DTL Interviewed Dan Bull – but you may know him as “Douglby”…
With 1,351,285 subscribers on YouTube and 102K followers on Twitter, Dan Bull is literally #winning at the internet right now, but it hasn’t all been fame and glory for the geeky gamer come comedy rapper…
DTL caught up with Dan to talk about bullying IRL, online and how he gets his Inspo…
DTL: Hi Dan thanks for chatting with DTL! First up, can you tell the DTL readers a bit about yourself?
Dan: My name’s Dan and I make rap videos and comedy sketches on YouTube – usually about geeky stuff such as video games.
DTL: What’s the funniest/weirdest comment you’ve ever received on one of your videos?
Dan: I honestly don’t know because I try not to read all the comments, there’s so much weird stuff in there and YouTube really ought to do a better job of keeping it respectable!
DTL: 7 in 10 people experience bullying online before the age of 18 – as someone who has an enormous online presence, is online abuse something that you have experienced? If so, how have you dealt with it?
Dan: I haven’t received it to the serious degree that some others have, but I’ve occasionally had people trying to wind me up or upset me to get a response. It sounds like a cliche but the best thing to do is just ignore them and keep doing whatever makes you happy yourself. People that leave bad comments online often have nothing better to do, YOU do!
DTL: What’s the best and worst thing about being a famous YouTuber/rapper?
Dan: Well, I don’t feel very famous because my fans are spread throughout the world, that means I can easily walk down the street without being recognised. I suppose the best thing is being able to do my hobby of making music and videos as a living. Every day is fun!
DTL: 64% of the people we surveyed had been trolled in an online game? Any advice for people who are dealing with trolling online?
Dan: The main reason people troll is not because they mean what they say, but because it’s the easiest way to get a reaction from other people. The most powerful thing you can do is completely deny them any reaction and act as if they’re not there. It takes away all their power over you. If the trolling is serious and doesn’t stop, there should be ways to report it to the people in charge of the game. If it’s more serious than that, you can also speak to the police who will be able to advise and assist you.
“The thing which feels most meaningful to me is hearing from people whose personal lives have been helped because of the music I’ve made. It feels better for one person to really value a song, than for a thousand people to just enjoy it a bit.”
DTL: What’s been the ultimate highlight of your YouTubing career so far?
Dan: A lot of cool and weird things have happened but the thing which feels most meaningful to me is hearing from people whose personal lives have been helped because of the music I’ve made. It feels better for one person to really value a song, than for a thousand people to just enjoy it a bit.
DTL: Where do you get inspiration for your tracks?
Dan: The easiest way to be inspired is to just think about the things that give you an emotional response. Whether it’s happy, sad, angry, afraid, excited, etc. Those are all powerful emotions that you can channel into creativity. I would actually recommend to people reading this to try out being creative, whether it’s writing, drawing, recording videos – anything you feel like. It doesn’t have to be good and you don’t have to show it to anyone else. It’s just a great way to get those thoughts and feelings in order.
DTL: Have you ever experienced bullying IRL – if so could you tell us a bit about it?
Dan: Yes, I have been bullied at different points in my life. Mostly at school and mostly verbal bullying, but was occasionally punched, kicked etc. Looking back at it now I can see that the problem was always with the person who bullied, and not with me. People bully others because they feel inferior themselves, and they want to get a feeling of superiority or belonging to a group, by picking on someone – so that THEY aren’t the one who’s different themselves. It is quite sad really, but it’s still no excuse to victimise another person.
“The differences that make us stand out, are the same differences which will help us make a mark and be happy in life.”
DTL: If you could go back in time, what’s one thing you’d tell yourself before your YouTube career really kicked off?
Dan: That it’s OK to be you, to be interested in the things you’re interested in, to dress how you like to dress, and that the people who won’t like those things about you, don’t matter anyway. If you allow yourself to be who you really are, you will attract people who like the real you.
[full-width-figure image=”https://dtl-staging.org/2020/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/dan3-1.jpg” alt=dan bull interview”]
DTL: Biggest pet peeve?
Dan: Bullying! Any situation where somebody tries to exploit vulnerabilities in others, whether it’s picking on someone in the playground, scamming people online, or abusing animals. I think that kindness and understanding is a great responsibility and a privilege, and it takes more guts to do than picking on someone.
DTL: Anything exciting coming up in the near future?
Dan: I never like to talk about future plans because things can change so often. I’d say only 20% of the things I plan actually happen!
DTL: Anything you’d like to add?
Dan: Yes: All the most interesting and fun people I know were bullied at school. The differences that make us stand out, are the same differences which will help us make a mark and be happy in life.
If comedy and gaming is your thing, check out Dan’s channel and follow him on Twitter for latest updates and lolworthy rap videos…
