After doing a little homework I learned that Davey Wavey is not just another pretty face on YouTube, he has actually become a YouTube personality with more than 80 million video views in 165 countries around the world. Davey has also used his YouTube fame to become one of the leading online voices for the LGBT community. Davey uses his YouTube videos to spread messages of love and acceptance, plus some racy and really funny stuff. He is also a very buffed certified personal trainer and has launched several fitness programs and videos that will help you get in shape if you also watch his fitness YouTube channel.

Check out what Davey Wavey had to say when we caught up to him in Rhode Island. 

For people who don’t know, who is Davey Wavey?

I’m just a silly, irreverent gay guy from Rhode Island who just so happens to make YouTube videos that a lot of people tend to watch. My videos tend to be very gay, and are often about dating, coming out, self-acceptance or sex. Though they’re a bit gratuitous at times, they have a good, positive message at their core, and, to date, they’ve been seen by more than 80 million people in 165 countries around the world. It’s crazy!

What makes Davey Wavey tick?

Love, goofiness and the occasional penis joke are my fuels of choice. 

How do you make a living?

I make my living from a combination of two things. On one hand, I earn revenue from the ads that run before and alongside my YouTube videos. Though it’s all really technical, there’s a third party advertising network that manages my ad spots. As the advertisers pay the network, the resulting revenue is divided up between the ad network, YouTube and myself. On the other hand, as a certified personal trainer, I also sell fitness programs through my Davey Wavey Fitness blog. Each year, I launch two different products: one in early summer and one at the year’s end. They’re a huge hit with my followers, and a lot of fun to make. And so that’s how I run the Davey Wavey empire.

What do you do on a regular workday?

Secretly, I’m very much a basic bitch, and there’s a lot that goes into the videos and content that I create. A lot of it, no one ever sees. There are a lot of meetings with accountants and lawyers and advertisers, filming and editing, writing blog posts, interviews, managing payroll, working with my assistant and drafting emails. In a lot of ways, it’s just like running any other business, but, at the end of the day, I absolutely love what I do and it hasn’t felt like I’ve worked a day doing it yet.

Who are your heroes and why?

I know that this is totally cliché, but I really look up to Oprah. On a much, much larger scale she’s done something that I’d love to do – which is leave the world with a little more love. I think she’s a huge inspiration for doing something positive with her platform and I often ask myself, “WWOD?” What would Oprah do?

What is your biggest success?

The people who watch my videos – "blog buddies," as they’re called – are incredible people. Most recently, I was approached by a gay church in Toronto about raising money for an LGBT refugee. Because being gay is punishable by the death in the refugee’s home country, the individual was facing imminent persecution. The church didn’t have the $12,000 to facilitate the rescue, and so the blog buddies stepped up to the plate and donated the full amount within 24 hours. Everyone talks about how the internet is this terrible place of bullying and hate, and while that all does happen, there’s also another narrative that gets much less attention. Here, a group of people came together and saved the life of a stranger. It’s beautiful and I couldn’t be more proud.

What was your biggest failure and what did you learn from it?

I don’t really believe in failure. I once heard a great quote from Wayne Dyer about how we don’t really succeed or fail – we just produce results. We can judge those results as bad or good, or we can just learn from the outcomes and move on with our lives. Having said that, with 550 videos, I occasionally do make missteps and say or do things that I’d like to take back. I’m only human – but I’m quick to own up to my transgressions when they occur. They’re always great teachable moments for me and they undoubtedly open my eyes to new perspectives and viewpoints.

Why are you always shirtless?

Ha. First of all, I’m not always shirtless. I’m often shirtless. And it’s a question that I get asked a lot. When I started making YouTube videos five years ago, I would just turn on my webcam and share what’s on my mind. Because I’m usually shirtless in the comfort of my own home, it felt weird to put on a shirt just for my videos. Today, things are a bit fancier, but the shirtlessness has become a bit of a trademark for me. I like to say that we’re born without clothes. The real question isn’t why I’m shirtless, but why everyone else puts them on.

For the folks that watch my videos, they know that I’m a big fan of celebrating what’s on the inside. But I’m also a fan of celebrating the outside, too. I’m not into feeling shame or disgust when it comes to our bodies, and I think that’s part of why I enjoy the nakedness.

What is the mission of your blog and what do you hope to accomplish with it?

Taking a page from Oprah’s book, I also want to leave the world with a little more love. That’s the mission that I’ve charged myself with, and that’s what I try to do with my videos. Though I may talk about personal lubricant, anal douching and straight boys, I do my best to create videos that lift people up.

How did you get started with your videos on YouTube?

As I mentioned, I just started with my webcam five years ago. Obviously, over time, and as online video quality increased, I stepped up my game and my production values. The video that put me on the map was one that I filmed in Toronto. It was one of my first videos – and it was about my neighbor that I caught masturbating. For whatever reasons, the video was a huge hit and got millions of views. From there on out, people started subscribing to my channels for my new videos and the rest is history.

Where do you get the talking points or ideas for your blog videos? 

My videos are inspired from real life. Often times, my mom will say something – and then quickly note that I’m not allowed to make a video about it. When you know that you’re going to have to make two or three videos each week, you’re always on the lookout for ideas. I keep a running list of my next 20 or 30 videos and just work from there. Some of them I film in an afternoon and others take several months and lots of traveling to come together.

Do you feel that blogging has changed, or that editorial blogs that don’t have video have become less interesting? 

For years, I kept a personal written blog and I’ve seen the shift – at least with my own content – from written to video. I think I’m better at creating video content and I think my audience enjoys video more, so I’m playing to my strengths and my base by making more video content. It’s much more engaging and visual, but it has its downside, too. It’s hard to do justice to a really substantive topic in just 90 seconds of video content on YouTube.

Has your video blog made you a recognizable figure among the gays when you step out? 

It has! It’s always great meeting the people who watch and comment on my videos. After all, it’s only because of them that I’m able to do the work that I do, so I’m incredibly grateful. 

Did you think your blog would ever accumulate the following that it has developed over the years?

I couldn’t have dreamed this in my wildest dreams. I feel really blessed to have the reach that I have, and I pinch myself everyday. With more than 160,000 subscribers on my main YouTube channel, I’m totally tickled pink.

What suggestions can you give to someone who wants to start their own personal blog and accumulate a large fan-base, such as your own?

Well, I’d encourage the person to examine their motivation. If you’re driven by passion, go for it! If you’re driven by the desire to make money, or to just accumulate a large following, then you’re probably not doing it for the best reasons. I think the best piece of advice I can give is put something out there that adds value to people’s lives. There has to be a value proposition. How, through your videos or blog, are you enriching the lives of your audience? And keep in mind that it takes time. I’ve been doing this for five years, so it didn’t happen overnight for me.

What key components do you think make a personal blog compelling?

Authenticity is huge. People want to feel a connection with you, and so those little moments where your personality comes through make you likeable. Don’t be afraid to let your light shine through!

Can your fans anticipate any changes to Break The Illusion in the coming months, or next year, or is it a surprise? 

Well, I’ve been making a conscious effort to shift my endeavors away from written blogging to video blogging and some of the newer social media channels like Tumblr and Instagram. The Internet is evolving and so is Davey Wavey!

Tell us about your fitness programs and what is your goal with that aspect of the business? Does the blog support the fitness videos or vice versa? 

Because I’m a personal trainer and because there’s so much misinformation out there, my audience has always clamored for Davey Wavey Fitness programs. Some of the programs are book-based and others include professionally filmed workout programs. My newest endeavor is Davey Wavey’s Get Ripped Workout and it’s a series of exercise videos based on high intensity interval training. Over the years, my workout videos have developed quite the following and it’s an area I’ll continue to expand on in the coming months and years.

You even have your own apparel, any plans to venture further into designing? 

No plans as of yet, but certainly ambitions!

What’s next for Davey Wavey?

I’m heading to Manchester, England for their Pride celebration and then coming back to Rhode Island for my sister’s wedding. When the weather gets cooler and the beaches close, I really tend to double down on my work and I’m looking forward to a very productive and exciting winter.

Where do you want to be in 10 years?

Waking up in a bed with Channing Tatum. I don’t know where I’ll be in 10 years. Five years ago, I would have never been able to envision where I’m at now, so I don’t want to lock myself into a low-balled vision of my future. Whatever happens, I’ll do my best to follow my heart and take advantage of whatever opportunities present themselves.

Have you ever been to Miami? What do you think of it?

I’ve never been. Is this an invite?

Anything else you would like to share with Wire Magazine's readers?

If Wire Magazine's readers would like to see what I do, then hop on over to my YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/DaveyWavey. My Facebook page has all my latest posts, pictures and videos at www.facebook.com/DaveyWaveyOfficial. I look forward to connecting with many of you!

Images Credit: Simon Le