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Doug Walker (comedian)

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Doug Walker
Walker at the Grand Rapids Comic-Con in Michigan in 2024
Personal information
Born
Douglas Darien Walker

(1981-11-17) November 17, 1981 (age 43)[1]
Naples, Italy
NationalityAmerican
EducationNorthern Illinois University (BA)
Occupations
  • Comedian
  • film critic
  • actor
  • YouTuber
Spouse
Robin Poage
​
(m. 2012)​
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2007–present
GenreFilm reviews
Subscribers1.36 million[2]
Total views1.17 billion[2]
Associated acts
Last updated: April 7, 2024

Douglas Darien Walker (born November 17, 1981) is an American comedian, film critic, actor and YouTuber. He is best known for creating and starring in the satirical film review web series Nostalgia Critic, wherein the titular character reviews nostalgic media in an angry or profane manner.[3] After an initial run on YouTube, Walker co-created the website That Guy with the Glasses (later merged into Channel Awesome) in 2008, where he and the series gained wider popularity. The site also presented other media critics who created similar content, including Lindsay Ellis and Angry Joe. Walker and his series returned to YouTube in 2012.[4][5]

Early life

Walker is the son of Barney (b. 1946), a naval officer and musician, and Sandra Ruth (née Polkow) Walker (1947–2016), a therapist.[6] Both parents, as well as Walker's older brother Rob (b. June 5, 1979), would later appear regularly in his videos. Due to his father's career, Walker was born on a naval base in Naples, Italy, and moved frequently as a child, spending parts of his childhood in Rhode Island, Washington, and Jacksonville, Florida before moving to the Chicago, Illinois area in his teen years.

Walker attended and graduated from Northern Illinois University, majoring in mass communication and minoring in visual art, also serving as an editor and cartoonist for the school newspaper.[7]

Nostalgia Critic

Main article: Nostalgia Critic
The Nostalgia Critic (right) with James Rolfe as the Angry Video Game Nerd

After graduating college, Walker worked as an illustrator and janitor. He started making videos on the then fairly new video sharing site YouTube in his spare time. Although his early Nostalgia Critic videos were popular, Walker claims his rise to internet fame first came from the success of his 5 Second Movies edits. Walker has stated that the Nostalgia Critic character is primarily inspired by Daffy Duck and the Queen of Hearts, as well as by comedians Lewis Black, Stephen Colbert, and Bill Murray.[8]

In 2008, Walker moved his skits from YouTube to independent site That Guy With the Glasses, later renamed Channel Awesome, with videos hosted via Blip.tv.[9] The majority of his skits have since been reuploaded to YouTube, and form a full web series spanning several seasons. Walker now works as a full-time content creator and staff member of Channel Awesome in Chicago, under the leadership of CEO Mike Michaud.[10]

In September 2012, Walker announced that the Nostalgia Critic series would be ending and that he and his brother would create the sketch comedy web series Demo Reel. In January 2013, however, Walker released "The Review Must Go On", a short film announcing that the series would continue. The new incarnation would co-star Malcolm Ray and Rachel Tietz of Demo Reel, playing fictionalized versions of themselves as well as performing in sketches. Tamara Chambers would later join the series following Tietz's departure.[11]

Criticism

See also: Channel Awesome § Management controversies

In March 2018, numerous former Channel Awesome contributors and employees accused the company of widespread mismanagement and mistreatment, culminating in the Twitter hashtag #ChangeTheChannel and a Google Doc entitled "Not So Awesome" chronicling the complaints of over 20 contributors.[10][12][13] While many of the allegations were directed at Michaud, former contributor Allison "Obscurus Lupa" Pregler, who had been critical of the site since leaving in 2015,[10][13] said that Doug and Rob Walker were "complicit" and had failed to address complaints about Michaud's behavior.[14][15] Another former contributor, Lindsay Ellis, described filming conditions on the Walker-directed Channel Awesome anniversary films as "grossly unprofessional", lacking film industry standards such as craft services and safety insurance.[15]

Following the allegations and several poorly received statements from Channel Awesome management, many contributors left the site, with only Walker, Brad Jones, and Larry "Guru Larry" Bundy Jr. remaining by the end of April. Walker later acknowledged the controversy in a 2021 interview with Korey Coleman for Double Toasted, admitting that Channel Awesome had gotten "too big", resulting in poor communication among staff and producers, and that he had since been consciously trying to "keep everything closer and more personal".[16]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2010 Kickassia Nostalgia Critic / Spider Smith / Chester A. Bum / Ask That Guy with the Glasses / Dominic Also director, editor, executive producer, and writer[17]
2011 Suburban Knights Nostalgia Critic / Ask That Guy with the Glasses / Chester A. Bum Also cinematographer, director, editor, executive producer, and writer[18]
2012 To Boldly Flee Nostalgia Critic / General Zodd / Chester A. Bum / Ask That Guy with the Glasses / Soldier / Himself / Additional Voices Also camera operator, director, editor, and writer
2013 Sonic G.U.N. Soldier Short film
2014 Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie Himself Cameo
2015 Atop the Fourth Wall: The Movie Dominic / Lori Prince / Nostalgia Critic
2016 Room Full of Spoons Himself Documentary film[19]
2017 Jesus, Bro! Samuel Tobinski / Kendrick Tobinski [20][21]
Disco Rudy
2019 Another Cinema Snob Movie Bally Joe
2022 Adam Heatherly's Frankenstein! Professor William Barter [22]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2024 Smiling Friends Daniel the Demon Slayer Episode: "Erm, the Boss Finds Love?"[23][24]

Web

Year Title Role Notes
2007–present Nostalgia Critic Nostalgia Critic / Chester A. Bum / Devil Boner / Raoul Puke / Various Also director, writer, editor, and producer
2008–2016 Bum Reviews Chester A. Bum Also director, writer, editor, and producer
2008–2014 Ask That Guy with the Glasses That Guy with the Glasses Also director, writer, editor, and producer
2012–2013 Demo Reel Donnie DuPre/Jimmy Boyd/Doug Walker/Nostalgia Critic Also director, writer, editor, and producer[25]
2010–present The Cinema Snob Nostalgia Critic / Chester A. Bum / Luigi Mario / Christopher Walken's Arm / Ask That Guy with the Glasses Also writer
2012; 2013 Joueur du Grenier Nostalgia Critic 2 episodes
2014 Everything Wrong with... Himself Episode: How the Grinch Stole Christmas
2015 James and Mike Mondays Himself 4 episodes
2016 Honest Trailers Himself Episode: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of Their Shells (feat. The Nostalgia Critic)
2018–2020 Cinemassacre Himself / Nicolas Cage 6 episodes[26]

Discography

Studio albums
Title Album details
Nostalgia Critic's The Wall[a]

Singles

Title Song details
"The Real Chipmunks Movie"[b][c]

Influences

Doug Walker has cited many influences on his acting and style of comedy, including Mystery Science Theater 3000, Monty Python, The Simpsons, Lewis Black, Tom and Jerry, Mel Brooks, South Park, Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker, Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, Rowan Atkinson, Bill Murray, Animaniacs, Dave Chappelle, Robin Williams, and especially Looney Tunes (particularly Daffy Duck).[31]

Personal life

Walker has been married to clinical social worker and therapist Robin Poage since 2012.[32][33][34] Walker and his wife have two cats, Chaplin (a rescued tuxedo cat whom they named after Charlie Chaplin that they adopted in 2018)[35] and Buster (a smaller orange cat whom they named after Buster Keaton that they adopted in 2020).[36]

Walker has often noted that his favorite film of all time is the 1985 Terry Gilliam film Brazil.[37]

Health

In August 2023, Doug Walker contracted shingles on his head, which he explained hurt so badly that he couldn't put on his signature hat or glasses, which got in the way of his progress in releasing videos.[38]

In his Nostalgia Critic review of The Land Before Time, which was released in April 2024, he has mentioned that he very likely has ADHD and OCD.[39]

References

  1. ^ "Yep, it's my birthday. I'm 35 today. Time for my wall to be filled with well wishes and silly imagery. I say bring it on!". facebook.com.
  2. ^ a b "About ChannelAwesome". YouTube.
  3. ^ Johnson, Brian (November 5, 2014). "The Nostalgia Critic Interview". Empty Lighthouse Magazine. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  4. ^ Blevins, Joe (February 17, 2016). "YouTube's Nostalgia Critic offers an emergency crash course in fair use". The A.V. Club. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  5. ^ Huller, Jacob (April 10, 2018). "Taking a stance against Channel Awesome". The Hofstra Chronicle. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  6. ^ "Sandra Polkow Walker". Daily Herald. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  7. ^ "Doug Walker Q&A at Northern Illinois".
  8. ^ "Doug Walker's Character Origins" – via www.youtube.com.
  9. ^ Gutelle, Sam (July 6, 2017). "Nostalgia Critic Celebrates Ten Years Of Videos With A Much-Requested Review". Tubefilter. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  10. ^ a b c Schroeder, Audra (April 4, 2018). "Former contributors allege mismanagement and misconduct at Channel Awesome". The Daily Dot. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  11. ^ "Get to know the man behind 'Nostalgia Critic'". WBEZ Chicago. November 21, 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  12. ^ Tamburro, Paul (March 26, 2018). "Channel Awesome Criticized by Former Contributors for Alleged Mistreatment". GameRevolution. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  13. ^ a b Shaffer, Claire (April 29, 2019). "After many called out Channel Awesome for workplace issues, they're finding similar issues with YouTube". Polygon. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  14. ^ Pregler, Allison (April 8, 2018). #ChangeTheChannel: What Happened with Channel Awesome?. YouTube. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  15. ^ a b "Not So Awesome". Google Docs. April 7, 2018. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  16. ^ DOUG WALKER (NOSTALGIA CRITIC) INTERVIEW | Double Toasted. YouTube. Double Toasted Interviews. August 2, 2021. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  17. ^ "A Critic's Critique of Critics: Doug Walker". www.filmsfatale.com. August 5, 2020.
  18. ^ "Suburban Knights (2012) Directed by Doug Walker". twitter.com.
  19. ^ "Clip 08 - The Nostalgia Critic - Room Full of Spoons 2016 The Room Documentary HD". youtube.com.
  20. ^ "'Jesus, Bro!' is now available to purchase! Check it out, it is Santa Christ approved!". facebook.com.
  21. ^ "BRAD JONES ON "JESUS, BRO!"". indie-outlook.com. May 25, 2017.
  22. ^ "Adam Heatherly's Frankenstein! (2022)". www.avclub.com.
  23. ^ "Doug Walker in Smiling Friends". youtube.com.
  24. ^ "Doug Walker Explains SMILING FRIENDS CAMEO!". youtube.com.
  25. ^ "Share if you're excited for DEMO REEL!". facebook.com.
  26. ^ "Cinemassacre Podcast #11 – Crazy Convention Stories (With Nostalgia Critic)". cinemassacre.com. October 19, 2021.
  27. ^ "Nostalgia Critic's the Wall". Spotify. September 8, 2019. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  28. ^ "Nostalgia Critic's the Wall". music.apple.com.
  29. ^ "The Real Chipmunks Movie - Doug Walker & The Chipmunks". spotify.com.
  30. ^ "The Real Chipmunks Movie - Single". music.apple.com.
  31. ^ "Doug Walker's Top 15 Comedic Influences". youtube.com.
  32. ^ "Robin Poage (she/her) LCSW Accepting Clients". www.therapyden.com.
  33. ^ "Robin Poage Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW Verified by Psychology Today 1 Endorsed". www.psychologytoday.com.
  34. ^ "Doug Walker COMEDY Biography". Viralmango.com.
  35. ^ "Look out Lloyd...there's a new cat coming to Channel Awesome". facebook.com.
  36. ^ "Buster and Chaplin Neighborhood Cat Watch #nostalgiacritic #channelawesome #dougwalker #cat #cats_of_world #cats_of_instagram #catsofinstagram #catlife #cats". instagram.com.
  37. ^ "tgwtg top 20 movies". YouTube.
  38. ^ "Top 11 Tom and Jerry Episodes - Nostalgia Critic". YouTube.
  39. ^ "The Land Before Time - Nostalgia Critic". YouTube.

Notes

  1. ^ This album also featured other artists such as Corey Taylor and Rob Scallon.
  2. ^ Credited as "Doug Walker & The Chipmunks".
  3. ^ Featured performers in the song include; James Jarosz, Rob Scallon, Tamara Chambers, Aiyanna Wade, and Heather Reusz.

Quotations related to The Nostalgia Critic at Wikiquote

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