People".
Williams has made all of his newer videos available to view and download in 720p
720p
720p is the shorthand name for 1280x720, a category of High-definition television video modes having a resolution of 1080 or 720p and a progressive scan...
HD on Vimeo
Vimeo
Vimeo is a video-sharing website on which users can upload, share, and view videos. It was founded by Zach Klein and Jake Lodwick in November 2004...
, another video-sharing website that obtained high-definition capabilities before YouTube added "high quality" and "HD" features.
YouTube
Williams' video output includes music, sketch comedy and community building. As of November 9, 2011, Williams' YouTube channel, "smpfilms" had acquired over 563,800 subscribers and over 205 million video views. He is also one of the first 30 users to be chosen to for YouTube's revenue sharing "partner" program."The Mean Kitty Song" (or "Hey Little Sparta"), based on his cat with the same name, is Williams' most popular video to date. As of November 9, 2011, it has attracted over 57 million views. In one year, it became the top 21 of YouTube's list of all-time favorite videos, top 39 of YouTube's list of all-time most discussed videos, number 1 all-time most discussed Pets & Animals video, and number 4 all-time most viewed Pets & Animals video, and is the No. 1 all-time favorite video in the Pets & Animals section. The video was also aired by CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
' The Early Show
The Early Show
The Early Show is an American television morning news talk show broadcast by CBS from New York City. The program airs live from 7 to 9 a.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday; most affiliates in the Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones air the show on tape-delay from 7 to 9 a.m. local time. ...
and a few other television shows as well.
Cory is regularly on Kate Elliott's daily vlogs. The Cats, Loki and Sparta (often referred to as Pokie and Moo respectively) also make appearances.
On October 9, 2008, he announced that he will no longer be focusing on himself as the only main character of his videos. Instead he will be focusing on directing and promoting lesser known YouTube users with talent.
On December 10, 2008, Williams was mentioned on the front page of The New York Times as being one of YouTube's top earners. "Half of the profits come from YouTube’s advertisements, and the other half come from sponsorships and product placements within his videos".
TheMeanKitty channel
On June 18, 2008, Cory Williams opened a second YouTube channel which concentrated on his cats Sparta and Loki due to popular demand. As of November 9, 2011, Sparta's new YouTube channel obtained over 356,700 subscribers and 59,606,700 video views.DudeLikeHELLA channel
On May 19, 2011, Williams opened a third channel entitled "DudeLikeHELLA", which features a series of daily vlogs that documents his day to day life, similar to Internet Killed TelevisionInternet Killed Television
Internet Killed Television is a web series which documents the lives of Charles Trippy and his wife, Alli.The show consists of episodes averaging around ten minutes that are filmed, edited, and then aired every day onto YouTube by mid-afternoon Eastern Standard Time...
, but with added quirks and recurring gags that include car warps and the dropping of the camera. Many of his videos feature his close friend Kate, she is a fellow vlogger and business partner from England who goes by the username Katersoneseven on YouTube, and it was from appearing on her vlogs initially that Cory gained enough confidence to start his own vlogging channel. Other guests who have appeared in his vlogs include his ex-wife Stephanie, his mother, a variety of his friends, and the occasional passer-by. As of November 9, 2011, the channel has over 60,000 subscribers.
3DGameReviews channel
On June 13, 2011, Cory opened a fourth channel which he called "3DGameReviews". The first (and so far the only) video he released motioned that he would concentrate on 3D videogamesVideoGames
VideoGames may refer to:*VideoGames, a mid-1990s magazine about video games.*Video games in general....
which would be different because no "real" reviews on 3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
videogames existed at the time. As of November 9, 2011, the channel has obtained over 12,000 subscribers despite having only one video.
Television
In November 2006, Williams became the host of the first national TV show to spawn from video bloggers, called The FIZZThe FIZZ
The FIZZ was a half-hour weekly television program hosted by Cory "Mr. Safety" Williams and Jessica "JP" Payne. It was created by Andrew Kobliska for DirecTV Original Entertainment. The show features video bloggers, aspiring hosts, online videos and indie music videos.The program premiered in...
on DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
channel 101 in the United States. The show features other popular video bloggers such as thewinekone, boh3m3, TheHill88, Kevin Nalty
Kevin Nalty
Kevin Nalty is a YouTube comedian and partner based in Doylestown, Pennsylvania better known under his YouTube username Nalts. His YouTube Channel is one of the top-20 most-viewed comedy channels. He has more than 1,000 videos which, as of September 18, 2011, have been viewed more than 236 million...
, Kassem G and many other notable YouTube users. It aired daily on DirecTV channel 101 until the show was canceled in June 2008. This marks the first time in which a YouTube user has transitioned into a television role without the aid of an agent. Williams was also named as one of the "Who's Who on YouTube" by G4TV's Attack of the Show on July 31, 2008 and also made a guest appearance on Tom Green's House Tonight on The Comedy Network
The Comedy Network
The Comedy Network a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media specializing in comedy programming.The channel operates two time shifted feeds, East and West ....
in Canada.
Williams has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and MTV Scarred.
Outside of YouTube, Williams works for a viral video project called "I Got Shotgun" (which was created by General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
) in which he interviews celebrities on the red carpet about their personal opinions on the future of new media.
On September 18, 2008, Williams was featured on The Tyra Show for his music video "The Mean Kitty Song". In the episode titled "YouTube Made Me Famous", Tyra Banks
Tyra Banks
Tyra Lynne Banks is an American model, media personality, actress, occasional singer, author and businesswoman. She first became famous as a model, but television appearances were her commercial breakthrough...
announced that Williams makes a monthly income of $20,000 (US). Williams' response to Tyra's comment about his income was, "The money I make each month isn't from YouTube alone but through sponsorship, consulting, and acting gigs."
On September 17, 2009, Williams was a guest on The Bonnie Hunt Show
The Bonnie Hunt Show
The Bonnie Hunt Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted by Bonnie Hunt. It premiered on September 8, 2008. It is the second show featuring Bonnie Hunt to have that title. The first was a sitcom that ran for one season in 1995 and was retitled Bonnie when it returned after a mid-season hiatus...
. This was also the first time his cats Sparta and Loki had been taped for television in front of a live studio audience. The topic focused on Cory's ability to comfort animals in extreme situations which led him to performing "comfort tricks" with Sparta.
"As One"
Williams is the founder and West Coast American Event Coordinator of the international gathering of YouTube users dubbed "As One". The first "As One" gathering was held in January 2007 in Hollywood, CaliforniaHollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
; Williams's associated video went on to receive over 1.3 million views. The second gathering, held at Pier 39
Pier 39
Pier 39 is a shopping center and popular tourist attraction built on a pier in San Francisco, California. At Pier 39, there are shops, restaurants, a video arcade, street performances, an interpretive center for the Marine Mammal Center, the Aquarium of the Bay, virtual 3D rides, and views of...
in San Francisco, California, managed to attract many of YouTube's highest viewed users, YouTube employees, and attention in the mainstream press. Notable YouTubers who attended include Caitlin Hill
Caitlin Hill
Caitlin Alexandra Hill is an Australian YouTube personality under the name TheHill88. She produces, edits and uploads her videos from her home in New York City....
, Ben Going
Ben Going
Ben Going , username boh3m3 on YouTube, is a video blog personality based in Torrance, California. According to the Associated Press in 2007, Going is "one of the best-known members of the YouTube community."...
, Smosh
Smosh
Smosh is a web-based comedy duo consisting of Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla. Padilla first began posting flash movies on Newgrounds in early 2003, under the name Smosh. He was later joined by his friend Ian Hecox...
, and Paul Robinett
Paul Robinett
Paul Robinett, better known by his screen name Renetto, is an American vlogger and entrepreneur. Robinett's videos have attracted over 30 million views, and his YouTube channel has over 40,000 subscribers. His channel has been viewed over 3.9 million times.-How the Channel started:Robinett began...
, Yousef Abu-Taleb
Yousef Abu-Taleb
Yousef Abu-Taleb is an American actor and producer of half-Arab, one-quarter English, and one-quarter white American heritage...
and Jackson Davis
Jackson Davis
Jackson Davis is an American actor. He is best known for portraying the character "Jonas" from the lonelygirl15 videos series, its spinoff KateModern, and its sequel series, LG15: The Resistance. He was born in Gloversville, New York but was raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania where he attended...
, the actors who play DanielBeast and jonastko in the YouTube series lonelygirl15
Lonelygirl15
lonelygirl15 was an interactive web-based video series which began in June 2006 and ran through to August 1, 2008. Developed under the working title The Children of Anchor Cove, the show gained worldwide media attention when it was outed as fictional in September 2006.-Overview:lonelygirl15...
. Another "As One" gathering was held on July 7, 2007 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and one other gathering also took place on December 1, 2007 in Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.