Call Me Kevin

YouTube Channel Review

“Hey there, friends! How’s it going? My name is Kevin, and today, we’re going to be doing something a little bit different.”

Open one of Kevin O’Reilly’s videos on his gaming channel, Call Me Kevin, and chances are some concoction of those words are the first you’ll hear.

What does different look like? Well, perhaps it’s intentionally playing a game in a way it’s not meant to be played, like when O’Reilly chooses to play as a good student in the video game Bully—or when he tries to get every survivor killed in the horror game Until Dawn.

It may mean playing as elaborate characters who become iconic names on the channel, such as Jim Pickens, the cult leader and serial killer main character of O’Reilly’s heavily modded playthrough of The Sims—or Grognak the Destroyer, the bald communist attorney of O’Reilly’s Grand Theft Auto V gameplay who suffers from “amnosia,” which is “like amnesia but not medically recognized.”

Suffice to say, as introductory sentences go, Call Me Kevin hits the nail on the head.

POSITIVE CONTENT

O’Reilly brings a certain charisma to the screen as he interacts with other online players. While some of his content is ultimately based on annoying others (with video game pranks often on par to a child holding his finger in front of another while saying “I’m not touching you”), he often brings other players in on his fun, enhancing the experience for those willing to join in.

And those experiences happen because O’Reilly plays the games in new, creative and ultimately enjoyable ways. The creativity he injects into games may very inspire viewers to craft creative stories of their own.

In one video, O’Reilly admitted that his YouTube uploading schedule had caused him to feel burned out (at one point, O’Reilly uploaded daily). Recognizing the effect it was having on his health, he decided to cut back on the amount of time he spent creating content—a decision that was met with overwhelming support from his community.

CONTENT CONCERNS

As some of the games I’ve mentioned might indicate, not all of the playthroughs on Call Me Kevin are suitable for children. Until Dawn (the subject game of the channel’s most popular video as of this review), for instance, features many gruesome and bloody deaths.

Language is likewise an issue that families will run into. The f-word (as well as an Irish variant) is heard in many videos, as is the s-word and other foul language. God’s name is often used in vain, including in the form of “g-dd–n.” The name of Jesus is sometimes used as a swear word.

Though relatively infrequent, O’Reilly will make an occasional joke about sex or drugs. And though O’Reilly professes to be a Roman Catholic, some video games or jokes about Christianity may be seen as offensive.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

If there’s one thing we can say about Call Me Kevin, it’s that O’Reilly knows video games are meant to be fun. He doesn’t seem to care if he wins or loses as long as he’s gotten a laugh out of it—for both him and his audience.

But some of those laughs may come at the expense of putting up with some violent moments, crude jokes and colorful language. And despite O’Reilly’s friendly demeanor, those content issues make Call Me Kevin a tough sell for parents of young children.