Ray William Johnson

Ray William Johnson is an American internet personality, comedian, and actor best known for Equals Three, a YouTube comedy series that commented on viral videos.

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Equals Three: Equals Three is a YouTube comedy series in which Ray William Johnson comments on viral videos. Johnson created and hosted the series that made him widely known.
Early YouTube: Early YouTube is the platform’s formative period, before professionally produced channels became commonplace. Equals Three rose during a period when independent creators could define YouTube formats.
Anna Akana: Anna Akana is an American actress, filmmaker, and YouTube creator. Akana appeared in Equals Three and worked with Johnson during the show’s later period.
Subscriber count: A subscriber count is the number of accounts following a creator or channel on a platform. Equals Three’s large audience made channel metrics a visible measure of YouTube success.
YouTube: YouTube is an online video-sharing platform where users upload, watch, and share videos. The platform gave Johnson a direct audience for his comedy series.
Viral video culture: Viral video culture is the social circulation and discussion of widely shared online videos. Johnson’s show depended on an emerging culture of watching and commenting on viral clips.
Maker Studios: Maker Studios was a multichannel network that represented and supported online video creators. Johnson’s work was associated with the creator-network ecosystem Maker helped build.
Creator economy: The creator economy is the system through which independent creators earn income from digital audiences and content. Johnson’s career illustrates an early path from online popularity to creator-led entertainment.
Viral video: A viral video is an online video that spreads rapidly through sharing and public attention. Popular clips supplied the material Johnson discussed on Equals Three.
Video blogging: Video blogging is the publication of personal or topical videos in a recurring online format. Johnson adapted the direct-to-camera style of video blogging for fast-paced comedy.