At least he's got his social work background like mentioned. It is a comfort level for him (and ATW and Tim Tracker) doing the same thing over and over again. I am sure he does not want to go back to Social Work, but I have a feeling that he might have to suck it up and go back to that line of work.
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At least he's got his social work background like mentioned. It is a comfort level for him (and ATW and Tim Tracker) doing the same thing over and over again. I am sure he does not want to go back to Social Work, but I have a feeling that he might have to suck it up and go back to that line of work.
I had to pop in and see all the excitement today at the Jacob Carpetbagger channel. Wow. He's like a pathetic walking Suicide Prevention Awareness PSA. What a mopey schlubby sad little man. After 2000+ videos, it may be time for him to switch things up and do something else.
I swear he's done it in the past, but he claims he hasn't. Maybe he's only visited parts of it before but not gone end-to-end.
Apparently the Lincoln Highway runs very close to my hometown, and I never knew it. It's certainly not as well known as other famous highways like Route 66. I'd be more interested in his trip if he had highlights along the way to look forward to, but he's so focused on the road itself that it's hard to get too excited about it.
That is probably what happened and I was thinking he did the whole thing.
Since things are a little slow over here, I’ll jump in with my Carpetbagger observation.
A few years ago I came across him (and a few other vloggers) on YouTube. I started watching fairly regularly. It wasn’t because he was so interesting, but because he was showing inside tourist traps, especially around the Smokies area, that I’d wondered about for ages. Growing up, my family didn’t believe in wasting time and money on tourist traps, for the most part. (Going to the Smokies was to enjoy the mountains, nature, and history.) I never saw inside places like Gatlinburg’s World of Illusions, but passed the beckoning exterior many times over the years and had picked up brochures as a kid at the visitor center rest stop. Carpetbagger’s channel was showing inside places like that, satisfying old curiosities (and usually confirming my parents’ good judgment not to stop).
However interested I was in the content to satisfy curiosity and nostalgia, though, was tempered by the host. I’ve noticed with many vloggers, their need to run their mouth on camera exposes their ignorance and stupidity. He was no exception. I don’t mean when someone makes an occasional mistake or misspeaks. He would not have done research, speculate wildly making guesses using the very limited resources of his brain, give wrong information, pass along folklore as fact, and sometimes make stuff up. I checked out his blog, and found it riddled with bad grammar, typos, and looked just semi-literate. It made me question his education. It appeared he dropped the blog when he found it was quicker and easier to record videos and put them on YouTube. Still, I kept watching for a while.
He did a video on a supposed unknown thing I was familiar with. Being well meaning, I sent him some information about it and links to resources in case he ever wanted to do a follow up on it. He responded that he doesn’t like to do research, chooses not to do it, probably wouldn’t be doing a follow up. Basically, he felt knowing anything about his subjects was unnecessary to make his videos.
I came across a Facebook group where people shared memories and photos of a former amusement park near the Smokies, Ghost Town in the Sky. I’d visited it as a child and was enjoying the stroll down memory lane. There was a discussion among some upset locals. He had been in the area and recorded some derelict buildings and abandoned motel and had the video up on YouTube. People felt their town was being exploited and portrayed in a very negative light. They didn’t understand that creepy/abandoned/decay/exploration was a whole genre on YouTube that he was trying to cash in on. They feared for their town’s reputation and ability to draw tourists and new residents to the area. What made my jaw drop was this jerk actually showed up and injected himself into the discussion, and started squabbling with the locals! His arrogance was off the charts. He kept justifying it as “it’s his job to make videos” and that he “does this for a living”, and arguing with anyone who felt what he’d done was in bad taste or suggested he make some videos showing some of the good things about the town. He just kept going, like a bitchy high school girl. How dare they speak bad about him! He felt fully entitled to do whatever he wanted because making YouTube videos was his “job”. A job that no one hired him for, asked him to do, or handed down directions to go make a crappy video making a small, struggling mountain town look like a zombie apocalypse setting.
He made a video about another location where he played up for the camera some twisted, disturbing made-up weirdness. This ticked me off because I knew what the real story was and could see exactly what he was doing. He was trying to exploit something that was completely innocuous and presenting it as some macabre, deranged, creepy thing. I posted in the comments what it really was and the real (and frankly more interesting) story. He retorted “how would you know?” I replied with links to local newspaper articles, telling the story. He didn’t respond after that and once again, no follow up story. 5 minutes with Google could have led him to the real story!
I was done with him at that point. I think it’s been at least three years since I’ve watched any of his videos, other than clips on channels holding vloggers accountable for their low quality content and crappy behavior. He plays for the camera that he’s fun and friendly, but he’s shown he’s just an arrogant, exploitive creep who doesn’t care what he’s putting out as long as it gets him views. Good to hear he’s floundering. He’d have tons of content just going through his back catalogue and making updates explaining things that he got wrong, things he has since learned, etc. He wouldn’t even have to leave his bunker and could save on gas!
A few years ago I came across him (and a few other vloggers) on YouTube. I started watching fairly regularly. It wasn’t because he was so interesting, but because he was showing inside tourist traps, especially around the Smokies area, that I’d wondered about for ages. Growing up, my family didn’t believe in wasting time and money on tourist traps, for the most part. (Going to the Smokies was to enjoy the mountains, nature, and history.) I never saw inside places like Gatlinburg’s World of Illusions, but passed the beckoning exterior many times over the years and had picked up brochures as a kid at the visitor center rest stop. Carpetbagger’s channel was showing inside places like that, satisfying old curiosities (and usually confirming my parents’ good judgment not to stop).
However interested I was in the content to satisfy curiosity and nostalgia, though, was tempered by the host. I’ve noticed with many vloggers, their need to run their mouth on camera exposes their ignorance and stupidity. He was no exception. I don’t mean when someone makes an occasional mistake or misspeaks. He would not have done research, speculate wildly making guesses using the very limited resources of his brain, give wrong information, pass along folklore as fact, and sometimes make stuff up. I checked out his blog, and found it riddled with bad grammar, typos, and looked just semi-literate. It made me question his education. It appeared he dropped the blog when he found it was quicker and easier to record videos and put them on YouTube. Still, I kept watching for a while.
He did a video on a supposed unknown thing I was familiar with. Being well meaning, I sent him some information about it and links to resources in case he ever wanted to do a follow up on it. He responded that he doesn’t like to do research, chooses not to do it, probably wouldn’t be doing a follow up. Basically, he felt knowing anything about his subjects was unnecessary to make his videos.
I came across a Facebook group where people shared memories and photos of a former amusement park near the Smokies, Ghost Town in the Sky. I’d visited it as a child and was enjoying the stroll down memory lane. There was a discussion among some upset locals. He had been in the area and recorded some derelict buildings and abandoned motel and had the video up on YouTube. People felt their town was being exploited and portrayed in a very negative light. They didn’t understand that creepy/abandoned/decay/exploration was a whole genre on YouTube that he was trying to cash in on. They feared for their town’s reputation and ability to draw tourists and new residents to the area. What made my jaw drop was this jerk actually showed up and injected himself into the discussion, and started squabbling with the locals! His arrogance was off the charts. He kept justifying it as “it’s his job to make videos” and that he “does this for a living”, and arguing with anyone who felt what he’d done was in bad taste or suggested he make some videos showing some of the good things about the town. He just kept going, like a bitchy high school girl. How dare they speak bad about him! He felt fully entitled to do whatever he wanted because making YouTube videos was his “job”. A job that no one hired him for, asked him to do, or handed down directions to go make a crappy video making a small, struggling mountain town look like a zombie apocalypse setting.
He made a video about another location where he played up for the camera some twisted, disturbing made-up weirdness. This ticked me off because I knew what the real story was and could see exactly what he was doing. He was trying to exploit something that was completely innocuous and presenting it as some macabre, deranged, creepy thing. I posted in the comments what it really was and the real (and frankly more interesting) story. He retorted “how would you know?” I replied with links to local newspaper articles, telling the story. He didn’t respond after that and once again, no follow up story. 5 minutes with Google could have led him to the real story!
I was done with him at that point. I think it’s been at least three years since I’ve watched any of his videos, other than clips on channels holding vloggers accountable for their low quality content and crappy behavior. He plays for the camera that he’s fun and friendly, but he’s shown he’s just an arrogant, exploitive creep who doesn’t care what he’s putting out as long as it gets him views. Good to hear he’s floundering. He’d have tons of content just going through his back catalogue and making updates explaining things that he got wrong, things he has since learned, etc. He wouldn’t even have to leave his bunker and could save on gas!
Not trying to stray too off topic, but for those of you interested in the Lincoln Highway, I can highly recommend a special that aired on PBS years ago by Rick Sebak. It’s called A Ride Along the Lincoln Highway. Even though it’s over 10 years old, it’s far superior to anything the Carpetbagger could put together. Here’s a promo of it. Sometimes it is rerun on PBS and sometimes it pops up on YouTube for a while before being taken down. For a less local flavor, more serious documentary program, There was another made for the road’s 100th anniversary.
You hit the nail on the head regarding my issue with his style (and that of many similar vloggers). When I see him get something wrong on a subject that I know about, it makes me wonder what he's getting wrong about those things I know nothing about.
When he's just popping into tourist traps, it's fine. Worst case I'll get to see inside a place I otherwise never would have visited; best case he'll uncover a hidden gem that I may like to visit someday. But his willful ignorance is particularly frustrating when he goes somewhere like a museum where the point is education. He doesn't even bother to read the placards/descriptions that are right in front of him and instead makes up his own stories about the exhibits.
I LOVE Rick Sebak!
I feel the same way. They lose credibility in my eyes and makes me suspect their other videos have actually been bull crap.
This infuriates me! With several vloggers like him, I catch myself talking back at the screen, making corrections and giving directions like an armchair quarterback. Then I realize what I’m doing and that I need to take a YouTube break.
Me too. His programs are well researched, engaging, and relaxing fun. I can’t help but be in a good mood watching one. It’s never exploitative, smarmy, or mean spirited. Road trip vloggers could learn so much about how to craft positive, compelling stories if they would sit down with a stack of his dvds and take notes. (Though they’d also have to be decent people for it to work and come across as genuine.). To do it right would probably be too much effort for most of them.
Looks like Jacob's mentor and vlogger guru, Adam the Woo, ghosted or ditched Jacob in Salt Lake City. Adam and friends were at an off season haunt, right next to the highway, the same highway Interstate 80 that Jacob drove by on, at about the same time judging from the videos. Also, Jacob just blew past Salt Lake City?!? Like there's nothing there to see?
Re: Peachy Cobbler’s comment about Jacob not wanting to do research. Vloggers don’t want to spend the time doing a lot of research because they’re too busy cranking out the videos. Gotta keep up that revenue, no time to make a well-informed video!
Re: Mr7Percent’s comment about Woo missing Jacob in Salt Lake City. Jacob makes a bunch of videos in one day and then dribbles them out sometimes weeks later. He and Adam might not have even been in town at the same time.
As for Jacob buying subs, I don’t think that’s the case. It’s just that his videos interest people enough to sub but his personality doesn’t make people want to watch. That stupid “Hey. (Long pause) You. (Long pause) All.” is so annoying. And his closing catchphrase “This one’s in the bag.” Is so lame. He’d be better off dropping both of those completely instead of trying to make it a thing. And the roadside attractions he films are good but his commentary is very bland. He’d be better off keeping it to a minimum.
And as for filming the same things over and over, well, that’s what travel vloggers do. It’s not about the love of the road or the attractions anymore, it’s just about the views and how much they can make from YouTube ads. It’s kind of sad to lose the love of those things for money. But that’s how it goes.
Re: Mr7Percent’s comment about Woo missing Jacob in Salt Lake City. Jacob makes a bunch of videos in one day and then dribbles them out sometimes weeks later. He and Adam might not have even been in town at the same time.
As for Jacob buying subs, I don’t think that’s the case. It’s just that his videos interest people enough to sub but his personality doesn’t make people want to watch. That stupid “Hey. (Long pause) You. (Long pause) All.” is so annoying. And his closing catchphrase “This one’s in the bag.” Is so lame. He’d be better off dropping both of those completely instead of trying to make it a thing. And the roadside attractions he films are good but his commentary is very bland. He’d be better off keeping it to a minimum.
And as for filming the same things over and over, well, that’s what travel vloggers do. It’s not about the love of the road or the attractions anymore, it’s just about the views and how much they can make from YouTube ads. It’s kind of sad to lose the love of those things for money. But that’s how it goes.
Watching one of Jacob's videos from about a year ago (Evermore Park -- a sort of permanent Renaissance Fair, I think?), and I had to chuckle.
He says he's never been outside of North America, but in this screenshot I see London, I see France...
To be fair, Jacob wasn't being a creep here. This lady was walking a big lizard on a leash, which is pretty interesting... and he cut away pretty quickly when she suddenly bent over to wrangle it.
Link for reference:
He says he's never been outside of North America, but in this screenshot I see London, I see France...
To be fair, Jacob wasn't being a creep here. This lady was walking a big lizard on a leash, which is pretty interesting... and he cut away pretty quickly when she suddenly bent over to wrangle it.
Link for reference:
That’s a hazard with leggings. They often have a tendency to go transparent when under extreme stretch, especially in bright light (like daylight). Back in the 90s when they were previously in style, you only wore them with long tops that would keep your butt covered, even if you bent over. That style rule seems to be forgotten today. We might have just been more shy about showing off our underpants, though. 
Someone like me who watched JTC (and ATW. Went off ATW way before JTC), even after watching for 3 or 4 years I loved seeing him go back to the Ripley's and PF and Gatlinburg.
Then something clicked in me (besides realizing I was shadowed banned because of what I think I said about ATW (that I was tired of him using ATW for views when he was featured. I guess he took it like I was hating on his BFF) that I was getting tired of seeing Ripley's for the 100th time (and I LOVE Ripley's) or PF or Gatlinburg or seeing sashquach for the 20th time, etc. It is great for people who are new to the channel as some won't go back to see his prior videos on his the drive through safari (think he is on his 5th time at the same drive through safari) lets say.
Same with his live streams. I don't mind a live stream if it is a few times a year, like Jordan the Lion will do a live maybe every 6-8 weeks or so. But to do weekly lives and just sit there and read comments and maybe answer them. The last time I watched a JTC live was maybe a year ago. It was such a bore I never finished watching it. I know alot of people don't care for JTL but at least he tells interesting stories and answers people's questions.
He does Livestreams for the superchats only. If people are dumb enough to pay to look at his face more power to them. I’d prefer he actually do something in the livestream instead. Remember the dragoncon lives? Those were ok
The only livestream of any YouTuber I watch on a regular basis is the one the channel Townsends does on Friday afternoons. That is a good example of advanced preparation and a lot of thought put into a stream. They come up with a topic, research it, put together in advance visual aids to help explain and educate about the topic, and then give a nice presentation on it with questions and comments from the chat. It’s a fun, laid back, informal format that contrasts nicely with their usual high production value videos. It also fosters a feeling of community among its viewers. The superchat money is put towards helping to subsidize the costs of equipment and supplies for making the channel’s videos. They built a set like a cozy tavern to add extra atmosphere for the livestreams. Besides the weekly Friday stream, they also do book club ones, where Jon reads and discusses chapters from books relevant to their 1700s to early 1800s time period (lately they’ve been working their way through The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin). This is all in addition to their usual upload schedule of high quality content.
Youtubers like the Carpetbagger don’t create anything for the livestreams. He just sits there like a lump, expecting the chat to come up with something for him to comment on or give his opinion. Very low to no effort.
Just compare one of his to one of these.
Youtubers like the Carpetbagger don’t create anything for the livestreams. He just sits there like a lump, expecting the chat to come up with something for him to comment on or give his opinion. Very low to no effort.
Just compare one of his to one of these.
I should have posted Townsends’ most recent livestream, but for some reason I can’t get back in to edit my post so I’m just going to put it here.
Don't know what happened to this thread, but as far as Carpetbagger goes, well, let's have a look at the elephant in the room: Jen, his immediate girlfriend after his recent divorce, who has garnered nothing but praise from the audience as far as I can tell. She's not a bad cohort either and seems like a good match for Jacob, even if she seems a little nervous at times. She's got a quirky affable vibe. In Portland they seemed to fit right in. If you like Jacob, clad like an overgrown child in clogs, then Jen's obesity and bad hair dye probably doesn't bother you either. And why should it?
Still, his videos are the same old boring tourist trap junk and sundry Americana vignettes , but now instead of one generally uninformed running commentary, there are two. He has lost his poor-old-solo-me patina, a palpable pathos that kind of made you feel sorry for him, now that's he's bouncing so happily off Jen. I don't know why I still scan through his near daily posting, but maybe it's because their foray into the donut shop produced a donut eating scene that made me involuntarily viscerally wince. Sad pre-syndrome fatties muckbanging on camera is cringe.
Still, his videos are the same old boring tourist trap junk and sundry Americana vignettes , but now instead of one generally uninformed running commentary, there are two. He has lost his poor-old-solo-me patina, a palpable pathos that kind of made you feel sorry for him, now that's he's bouncing so happily off Jen. I don't know why I still scan through his near daily posting, but maybe it's because their foray into the donut shop produced a donut eating scene that made me involuntarily viscerally wince. Sad pre-syndrome fatties muckbanging on camera is cringe.
I think that unlike The Tim Tracker thread were alot of people "hate" watch them to make comments. People (like me) don't even bother to "hate" watch Jacob anymore (or Adam). It is either they like watching him or they stopped altogether.
Look at TTT thread. They get a new thread almost every week or 1.5 weeks. Just too much stupid stuff to call them out on. Jacob (and ATW and Jackie) just don't do enough stupid stuff. They are just boring. So boring that these threads are dead or close to dead. "Little Adam" tread has been around for, what, 6 weeks? This Carpetbagger thread started in March and four months later it is only on page 3. So again, JTC is so boring and reparative (and other reasons, like blowing up Camo Dave blow up and smack talking in and then when he died tried to make amends for what he did and said about him) that people can't hate watch to keep this thread going.
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