French Youtube Celebrities

About

As Youtube has been growing in popularity worlwide since 2005, it gave birth to many internet celebrities, such as RayWilliamJohnson, TomSka or Lindsay Sterling, who inspired a lot of people to create their own podcasts using Youtube.
In France specifically, the rise of internet and vlogs as an entertaining medium motivated several people to start their own Youtube shows and series, from webseries and viral videos to gaming and movie reviews.

Stand-up Comedians

Cyprien

Cyprien Iov, also known as Cyprien and Monsieur Dream^[1] is one of the first French vloggers to use the concept of internet podcasts by dealing with daily subjects. He first posted his work on dailymotion and then on Youtube in 2007 with his first video Qu’est-ce que Ouedan ? (French for What is Ouendan). His Youtube channel^[2] has gained more than 6 million subscribers as of september 2014 and his videos average 10 million views. A sister channel, Cyprien Gaming^[3], was born in 2013 in which Cyprien can be seen playing videogames with various guests.
Due to his popularity on the French web, Cyprien began making appearances on French television as a guest but also a commentator, especially on the NJR12 channel. he also launched his own clothing brand, named Narmol^[6], a French slang for “normal” that became one of his most famous catchphrases.

Norman

Norman Thavaud^[4], also known as Norman is a comedian who does podcasts in similar ways and about similar themes as Cyprien. The same way, his debut was on dailymotion before reaching Youtube in 2011 with his channel Normanfaitdesvideos^[5] (French for Norman is doing videos). As of september 2014, he has gained more than 5 million subscribers and his videos average 5 million views. His increasing popularity allowed him to make appearances on TV as well as starring in french movie Pas très normales activités (the title can be translated to not that much normal activity in English) in 2012. He also performed as a stand-up comedian touring around France in 2013.

Hugo Tout Seul

Hugo Tout Seul (Hugo All Alone in English) is a French podcaster and comedian doing videos in the same style as Cyprien and Norman. He made humoristic videos with Norman and Cyprien with their group “Le Velcrou” in 2008 before breaking up in 2010 and he joined Youtube in 2011. His channel^[7] has reached more than 1 500 000 subscribers as of september 2014 and his videos average 2 million views.

Viral Videos

Salut Les Geeks

Salut Les Geeks (Hello Geeks in English), often abbreviated as SLG^[8], is a Youtube show presented by Matthieu Sommet in which he reviews three different videos he gathered from the web with satire and humor. Created in 2011, his show is known as being the first French equivalent of the Equals Three, a format popularized by RayWilliamJohson. As of september 2014, his channel^[9] has gained more than 1 million subscribers and his videos average 1 million views.

What The Cut

What The Cut is a Youtube show presented by Antoine Daniel reusing the same format as the Equals Three. Starting in 2012, The show features Antoine Daniel analysing three strange videos he gathered from the web. His channel^[11], as of september 2014, has gained more than 1 700 000 subscribers and his videos average 2 million views.

Video Games

Le Joueur du Grenier

Le Joueur du Grenier is a French Youtuber specialized in reviewing retro video games, in same vein as the AVGN, since 2009. More info can be found in his respective Know Your Meme article.

Squeezie

Squeezie is a French Let’s Player well-known for his funny reactions and humorous antics. He started his channel in 2011, featuring him playing a wide variety of videogames. As of September 2014, his channel^[12] has gained more than 2 800 000 subscribers and his videos average 1 million views. he is also a recurring guest in Cyprien’s sister show Cyprien Gaming.

Movies

Le Fossoyeur de Films

Le Fossoyeur de films ( Movies’ Grave Digger in English), presented François Theurel, is Youtube show about movie reviews and all sort of themes revolving around movies in general. Starting in 2012, his channel^[13] has accumulated a little over 280 000 subscribers as of september 2014 and his videos average 200 000 views.

Miscellaneous

Linksthesun

Linksthesun is a Youtuber that started his channel^[14] in 2006. As of september 2014, he has gained over 750 000 subscribers and his videos average 1 million views. He is well-known for two of his shows in particular:
- The first one called Point Culture (Culture Point in English) in which he adresses 20 points surrounding a token cultural theme.
- The second one called Non mais t’as vu ce que t’écoutes ? (Did you see what you’re listening to? in English) that deals with French current popular songs that he analyses and critics with humor and satire.

Benzaie

Benzaie, real name Benjamin Daniel, is a French Youtuber primarly known for his work as a podcaster on the TGWTG website. He launched his own channel on Youtube, BenzaieTV^[15], in 2011. Most of his work ranges from game reviews to movie reviews in his “Hard Corner” shows but he also produces X in 5 seconds videos. His channel has accumulated about 300 000 subscribers as of september 2014 and his videos average 200 000 views. In similar vein as the AVGN, he produced a movie about his Hard Corner show that was released on April 1st 2014.

Webseries

Le Visiteur du Futur

Le Visiteur du Futur^[16] (Visitor from the Future) is a webseries directed by François Descraques about a ordinary young man who is constantly disturbed by a time traveler trying to stop catastrophies. Starting in 2009 on Dailymotion, the series expanded itself to 4 seasons, books and comics strip and it won 4 awards that the 2013 Los Angeles WebFest. As of september 2009, the Youtube channel WatchTheVisitor^[17] has gained over 140 000 subscribers and its videos average 300 000 views. They also were broadcasted on television, on No-life channel.

Noob

Noob^[18] is a webseries directed by Fabien Fournier that focus on people playing an imaginary MMORPG, in similar vein as webseries “The Guild”, and showing actual characters the players control interacting with each others. It started in 2008 and expanded to 5 seasons, books, comic strips. Noob started a crowdfucking campaign in 2013 in order to raise money for a movie project. The campaign became the most funded one in Europe with more than 681 000 euros achieved. In response, Fournier announced an upcoming movie trilogy. Noob also won an award at the 2014 Los Angeles Streamy Awards for “Best International show”. As of september 2014, the Olydri production channel^[19] has gained over 180 000 subscribers and its videos average 30 000 views. They were also broadcasted on television, on No-life channel.