Each week, Joel Haver, creator of the YouTube channel of the same name, uploads a 5-10-minute-long skit filled with dry humor and socially awkward characters. Some, though not all, are animated, and that animation has helped Haver’s channel take off.
The unique animation is reminiscent of rotoscope but with somewhat increased smearing. The channel took off when his video, “Playing an RPG for the first time,” went viral. Haver’s channel has influenced many others to upload their own comedy sketches in similar style to Haver’s animation.
After obtaining fame, Joel Haver uploaded a video titled “How I Animated This Video,” explaining to viewers how they can achieve his animation style and encouraging them to use it—even though it could create competition for his own videos.
Additionally, Haver’s “About” section contains a promise to viewers: if they send him a movie they’ve worked on, he promises to watch it and provide feedback on it—no matter how long it takes to get to it—in order to encourage prospective filmmakers.
Language is the primary concern for viewers of Haver’s content. Swear words aren’t censored and are on the heavier side, including the f-word, s-word, “d–k” and misuses of God’s name. Individual skits may have some issues of which parents may want to be aware: We hear some sexual jokes, and one video[AP1] we’re introduced to a heterosexual man struggling with homosexual thoughts (and in that one, we hear talk about an erection).
A Batman skit has the masked vigilante listen to Joker’s latest nefarious plan—to sleep with a girl the moment she turns 18. A Star Wars sketch is about a vulgar droid (voiced by Justin Roiland of Rick & Morty fame) attempting to kill itself in a variety of ways. Another skit tells of a man who goes to heaven and discovers that God is a bug, and the bug shoots the man for killing too many bugs while on Earth. An animated character’s leg is cut off.
Joel Haver may have some funny moments, and it seems that the channel’s creator genuinely enjoys helping aspiring content creators. But with frequent swearing and some inappropriate jokes, parents likely won’t want their children watching Haver’s content.
Kennedy Unthank studied journalism at the University of Missouri. He knew he wanted to write for a living when he won a contest for “best fantasy story” while in the 4th grade. What he didn’t know at the time, however, was that he was the only person to submit a story. Regardless, the seed was planted. Kennedy collects and plays board games in his free time, and he loves to talk about biblical apologetics. He thinks the ending of Lost “wasn’t that bad.”
