YouTube celebrated its 10th birthday in 2015.
Can you believe it?
In YouTube's early years, it was often parents who dominated the landscape with funny videos
of their kids.
As YouTube heads into its second decade, let's touch base with the adorable children it made
famous years ago.
Here's what these famous YouTube kids look like now...
Charlie Bit My Finger
One of YouTube's most watched videos is still "Charlie Bit My Finger," uploaded by a British
father in 2007 because the file was too big to email to his family.
Of course, over 842 million people would eventually watch baby Charlie gnaw on big brother Harry's
finger:
"Ah!
Oh!
Ouch!
Oww!
Ouch, Charlie, owww!"
The BBC caught up with the family at their UK home in 2014.
"Ah, ha!
Charlie bit me!"
Their dad, Howard Davies-Carr, said the original video, along with follow-ups on the family's
YouTube channel, have attracted thousands of dollars in advertising, but for the most
part, the boys live normal lives.
Charlie, however, remains nonplussed about the whole thing.
"I think it's a bit odd that those people watched it."
Jessica's "Daily Affirmation"
In this YouTube clip from 2009, a modern-day Shirley Temple named Jessica stands on her
bathroom counter, facing the mirror as she testifies about all the good in her life:
"My whole house is great.
I can do anything good.
I like my school.
I like anything.
I like my dad.
I like my cousins.
I like my aunts."
Jessica's dad uploaded the footage of his 4-year-old motivational speaker years after
the video was filmed—he was simply trying to share nostalgic moments with family.
"I like my whole house!
My whole house is great.
I can do anything good.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah."
Jessica appeared on Tosh.0 in 2010, but has kept a low YouTube profile since then.
The last time we spotted her was in a goofy family video with her sister in 2011.
Kittens Inspired By Kittens
Once upon a time in 2008, Maddie Kelly picked out a book from her local library, entitled
Kittens.
"Kittens, inspired by...kittens!"
The 6-year-old took the book home and read it to her dad, improvising the whole way:
"Magic!
I want pie!
I want beef jerky!" (various cat roars)
"Kittens inspired by Kittens" became a Facebook page, Twitter feed, and even an Etsy shop
to help the family save for college.
Heading into her teenage years, Maddie spoke with The Pet Collective:
"None of that was planned, and I don't know how I came up with it, but I did.
I do and still am really obsessed with cats."
"Friday"
Thirteen-year-old Rebecca Black's life was forever changed when her parents paid a recording
studio a couple thousand bucks to help her make a song to post online.
The result was...this:
"It's Friday, Friday.
Gotta get down on Friday.
Everybody's looking forward to the weekend, weekend."
Millions watched, sure...but millions also left scathing reviews.
After getting bullied at her school, Black eventually opted to be homeschooled.
Rebecca turned 18 in 2015 and is still pursuing a music career.
She released a pop single called "Saturday" that poked a little fun at her roots…
"2:00 PM getting out of my bed, trying to get Friday out of my head."
...and it actually broke onto the Billboard charts.
"This Saturday we're going to party all night.
One we'll remember for the rest of our lives.
This Saturday we're going to do it bigger than we ever have before.
I don't want this Saturday to end."
Black is video blogging, working on an album, and occasionally rubbing elbows with famous
folks.
Katy Perry even included her in the music video for "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)".
As for the naysayers, "you can't let it affect you," Rebecca told Rock Forever Magazine:
"You just have to realize that it's their problem, not yours, and if it does get serious,
don't be afraid to talk to someone about it.
Just be safe and stay positive."
David After Dentist
Some kids rely on the tooth fairy to make a buck, but the DeVore family stumbled on
a better way in 2008 when David DeVore Senior recorded his 7-year-old son waking up after
oral surgery:
"I feel funny.
Is this real life?
Why is this happening to me?"
"It's okay, bud.
Stay in your seat."
(monstrous roar)
More than eight years and 132 million views later, "David After Dentist" is the stuff
of Internet legend.
DeVore said video revenue helped the family keep their kids enrolled in a private school.
In 2016, David Devore Junior applied his fame to a science project at the Seminole County
Regional Science, Math and Engineering Fair in Florida.
His study asked, "Does a viral video have the same tendencies as a virus to spread?"
The 15-year-old compared the spread of his YouTube video to the spread of Ebola in Liberia.
"The University of Georgia contacted us, and they wanted our data to run a social experiment
on their students to see how they'd react…"
He told the Orlando Sentinel:
"I think that maybe if this gets looked into more and we keep experimenting with it we
might be able to prepare for a virus in the future and save people's lives."
Fun fact: Jonas Salk went through a similar process to discover the polio vaccine.
(monstrous roar)
Thanks for watching!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos like the one you just saw.
And leave us a comment to let us know which YouTube kids you would've added to the list...