"That's my goal... To make you have a better day than you did before you saw me," comedian James Bates told KATC 3. And with a hysterical video that has so far garnered over four million views, we'd say that mission has been accomplished.
James Bates, a resident of Lafayette, Louisiana, went viral after posting a parody news video on YouTube on August 4, 2021. The content got millions of views after just a few days - leaving the comedian in disbelief. "It's surreal because I don't really know what to do with all of the attention," shared Bates.
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"My background, I'm really shy, and I'm quiet, so... The fact that I'm in entertainment is wild, even to me." Well, he sure fooled us! The video driving the internet wild? A parody news interview where James acts as a flight attendant who taped a misbehaving passenger to his seat (yes - it is based on true events). Have a look at the viral upload for yourself below.
While Bates might be overwhelmed by the attention, the funny guy is no stranger to going viral. Many of his videos have tens of thousands of views, and a few others have garnered over a million. So it's hardly surprising James has the news parody sketch down to an art. "In the interviews, I always make some type of sound," he explained.
Back in October 2020, the online comedian reached a whopping 200,000 subscribers on YouTube, earning him the streaming site's Silver Creator Award. "A lot of things change when you get something like this because it means that most likely you're credible, and you're doing something, so people want to be a part of that," Bates said.
And while not all of James's content is quite as popular as his latest upload, he doesn't let it get him down. "I already know that sometimes, things might not work out," Bates explained. "I've been doing this for like four years, so I've seen the highs and lows, and I just take it all in. Bring it all in; I don't care... Whatever happens, happens to me." Want to see more of his content? You can subscribe to his YouTube channel or follow him on Instagram.
