Shane Dawson - Youtuber
Age: 37
Country: United States Occupations:
Youtuber
Shane Dawson, born Shane Lee Yaw on July 19, 1988, in Long Beach, California, is an American YouTuber, comedian, actor, author, and podcaster who rose to fame in the late 2000s through his humorous sketch videos and parodies. Growing up in a challenging environment—his father left when he was nine—he attended Lakewood High School, where he faced bullying due to his weight, later losing over 150 pounds while working at Jenny Craig alongside his mother and brother. He adopted the stage name "Dawson" as a nod to the character Jack Dawson from his favorite film, Titanic.
Dawson joined YouTube in 2008 and quickly built a massive following with his main channel, "Shane," where he posted vlogs, original sketches featuring recurring characters like Shanaynay, Ned the Nerd, S. Deezy, and Aunt Hilda, celebrity impersonations (such as Paris Hilton and Sarah Palin), and satirical music video spoofs. His content often poked fun at pop culture, but early work drew significant backlash for including offensive elements, including racial stereotypes and blackface, which he later addressed in apologies. By 2010, he had won a Teen Choice Award for Choice Web Star and a Streamy Award for best vlogger, amassing millions of subscribers and becoming one of the platform's top creators.
Expanding beyond sketches, Dawson ventured into music with original songs like "Superluv!" and parodies, as well as podcasting with "Shane and Friends" (2013–2017). In 2015, he delved into conspiracy theories, culminating in his 2019 web series "Conspiracy Series with Shane Dawson." He also produced docu-series, including a personal reconciliation with his estranged father in 2017 and "The Beautiful World of Jeffree Star" (2019–2020), which explored the makeup mogul's life and drew over 130 million views. Dawson authored young adult novels like "I Hate Myselfie" (2015) and its sequels, and briefly pursued TV projects, such as a pitched series with Sony Pictures Television.
However, Dawson's career faced major setbacks in 2020 amid renewed scrutiny of his past controversial content, leading to YouTube demonetizing his channels, the loss of sponsorships, and widespread criticism from fans and peers. He took an extended hiatus from public life, during which he and his husband, Ryland Adams (whom he married in 2016 after coming out as gay in 2015), focused on their family, including adopting dogs and navigating personal challenges. As of 2025, Dawson remains largely inactive on social media but occasionally shares updates on his channels, reflecting on his journey from viral comedian to a more introspective figure shaped by accountability and growth. Standing at 6 feet tall, he continues to be remembered as a pivotal early YouTube influencer whose bold, boundary-pushing style both entertained and sparked important conversations about online responsibility.