Secret Obsession: YouTube

I have a confession to make. I am completely obsessed with YouTube. Actually, it’s more like an addiction. It’s not quite as strong as my addictions to cupcakes, ice cream, or butter cream icing; but, it’s pretty close. Once I log on, I can easily spend hours lost in the YouTube black hole.


First it started with just going on to listen to music or watch music videos that I could later post to Facebook. Even better is when you look over to the side and YouTube recommends other songs by that artist or similar songs by other artists. But, once you start clicking on the recommendations you discover that the recommendations also have recommendations. And, that is how the spiral into the black hole begins. One minute you’re looking up Mariah Carey’s ‘Emotions’ and then 2 hours later you find yourself listening to the Bay City Rollers ‘Saturday Night’. But, this is what makes it all so fun and addictive. Once you start clicking away you never know where you will end up.

Last summer I read an article online that mentioned a gay story line in an Argentine telenovela called ‘Botineras.’ Well of course the article included a YouTube clip of the storyline. All I can say is; HOT, gay, Argentine footballers in love. My interest was officially peaked. Now, almost a year later, I am completely obsessed with gay romance stories on YouTube. Because of that one clip, I discovered an entire YouTube community of fans dedicated to international soap operas with gay love story lines. These fans have their own YouTube channels where they upload clips(with english subtitles) of current episodes from various soaps in Germany, Australia, France, Spain, Argentina, the UK, and several other countries.

The most popular of these stories hails from Germany. It’s the story of Christian and Oliver from Germany’s Verbotene Liebe (Forbidden Love in English). This story line dates back to late 2007 when Christian and Oliver first met.  Christian was a straight, aspiring, young boxer. Ollie was a bi guy who had been working on a cruise ship and moved back to town. The two had mutual friends and soon Ollie moved in with Christian and his other roomies. Of course, Christian didn’t know Ollie had an affinity for German “sausage.” Soon after, Christian figures it out and then all of the turmoil surrounding Christian’s attraction for and eventually falling in love with Ollie(cheesy I know). The pair got married last year in September. This storyline is being followed by thousands and thousands of people worldwide who anxiously wait for the newest uploaded clip of them.


From here I discovered the stories of Lenny and Carsten, Dennis and Roman, Christian and Syed, Aaron and Jackson, John Paul and Craig, John Paul and Keiron (John Paul kinda got around), Ste and Brendon, and Geoff and Pavel. There are also story arcs just surrounding single gay characters trying to find love, like Simon and Lolo. And, this is where the addiction started. Each day I eagerly logged on to see which stories have been uploaded. It’s like waiting for another hit of a drug. If more than a day or two goes by I get very anxious as I don’t like missing what’s happening(can you say withdrawal?). When that happens, I usually end up watching old clips over again. It’s kinda like looking for that half smoked joint you stashed away in a pocket of a suitcase at the bottom of your closet fora rainy day; or, when you really needed a fix(so I’ve been told).


I admit, I originally started watching because each story featured two hot guys and there were lots of steamy kisses and love scenes. But, then I got hooked into the actual story plots. These stories covered coming out, gay bashing, assisted suicide, gay marriage, monogamy, gay adoption, and just the good old fashioned soap opera drama. 

I know some of my friends are reading this and thinking, “he needs to get a life.” I’m sure others have already started planning my intervention. Actually, that’s an intervention I wouldn’t mind showing up for. Since no actual drugs are involved, I’m sure that there will be plenty of drinking at the intervention. But seriously, I know it sounds a little over the top. But, in the scheme of things it could be much worse. Some people turn to over boozing, hardcore drugs, and other vices to escape the pressures and stresses of the world. Rather than chasing hookers, blow, and booze; I make a daily escape to the world of YouTube. The only thing better than that is escaping with a cupcake with butter cream icing and ice cream(mmmm…butter cream). Thankfully I play a lot of tennis or else I’d be writing this from the Biggest Loser campus.

Well, it’s time for me to visit my friends Christian, Olliver, Ste and Brendon today(and get my daily hit). In the mean time, I would love to hear what your secret obsession is. 

K