In late 2007, Craig Benzine started using a little of his spare time to post video blogs online. That vlog, Wheezy Waiter, was originally supposed to be about his job as a waiter in a downtown restaurant—and all the shit that came with that—but it quickly morphed into, he says, a combination of “The Colbert Report, Letterman, Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, and Mr. Rogers.”
Fast-forward a few years, and Benzine’s kind of a big deal on the Internet now. His YouTube videos have been viewed more than 25 million times, and he was even able to quit his job and just live off vlogging.
The Wheezy Waiter’s world isn’t just some dude whining about life and feelings and talking about movies. What Benzine’s created is a totally unique space, filled with Craig clones, attacking eagles, and an alligator pit. His videos are endlessly captivating and totally addicting.
The A.V. Club decided to let Benzine do what he does best, and just talk to a video camera. We e-mailed him some questions about his line of shoes, making videos, and his band’s upcoming tour. He sent us back some witty responses. Watch while you wait for the coffee to be done.