TAMPA, Fla. — A Fort Myers man has become a social media star for his funny videos about Florida. Josh Robinson has gotten more than a billion views for his videos.
What You Need To Know
Josh Robinson started posting his funny videos about Florida during the pandemic
His videos have gotten more than a billion views
The videos appear under the TikTok handle @omgitswicks; and his videos are also on YouTube
Robinson has gotten so popular that he now makes appearances at comedy clubs
He has a legion of dedicated fans in the Sunshine State and around the world.
Robinson said he started posting his videos at about the start of the COVID pandemic. He did it mostly for his own fun, but then the videos started to get a following.
They have turned into his full-time work.
Many of the videos feature Robinson walking into the view of the camera saying, “What’s going on around here?” and then the viewer sees a crazy video from Florida. It could be an alligator in the wrong place, iguanas fighting or people riding a surfboard being towed by a pickup on a flooded street. Then Robinson will hold up his phone and say, “Got it on my flip phone.”
There are also skit style videos with commentary about the weather, including hurricanes and the heat, or even a confrontation with a large bug. Robinson is often seen in his videos holding some kind of food from Publix. Many of his fans are from Florida, but many others are from out of state or in other parts of the world.
“It’s just that people are curious about Florida. But they don’t want to come here all the time,” he said.
The videos are a main way Robinson makes a living. He is also making a living by making personal appearances. He recently appeared at the Laugh Factory in Ybor City in Tampa. Hundreds of people paid to see him perform a standup routine based on his Florida humor. Before each show, he did a meet and greet with his fans.
Most of his fans at the Tampa appearance were women. They all wanted a picture with him and a hug. “Does it feel weird for so many people to want to hug you? Like really,” said one woman as she hugged Robinson.
“He’s so loveable. He’s squeezable. He’s so funny,” said fan Vanessa Tovez. Many of the fans purchased T-shirts that said What Would Floridians Do. They had Robinson sign them.
Everyone seems happy to meet Robinson. He was glad to meet them. “I am a happy person,” said Robinson. “I try to put out positivity in the world as much as I can.”
Robinson said some fans tell him he has had a positive impact on their lives because of his good-natured humor. “I’ve had a lot of people who say they are going through things, and they say my videos is one thing that keeps them in peace or gives them happiness,” he said.