The 'grandpa' of ASMR has created a heartwarming community on YouTube
Are you ready to meet the Bob Ross of ASMR?
ASMR artist and generally kind man, Thomas Clery, is making a splash. In six months, the "grandpa" of ASMR has amassed just shy of 500,000 subscribers. Posting under the username Morpheus ASMR, the influx of attention is in part due to his frequently uploaded videos and his charming content. He even has one video in which he just counts loose change while eating biscuits.
ASMR, which stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, is a tingling sensation in the body caused by audio and visual triggers like tapping or whispering. According to scientists, the phenomenon can inspire a state of relaxation. Even though it doesn't work on everyone, ASMR's popularity and prevalence is at an all-time high, thanks to the large and passionate community on YouTube.
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Clery's page launched in September of 2018, and just six months later, he's blowing up. His first video was an "attempt" at ASMR in which he unboxes a spirograph. As one of the commenters on that video puts it, "...the legend was born." To date, he has 186 videos that boast an impressive combined 12.5 million views.
Clery likes to ramble, albeit in a whisper, about anything and everything. "I only have a couple of contacts on my flip phone," he whispers into the microphone while telling a story about how he saved the Little Caesar's number to his phone while trying to obtain one of their pretzel crust pizzas.
Though he does feature universally popular ASMR food like crunchy cereal and fried chicken, he focuses on dishes that are unique to his page like swordfish and spaztle, a type of pasta. Clery's most popular video is one of him eating Mochi for the first time.
Clery is often referred to as "grandpa" and"granpa" in his comment section, which is sweeter than the deserts he eats. People are constantly stating how happy his videos make them in gushy, all-caps comments littered with emoji hearts. A lot of viewers also make it a point to sit through the ads at the beginning of his videos, allowing Clery to be compensated through YouTube.
"HE MUST BE PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS," is a comment that turns up often. Though his viewers are devoted to his well-being, some take that devotion to the next level by saying things like, "He could thrust a knife into my chest and I would still forgive him."
While scrolling through the comments on Clery's video, though, it's easy to gather that his subscribers just want the best for him. On a video of Clery eating a broiled Atlantic salmon dinner, someone wrote, "Ya better eat healthy! I want you to live a good life! 🙂I love your content, grandpa!"
While Clery hasn't acknowledged the comments that refer to him as "grandpa," he does take time to thank his viewers at the end of each video. To celebrate 1,000 subscribers, he got himself his favorite desert (Italian creme and rum cake.)
"To all my subscribers and all my viewers and everyone that has left comments, [I] appreciate your support," he says, smiling as candles flicker on his cake. "Thank you so much, I can’t say it enough. I really appreciate it."
If watching Clery ironing his clothes or playing solitaire with a cup of coffee isn't for you, perhaps you'd like one of his other 3 channels. He has channels dedicated to New England gardening, home care, and tech. They aren't as popularas Morpheus ASMR, but they do have substantial followings with around 20,000 subscribers each.
Watching Clery's videos really is like sitting across from an affable grandfather figure, talking gently about nothing of importance. It's more calming than it is weird, but we'll let you be the judge of that.
If there's anything we can glean from Clery's videos, it's that he has a bigger taste for oysters and cereal than he does for fame.
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