Young, comical and fabulous are a few words I would use to describe vlogger Machaizelli, aka MacDoesIt. He is not just a YouTuber, but a rising star. I believe he has a bright future ahead of him. A friend recently posted his “Why I’m Boycotting Beyonce” video (see below) on Facebook and within minutes, I was a supporter and for many reasons.
As an African-American gay man in my 40’s, I grew up with limited images of positive “gay” black men, it is refreshing to observe young men like Machaizelli spreading positivity, being progressive, and confident.
I was fortunate to be raised in a household where being gay didn’t matter. My mother taught me to believe in myself, encouraged me to be fearless, and be an inspiration to others, and I see those same qualities in Machaizelli.
Positive images of African-American gay men are limited in our society, which is why I wanted to spotlight Machaizelli. It’s important for media to be inclusive and start showcasing more men of different skin colors and sexual orientations doing positive things.
Machaizelli’s sincerity is another reason I wanted to interview him. He has a voice and everybody should be listening to him because he has something positive and smart to say. I had a chance to connect with him to learn more about him, his thoughts, experiences, and endeavors in the media world.
How and why did you start vlogging?
Other than my large cravings for attention, whenever I watched a creator on YouTube they always seemed so happy and seemed to enjoy what they were doing. The curiosity of that enjoyment encouraged me to start. YouTube is one of the only genuine platforms where you can express your creativity without the limitations or pressure of Hollywood or any outside forces. During my freshman year of high school I use to make private videos for my friends, and they all seemed to really enjoy them. It wasn’t until one year later when I posted my first ever public video (a comedic commentary about the 2012 Olympics) because a friend forced me too. People on my social media seemed to really like the video, so I kept on posting, and here I am today!
How do you select your topics to cover in your videos?
The vast majority of my video ideas come to me when I was either on the toilet or half asleep, times where I’m usually not thinking about YouTube. Current events, trends, and social issues are also a big contributor. Usually I’ll scroll through Twitter and Facebook, look at the trending topics and articles and try to see how I can turn my opinion about the subjects into a comedic commentary. Comedy is the easiest form of entertainment for an audience to digest.
Who does the video editing and graphic overlays?
I wish I can sit here and sound all professional and actually write a huge list of the “team” that helps me create my videos to make myself seem more important than I am, but sadly (or happily) that “team” is just me. Everything you see on my YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, etc., was all created and posted by yours truly. I love editing, it’s my most favorite part of the vlogging process, better than filming actually.
What has been the most exciting thing that’s happened to you since starting vlogging?
This year so far has probably been the most exciting thing that’s happen! Being invited to events and panels to share my voice and opinion, and actually having people respect and understand my voice is all I’ve ever wanted, and that wish is finally becoming a reality.
How do friends and family members react to your online presence?
They absolutely adore it, more than I expect it. Whenever I’m around them, all they want to do is talk about my Channel and give me video ideas or suggestions on how to branch my brand out even farther. They are all excited to see me grow on a platform by just being myself.
As a young, gay vlogger, what are some challenges you’ve faced online and what have you learned from the experience?
One of the biggest challenges I currently face is being sub-categorized by the mainstream. I like to tell people that I am a Youtuber that is gay, but I’m not a gay Youtuber. I have tended to see YouTubers that are sub-categorized faced with certain expectations, limitations, and demands on topics to cover by their audience, and then are expected and pressured to speak on every last issue in their sub-categorized community. I believe I have so much more to offer than both the color of my skin and the gender of who I sleep with, though they are two big aspects of my life, they are not the only aspects I have.
Your coming out story is heart-felt yet different than many others. What advice would you give your peers who may be struggling with coming out and don’t know how to do it?
There is no rush to coming out, do it when YOU are ready and to the people YOU want to. At the end of it, who you sleep with is 100% your prerogative and is only experienced between you and the person lying in bed next to you, unless you film it and post it on the internet. And for the people that are ready to come out, there are no guidelines on how to do it but I suggest you tell the people that are close to you in person rather than posting on social media like me, because some people might get hurt and wanted to be told first before you post it to thousands of random strangers. 🙂
How do you handle getting negative feedback from your viewers and the public?
How do I handle haters? If it’s a reasonable hater, like someone who took the time to write an essay in the comment section of one of my videos, I reply as calm and mature as possible. Usually, people that take the time to write long negative comments on my videos are trying to spark a conversation with me and are usually caught off guard by my mature and friendly response. The internet tends to make things that people say come off more harsh than they intended, I take that in mind when I’m reading negative feedback. As for the unreasonable haters, the people that usually attack me on my sexuality, body, or race, I usually agree or joke with their hate. Commenting “This boy is so fucking gay” or anything around that does not hurt me one bit, because it’s true, I like men very much and I love it, and I’ll usually reply with “Yes I am, I love penis, thanks for reminding me.”
Your “Why I’m Boycotting Beyonce” video is at over 4M views on Facebook [4/26/2016]. Are you REALLY boycotting Queen Bey?
8.7M as I’m writing this [4/29/2016]! And OF COURSE NOT, I made the video as a satirical commentary towards the people that are “boycotting” her, stating that their reasons are so irrational, sensitive, and far-fetched. But as we’ve seen in the record sales, these “boycotters” aren’t doing any damage.
You have a smart, natural, and comedic presentation style, are you thinking about comedy as a career goal?
I want to dive more into the Digital Media realm, now weather that is writing and creating bigger comedy based web series, I don’t know! But if you’re asking if I’m pursuing a career as a comedian then my answer is no. I see myself more as a Comedy Based Digital Creator than a comedian.
What do you see yourself doing in the next three to five years?
Hopefully not still living with my dad! In 3 years I’ll be 22 and in 5 I’ll be 24. Hopefully by then I’ll be further into the digital media world, either having a bigger brand or being a part of a huge Digital company and having a decent income to live my life to the fullest. I have dreams of creating series and T-shirt lines, but we will start with the basic foundation and say I SEE MYSELF ACTUALLY HAVING MONEY.
