An Open Letter to Dax Flame

Daxflame is one of my biggest YouTube inspirations. I've been watching his videos ever since I was a child and continue to go back to them time and time again. They're funny, endearing, heart warming, and inspiring. If the internet world were to lose his diaries for good, I and many others would be devastated.

Please help me get this letter to Dax. Let's show him our support and remind him how important he is to so many people in this community.

Subscribe to Dax here https://www.youtube.com/user/Daxflame

Dear Dax,

Like many young creators on this platform, I grew up watching your video diaries – laughing along with your antics, experiencing your heartbreak as that of my own, and I’ll admit… cringing at some of your less informed decisions.  You were one of my first favorite YouTubers, along with Smosh and the vlogbrothers.  It was a privilege to grow up alongside you with your videos guiding my way.

As I got older and you moved on from your channel, I’d continue to go back to your diaries to help me get through some challenging times in my life.  Particularly, some of my more embarrassing romantic escapades.  And when you’d come back with a short vlog or an interesting documentary, I kept my fingers crossed that you’d grace with us a more regular insight into your life once again. But I understood that maybe the video diary portion of your adolescence had passed.  Perhaps you’d moved on to bigger and better things.  Like, I dunno, acting alongside Channing Tatum!  I was so proud of you when I saw you on the big screen.  I felt like a Daxflame hipster.  I knew you before Hollywood got their grubby fingers on your charm and talent.  Of course, not everything is meant to work out so perfectly and if acting is an endeavor you plan to continue pursuing, I wish you the best of luck and can promise I’ll be there opening weekend every time.

And then 2020 happened. iDubbbz  made his spectacular Ice Cream Man Documentary and DaxFlame was back in the spotlight.  I’ll be honest with you, Dax… I was concerned about Smoothie Madness at the start.  The format of the show clearly had some kinks to work out and the pandemic certainly didn’t help, but week after week you were out there teaching us some valuable life lessons all while entertaining us with a fun and exciting smoothie-themed game show.  It’s great, only getting better.  I’m a big fan and can’t wait to see it’s continued success.  However, your 2021 ultimatum is concerning for a few reasons. 

I want to start this portion of my letter by saying that I support you in every way.  If hosting Smoothie Madness is your true passion, then that’s what I want for you.  But 1 millions subscribers is a lot.  A lot a lot.  I mean, I don’t need to tell you that.  You had a top 20 YouTube channel with under 50,000 subscribers back in the day.  The platform has gone through a lot of changes.  Some for the better, some for the worse, but one thing has stayed the same.  People enjoy watching people be their true unique selves.  Sure, maybe gaming videos are at the top one day or fashion the next, but people… people are the constant.  And there’s no one more unique than you, Dax.

One thing that really stuck out to me in your success or deletion video is your plan to travel to Europe after being vaccinated in the search for love.  I can only imagine how much fun you’ll have capering around France looking for a Marion Cotillard of your own.  I look forward to watching you on a once in a lifetime journey like that.  In fact, I want to hear more about it now.  I want to know what kind of struggles you’re facing in your day-to-day life between Smoothie Madness episodes or better yet, I wanna hear about your passions, your plans for the future, the things that get you excited to get up in the morning.  I know you plan on vlogging more often in the coming months, but have you considered going back to your old style of sitting in a room telling us about your day?  Maybe that’s not interesting to you anymore, and I completely understand that.  As a filmmaker and storyteller myself, I know you’ve gotta experiment and do things that are fresh and exciting for you, but as a long time fan I know I’d like to hear from you more often.  And I’m certain there are many others that feel the same.

I also have some concerns about the other videos you’ve been making or plan to make in the future.  Primarily your more “trend focused” videos.  The reactions and tier lists.  I understand why you’re doing them and yeah, they’re fun to watch.  But, if I’m being honest, they’re not why I subscribed to your channel in the first place.  This is a career for you, so you’ve gotta do what you gotta do in order to get the clicks and pay the bills, but I worry that these videos are taking away from the true purpose of your channel.  Like I said, trends come and go.  And there’s nothing wrong with trying to reach a new audience by making searchable content or hopping on bandwagons, but I don’t think you need to do it.  Unless you’re having fun, of course, in which case ignore me.  What I mean is, you’ve got an audience already.  An audience that really cares about you.  And I think it’s completely possible to reach new people by just being yourself.  In fact, when new people come across someone they see as being totally genuine, it’s hard not to keep watching.  At least in my experience.

Finally, I’ve gotta talk about Smoothie Madness.  You said that Smoothie Madness is the “heart and soul, the crown jewel” of your channel.  But what if it wasn’t?  What if you made a new channel just for Smoothie Madness?  I know I would subscribe and continue watching.   My fear is that, because smoothie game shows are so niche, you may be alienating part of your audience with all of your different videos.  I know there are tons of people like me who enjoy all of your content, but you probably have some fans who only watch Smoothie Madness or some fans who don’t like it at all.  I’m suggesting you give people a choice.  Let Smoothie Madness stand on its own two feet.  If you want to devote more time to that new channel, you absolutely can, but I’m asking you to drop the ultimatum on Daxflame.

I don’t want you to delete your channel.  I want you to succeed.  There’s nothing I’d love more than seeing Daxflame hit a million subscribers this year, but that’s not a goal that you have any control over.  I understand if it’s a motivation tool for you to work harder, but maybe just set more attainable goals for yourself.  Goals that aren’t number based.  Become a better storyteller, a more engaging host, make things more consistently… These are goals you can accomplish all on your own, without being subject to the whims of YouTube’s algorithm.  After all, it’d be a terrible shame to lose all those videos.  It was an informative time in not only your life, but mine as well.  And I’m happy to see that you’re confident in your success this year, I’m confident in you too.  But please, Dax, I’m asking you to reconsider.

Sincerely, a true fan… Reese