I have this "show"/video series called "The Philip DeFranco Show" I do on YouTube where I talk about current events/pop culture/whatever really. I've been doing it for about 2-3 years and I've kind of lucked into turning my hobby into a job. I say lucky because I dont hate it yet :).

SO anyways, I figured I would finally make a Reddit account since I use the damn site so much and do a IAMA AMA post to introduce myself and maybe answer a question or 7 if someone wanted to ask.'

in summation. hello reddit.

Fun Fact: Reddit has become the source of 20% of the stories I cover on my show the past few months.

Fun Fact 2: /IAMA/ is my favorite category

Fun Fact 3: /GoneWild/ is my 2nd.

Comments: 1279 • Responses: 30  • Date: 

Davdak338 karma

Seeing as you've made a submission in your favorite subreddit, how about making one in your second favorite?

PhillyDeFranco360 karma

haha I wouldn't want to underwhelm you.

kangaroo123163 karma

Do make any money off being a professional YouTuber? If so, how much?

PhillyDeFranco441 karma

My companies make some nice revenue. I pay myself 60-100k though. Most of the money is reinvested. Thats the first time I've even kind of answered that question.

shadrad105 karma

Finally Phil! You shouldn't be a fuckin lurker man! Welcome to the community

PhillyDeFranco135 karma

Thanks. The community aspect of Reddit is new to me, but Im ready for the low self esteem it will most likely cause :)

PhilipDefranco218 karma

I registered this account 8 months ago. Now I feel like a dick. If you want it PM me.

By the way, I did you an intro 2 years ago and sent it to you by e-mail: http://vimeo.com/3520068 Never heard any kind of feedback even after posting it on your forum. >:-( I don't really care if you didn't used it, but I guess a simple "thanks" would have sufficed for that 30 hours of work.

PhillyDeFranco97 karma

wow thanks man. If you could make a 10 second version, that relates to my current one I'd use it in a heartbeat. Thanks for that. You rock!

[deleted]152 karma

[deleted]

PhillyDeFranco98 karma

haha. Having a mental filter and not caring about perma blocking rage commenters.

solarplexus774 karma

Hey Phil! I used to watch your show religiously but have fallen off the wagon after finding sites like this one. I get all my news and funny bits from here now. Can you give me a reason to come back?

PhillyDeFranco195 karma

I'll touch your moms body with my mouth?

PhillyDeFranco71 karma

Just a heads up. Going home to pass out, but I'll come back in the AM to answer more of your questions.

Coltino68 karma

how many people do you employ now?

PhillyDeFranco88 karma

10 people. 5 for DeFranco Inc and 5 for another company I dont talk about.

Tirith4568 karma

Welcome to Reddit bud!

Do you use a script or do you just let it roll off the tongue?

PhillyDeFranco138 karma

LET IT ROLL. I studder with scripts.

PullOutBoy66 karma

what vlogger on youtube do you hate the most and why?

do you think ray william johnson is lame?

PhillyDeFranco106 karma

ehhh I used to hate YouTubers. Now I just get tired thinking about how much energy I wasted with such a useless emotion. No hate.

armannd63 karma

If there was a God and I was it, what would you ask me for?

PhillyDeFranco387 karma

proof :)

duck_tape49 karma

what does lindsey think about you "objectifying women" on your show?

PhillyDeFranco109 karma

She didn't like it at first. Even started a fight or two, but she realizes now that its just programming.

briggsja45 karma

What do you feel was the most defining moment in your career that has put you where you are today.

PhillyDeFranco95 karma

Going on stage at vid con and hearing the roar of a hundreds of people. Making people laugh on that level. I was the shyest kid growing up and its one of the few things that still excites me.

twinwish44 karma

PHIL!

I've always wanted one of the bigger youtubers to do an AMA. You're definitely one of my faves.

Just wanted to show my support for the show, but I do have one question to ask, if you don't mind answering: Back when the show was first started, up until about a year into it, was Youtube enough to provide steady income?

Thanks for doing this AMA

PhillyDeFranco81 karma

Early YouTube it was haaaaard to survive on the income, but now a few tubers are making 7 figures before taxes.

I remember the sleeping in a car or couch surfing days.

EmzRules39 karma

1st. I'm insanely jealous. You live a dream.

2nd. Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

PhillyDeFranco72 karma

ooof 20 years. I want my hand in everything and I never want to retire. Retiring is for people who don't like their jobs.

SwenKa38 karma

What software do you use for video-editing? What type of camera do you have? Curious, because you always complain when you have to hold it! :P

PhillyDeFranco58 karma

oo. Good question.

Video Editing: Final Cut Pro

Camera: Canon 5D with a 17mm-40mm lense (a bit of an overkill but it gives us nice depth of field)

[deleted]36 karma

You've moved a lot in terms of what content you talk about over the past few years. Was this based on what you're interested or was it solely for the purpose of getting more views? I mean, a year ago you didn't talk about tits nearly as often as you do now.,

P.S. You're a lot more interesting (and attractive) when you're talking about legitimate news topics IMHO ;)

PhillyDeFranco44 karma

Tits pay the bills sometimes. But most of the time its bc I want to share something, in this case "tits" with my audience. :-p

MrEdwardNigma36 karma

phil ive been watching your show for years... love it man. how much time do you have to put into each video (just the sxephil one)? editing and all

PhillyDeFranco51 karma

Well for the first 3-4 years I edited myself, but in the past 10 months I've been able to hire editors so, 2 hours to research minimum and then 1 hour of talking to the camera.

It takes a while. I wake up at 6am to catch up to the east coast news.

nicolascagehair33 karma

What exactly happened with you and The Station?

PhillyDeFranco107 karma

I liked scrambled eggs and they liked them sunny side up.

restlys30 karma

What comes after youtube 10-15 years from now?

PhillyDeFranco56 karma

Well its all about the gaming aspect now, which really opens up a lot of avenues but mobile is really exciting. The PDS is viewed 20% on phones if that gives you any indication.

chaizor27 karma

How was the move from New York/wherever to California? How has that transition been for your show?

PhillyDeFranco60 karma

West Coast is better weather. Same amount of assholes. They just don't have as harsh accents.

jablair5125 karma

How much of your show is sponsored? Are most of the new give-aways sponsored or do they come out of your own pocket?

PhillyDeFranco36 karma

only 1 of every 10 giveaways have been sponsored. Its just a great way to give back and an easy way to throw in a cool sponsor.

jonahgrant21 karma

Love you sxephil. Saw you at SXSW Sunday night and was gonna say something, but I was a little drunk and couldn't tell if you were you.

PhillyDeFranco38 karma

at SXSW....always.

knifewrenchau18 karma

Hey Phil

The 30 day movie thing is great! sorry you had to watch the human centipede and do you really love our faces?

PhillyDeFranco27 karma

so much :-p

apuster14 karma

Are you ever surprised how far you have come? I created my YouTube account in early 2007, basically to comment on your videos. You still used to live with your parents, always had your big cap, and glasses days. In just four years, you've gone from that to a person who owns a company, living in LA(although you've moved in the past month), and is hiring up inters. Does that surprise you? How you have been able to comprehend it?

PhillyDeFranco22 karma

I try not to ask why, and I try to move forward. BUt yes it is surprising and hopefully I have some more of those left to experience.

ThatsMeNotYou13 karma

Sorry, to be honest I dont really know your show, but its interesting that you would be able to actually make a job out of it. So following questions:

1) Where do you get your income from?

2) About how much would that be a month?

PhillyDeFranco22 karma

  1. Ads/Sponsors/Merchandise.

  2. It starts off slow, but once again people have been able to make 100k a month a regular thing. I can't verify who those people are though.

slick50zd112 karma

I have watched your show off and on for the past year or 2.

With that being said, how much have you had to change the style / content of your show to fit the audience, if at all?

PhillyDeFranco31 karma

I don't change to fit the audience. I change to keep myself entertained. If the content is right you'll never have to conform. The biggest hassle was figuring out how to include sponsorships, but I feel like I have that down now. Good Content is good content.

reillyg12 karma

How come you like Asian chicks so much?

PhillyDeFranco43 karma

I've never dated an asian girl. Its unknown territory.

gorillazbmx610 karma

Besides luck, how do you think you came to be in the position you are now?

PhillyDeFranco24 karma

Hustling and taking advantage of any situation I saw in front of me.

[deleted]3 karma

why don't you use characters anymore?

PhillyDeFranco7 karma

I turned in to them. Remember Ron Ronsmith? I'm just a faster talking version :)