About
You On Kazoo is a video of former child actor Brett Ambler enthusiastically playing a kazoo musical instrument with other children. The video was widely circulated online after an edited version was submitted to YouTube in late August 2014.
Origin
On March 24th, 2011, YouTuber Jim VanBlarium uploaded a segment of the episode “You On Kazoo” from the 1989 children’s show Special Friends,[2] in which a young boy and other children play the kazoo.[1] On August 25th, 2014, the Dead VCR YouTube channel uploaded an edited version of the episode (shown below). Within two years, the video gained over 500,000 views and 2,200 comments.
Spread
On October 20th, 2015, Redditor mikesicle posted the “You On Kazoo!” video to /r/DeepIntoYouTube,[4] where it received more than 420 votes (99% upvoted) and 60 comments in three months.
On October 22nd, Soundcloud user Florian Olsson uploaded a techno remix featuring audio from the video (shown below).
On November 5th, YouTuber Grant NOT The Flash Gustin uploaded a “YouTube poop”: edit of the “You On Kazoo” video (shown below, left). On November 24th, YouTuber Gumble Dog uploaded an edited version of the kazoo video featuring a voice saying “let’s do acid” followed by techno music playing in the background (shown below, right). On January 20th, 2016, the Hood Vines Facebook[8] page reposted the video, which garnered upwards of 2 million views and 38,000 shares in the first 24 hours.
Identity
On October 20th, 2015, the video was reposted on /r/NotTimAndEric,[6] where Redditor grahamthefalcon linked to a current photo of Ambler (shown below, left).[5] On December 25th, Ambler responded to a tweet confirming he was the child from the video (shown below, right).
Various Examples
“We Want Brett”
On August 14th, 2014, YouTuber Gumble Dog uploaded edited footage of various news brocasts followed by a clip of Ambler reacting to a group of people shouting “we want Brett” from the 1990 children’s sing along tape “Let’s Sing Along”[3] (shown below).
Search Interest
External References
[1]YouTube – Crappy Cinema Council – You on Kazoo
[2]Profile Engine – Special Friends You on Kazoo
[3]YouTube – Let’s Sing Along
[4]Reddit – You On Kazoo
[5]Blogspot – Meet the Cast of Tick Tick Boom
[6]Reddit – You On Kazoo?
[7]Twitter – @brettambler
[8]Facebook – This kid on some next shit