YouTube's Fred is first online video star to break 1M subscribers

YouTube's Fred Figglehorn, the screechy, chipmunk-voiced Internet star, has become the first person in the history of online video to amass 1 million subscribers. In less than a year, the child phenom -- portrayed by 15-year-old Nebraskan Lucas Cruikshank -- has passed every other filmmaker, artist, company and silly cat on YouTube to become the most subscribed-to act. 

Fred's online fame earned him a guest spot on kiddie TV powerhouse iCarly in February. His monotonically increasing popularity remains as befuddling to some as it does obvious to others.  Opine about Fred's annoying voice or lack of interesting character traits, and you will be deluged with caustic "you don't get its" from his legion of supportive fans, as well as defended by almost as many scoffing detractors.

But numbers don't lie, and when it's numbers time, Fred comes correct. With close to 250 millions views on only 36 videos, a gaggle of subscribers, and, according to YouTube, tens of thousands of dollars in monthly income, he is a pint-sized force to be reckoned with. Not bad for a plucky farm kid with a camcorder.

Both Fred and Cruikshank thank their audience in this video (be sure to turn down the volume).

-- David Sarno

Comments

[Kristen]

Lucas is a powerhouse becuae he makes the videos for himself and he is also very smart and a VERY driven person as well , very competative

[Cheap]

I never heard of this until now

[shravan]

awesome, the kid seems to an internet buff. must be spending all his time on youtube only

[Der]

Most subscribed to? How about the chocolate rain guy or Chris Crocker?

[Television Spy]

Only heard of him about a month ago, I still don't understand the allure in it.

He has a weird sense of humour that I can mildly understand, I just don't get why he's so popular though. He has a million subscribers which is quite amazing, compared to the fact that big media publishers like NBC or CBS get millions if not billions of views on their syndicated shows and programmes across the world - but still pail in comparison to this Fred kid.

Love 'em or hate 'em, you have to admit that Fred's stats are impressive.

[Der2]

Der, Why would anybody subscribe to those... you subscribe to videos because you expect more. Fred doesn't have just one Hit Video, all of his are. the "Chocolate rain guy" only had 1 hit video. Same for Chris Crocker, which including yelling into a camera about leaving Brittany alone. You don't expect much more from them.

[Langston Richardson / infuz]

Fred is along the same style is "Soulja Boy" and "Obama Girl" The web attention span isn't the same as television. The smaller screen size is perfect for the free world of web video... and that's why it will bomb at a nuclear level if someone thinks this would work on a broadcast model.

The video technology helps support our multitasking, take-a-break, get an office laugh, that helps drive the social web. If we see Hulu for instance, we may see it attracts older viewers or at least viewers with more focus on plot development.

Fred and his elk give YouTubers content that's perfect for the web form factor of online video sharing.

[Bill Hodge]

Fred sucks. That was the lamest, most obnoxious thing I have ever witnessed. I wish I had that 3:03 back.

[christine]

i have 2 teenage children. I've watched a handful of his videos. I know my teens relate to his stories. The love of his teen years he can't have--(JUDY) * and a bully(KEVIN). EASY.
I know we all want to scream that high pitched scream every so often. For a 15 year old young man, he has alot of time, energy, and honesty than alot of other teens. I'd rather see a young man video taping himself trying to entertain people, rather than do what alot of other teens are doing. Don't be so quik to Diss !! My oldest is 18 years old and i'll tell you all something, "He's being more positivly productuve than others.

[katz]

AWZUM.........LY CRAP!