Shane Dawson’s first book, “I Hate Myselfie,” hits stores today, and the YouTube star admitted he is surprisingly nervous about it!
“I’ve never been so nervous in my life about something,” Shane told AccessHollywood.com. “I’ve never put out a video that was this autobiographical, so it’s scary. I’m nervous that people aren’t going to buy it!”
Boasting 13 million subscribers across his three YouTube channels, Shane is one of the most successful comics on YouTube, amassing over 2 billion video views. The New York Times has even dubbed Shane “YouTube’s comic for the under-30 set.” Shane has also been hailed by Variety as one of digital’s fastest rising stars, and was featured on their August cover.
“I Hate Myselfie” is a collection of Shane’s personal essays that detail “experiences of an eccentric and introverted kid, who by observing the strange world around him developed a talent that would inspire millions of fans.”
Though Shane is infamous for his biting wit and crude humor, “I Hate Myselfie” is as much heart as it is crass. Chronicling his days as an overweight teenager in high school to eventually finding fame on YouTube, “I Hate Myselfie” proves that laughing at yourself can help overcome even the most embarrassing experiences.
“I wanted to write a comedy book. I didn’t want to write a self-help book, or a sad memoir—which I could have done,” he added. “I wanted to do something that was laugh-out-loud funny, would move quickly, and had some tear-jerking moments.”
“I Hate Myselfie” is not the first book authored by a YouTube comic. Grace Helbig—who is prepping a late night talk show on E!, as well as a reboot of the classic 1970’s children TV series “Electra Woman and Dyna Girl”—became a “New York Times” bestselling author with her how-to book, “Grace’s Guide.” Grace’s “Electra” costar, Hannah Hart, released an anecdotal cookbook, “My Drunk Kitchen,” to similar acclaim.
It’s interesting to note, however, that Grace and Hannah’s efforts are filled with short excerpts followed by full-page photos, perfect for a digital-savvy audience with a notoriously short attention span. Though “I Hate Myselfie” is accompanied by some fan-made illustrations, Shane primarily sticks to text. Considering his audience is used to reading his thoughts in 140 characters or less, “I Hate Myselfie’s” potential success could be a larger test to the commercial viability of YouTube personalities in traditional media formats.
Shane may “hate his selfie,” but his millions of fans will love it.
— Oscar Gracey
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