Rob Kenney, who will turn 57 this year, is essentially an introvert. Happily married, his two grown up children are well settled. When the pandemic started, Rob thought of posting a few simple YouTube videos giving his kids some practical lessons based on his lifetime experience. Maybe another 30-40 people would view the clips.
On 3 April 2020, he posted a two minute video called “how
to tie a tie?” It’s a simple visual demonstration of how any male can tie a
tie. Even geniuses and male Noble laureates had to learn this skill from
someone else. Rob’s video went viral. Instead of the 30-40 viewers he had
expected, it was viewed 1.3 million times. Some viewers wrote to him that they
sobbed watching the video because of the “dad vibes”.
This was followed by regular uploads of short clips:
how to fix running toilets? How to polish your shoes? Get a close shave? Install
a ceiling fan? Change the car tires? Make a pizza? Plant grass seeds? Fry an
egg? Get a driver’s license? Replace a refrigerator filter? How to read a
bible? And many others.
*****
Rob Kenney became an internet sensation. His YouTube channel which was named “Dad, how do I?” got 3.5 million subscribers with no
soliciting. There were requests for TV interviews, thousands of daily comments
from viewers, corporate job offers, invitations to host TV shows.
A British girl commented on a YouTube video: “I lost
my dad when I was 3 years old and I don’t know how it feels to have a dad over
my head. Can I call you my father please?”
Each of his videos starts with the words: hey kids. “Hey kids, today I am going to
show you how to replace a car battery.” And ends with “I love you. I am proud
of you. God bless you.”
Followers flooded Rob with personal stories about
their parents, broken relationships, and traumatic experiences. They looked at the
‘Internet’s dad’ for comfort.
*****
Rob’s parents had divorced early. His dad gained
custody of the children, as the mother was manic-depressive and alcoholic. His
father found another woman, and left the eight children on their own. Rob was
the seventh child, 14 at the time. He moved in with his 23 year old married
brother, three of them living in a 280 sq foot trailer. Rob’s teenage life was
full of anger, sorrow and mental trauma. He resolved he would never allow
anything similar to happen to his own children. As he grew up, he learnt he was
not the only fatherless kid. There were thousands without a dad; they needed a
father figure in their life.
*****
YouTube is full of “how to….” Videos. Why did Rob Kenney
stand out and became a father figure for millions? Primarily because of his
warmth and simplicity. An unassuming fellow, he didn’t even ask anyone to
subscribe to his channel. His videos are shot on his Samsung Galaxy phone,
using the phone’s basic free editing software. After his becoming a sensation,
his daughter handles his social media, including FB and Instagram pages.
When asked what distinguished his videos from other
DIY videos, he gave a one-word answer: “heart”. There is more to being a dad or
mom than just fixing things, parents must share their heart with the kids, he
says. And that is evident in his videos. His tone is never patronizing, or
paternal. It is more about ‘let us do this thing together’.
Rob reads passages from the Bible every morning. It
adds calmness and clarity to his life. In the mornings, he stays off his phone
and computers.
Last month, he has published his first book called: “Dad,
How do I?” In a way it is an extension of his YouTube channel, the book
offering ‘dadvice’ for everyday tasks and successful living. It has many more how to chapters than the YouTube
channel.
*****
The surreal year for the Internet’s dad continues.
Tomorrow, on Father’s day, Rob is likely to get thousands of emotional letters
and emails again.
Ravi
There are still good people. And people who need them.
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