Zachary Pincus-Roth
L.A. Weekly profiled YouTube star Jenna Marbles for our 2012 People Issue. Here are more excerpts from our interview:
Did you have any sense that you were funny before you started making videos?
I knew people thought I was funny but I didn't think I was that funny. Even when I made [her first video] “How to trick people into thinking you're good looking,” like, it's funny to me, kind of. But I never even expected anyone else to watch it or think it was funny. I showed Max after I made it and he was like, “That's stupid.” He's my boyfriend. And I was like, “Fuck you, I'm putting it on YouTube.” And then like 3 days later it had like a million views.
Did you ever go on rants similar to those in your videos?
In college probably. High school I was kind of shy, not really that out there. [In college] I played softball. I hung out with a bunch of lesbians and baseball players. That's when I started acting like myself. I was captain but I was fucking around all the time, always cracking jokes and trying to make everybody laugh and have a good time. To me that was the most important thing and that actually does serve a purpose on a team.
What's the most ridiculous thing you did?
We got hooked on stealing road cones and using them as tees. We used to run around Boston. We started stealing barrels and signs — anything we could get our hands on we'd put in the van and bring back to the athletic department. Stupid stuff.
From Marbles' video “What Girls Do On The Internet”
What's your daily routine now?
I row on my rowing machine. Chill. The days I'm not doing videos I always have random stuff. We do production meeting stuff. Those are so stupid. Everyone's like, “We like you, we don't know what to do with you.” I'm like, “Cool.”
These are meetings with Hollywood execs?
Yeah. I don't really care. I just don't want to do like a bad TV show, someone else's idea. Sometimes they're like, “Tell us about a TV show you would want to do.” I'm like, “Why would I tell you that I don't know you.” If I really wanted to make a TV show I could come up with an idea and then do it the other way.
You don't have any TV show ideas yet?
No, none.
Have people tried to pitch you ideas?
Some are cool. Then you'd have to do it. What if it sucks?
Any weird ones?
In the beginning it was, “We want you to be a girl Tosh [Daniel Tosh of Comedy Central's Tosh.0, which makes fun of internet videos].” [sarcastically:] Here's a great recipe for a TV show, a girl Tosh. No, it's stupid. Tosh is Tosh. That show works because it's him. They're forcing the formula — “What if we did it but with a girl?” It's stupid. Come up with a good idea. If something cool came along I'd be really excited about it
Do they send you scripts?
Sometimes. I've auditioned a couple times. I'm terrible. I'm not an actor. I just show up and they laugh at me.
Other stuff you do all day?
That's pretty much it. I don't do a whole lot. I make videos sometimes. I make vlogs. Write on my blogs. Go on the internet.
Home much of the day on internet?
A lot. I can pretty much justify anything as work if I'm reading the news or whatever. I'm on my computer dicking around.
There's always people coming in and out of here, people coming to visit.
What people?
Friends from back east. I am friend with some YouTubers. It's a strange world. They're all really friends with each other they love each other. I get invited to the stuff it's a cool kind of camaraderie with other YouTubers. But I'm not like, “Let's live our lives together.” I feel like some of them do.
Are YouTubers always filming themselves?
I fucking hate that shit. I fucking hate it. Because a lot of them are vloggers a lot, they like to walk around and vlog. I'm not really like that. In the past at YouTube events, they're walking around with a camera. I'm like, “Can we just live a normal life here?” Like, what the fuck? That's not my jam. People do do that. It's kind of obnoxious. They're like “I'm here at blah blah blah” and I'm like, “Who cares?” I don't care. I don't even care and I'm here.
Marbles as Nikki Minaj
Where do you shoot your videos?
I shoot it in the bedroom, sitting on my bed. Once we moved here [from Boston], since everything's kind of open, [my boyfriend] Max is here all the time, the dogs. I need somewhere where I can be quiet. You'll see on some of the videos, the sun starts to go down. It needs to be during the day. It was so much better on the East Coast. It would be three hours behind. Now when I upload it it's like 8 or 9 o'clock at night on the East Coast. People are like “Where the fuck is your video?! Fuck you, Jenna!” I'm like, “I still got time, fuck! The sun's still up!”
Do you have people help you out?
Once I start and tell someone my idea they'll be like [dismissive] “Oh, yeah.” It's like telling someone the name of your baby before it's born. I just don't do it. Sometimes Max will help me. [I'll tell him,] “Can you hold this here? Can you hold the camera?” And then I do something really stupid, and he's like “What are you doing?” “Don't worry about it.” But it's literally just me for the most part.
What are your favorite videos you've done?
I had a lot of fun making the Nikki Minaj video. A lot of fun making the Ke$ha video. I like to dress up. The wost part is if I'm laughing when I make it. If I think it's funny, people hate it. “Uh, I love you Jenna, but this video sucks. Next week.” But I'm like, “I thought it was so funny.” I know it's going to be bad if I'm laughing while I'm making it.
See the original story: Jenna Marbles: The YouTube Star
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.