- With a YouTube channel that boasts greater than two billion views, AreYouKiddingTV’s Joey Gizzi and Steven Lannum are utilizing their platform to empower males’s well being points. In November, the social media stars will accomplice with the Prostate Most cancers Basis for ‘Movember.’ So, M&F logged on with the dynamic duo to study extra, and we quickly came upon that the man’s work has them reflecting on their very own well being journeys.
Gizzi and Lannum first met as freshman college students at Elon College in North Carolina, and bonded quick. Their love of video manufacturing would result in a partnership that noticed them start their social media journey in 2016. Today, AreYouKiddingTV has amassed virtually 4 million YouTube subscribers, and round 8 million followers over on TikTok. What separates their content material from different humorous hosts is that they don’t typically attempt to make fools out of those that participate. Their movies usually embrace pulling unsuspecting members of the general public right into a surreal challenges for cash and prizes, the place profitable requires teamwork and ingenuity to finish complicated scavenger hunt duties or giving up vital possessions.
After all, there are surreal challenges too, like incomes money when you can hold your laughter in — regardless of a number of hilarious triggers, however the boys have turn into more and more conscious that their channels can do way more than entertain. In 2023, they offered to donate $1,000 to charity if a Main League Baseball staff would allow them to crash the sphere. That mantle was picked up by The Pittsburgh Pirates. Now, they hope to convey extra positivity whereas partnering with the Prostate Most cancers Basis to lift consciousness of the illness.
“I believe for some time, we’ve needed to do one thing charity associated,” Steven Lannum tells M&F. “A number of our model is about giving again and serving to folks out, and prostate most cancers is a vital situation.” Certainly, it’s. The PCF describes prostate most cancers as a situation the place regular cells turn into irregular, rising uncontrollably and forming plenty generally known as tumors. In the United States, one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer throughout their lifetime, making it the second commonest male most cancers after pores and skin most cancers.
“We give cash to random folks, so why not infrequently be extra particular about the place we’re giving, and the place we’re placing consideration?” defined Joey Gizzi, who factors out that social media movies are a good way to achieve a youthful demographic. Surprisingly, round ten percent of new diagnoses in the USA occur in men under 55 years of age.
With many males discovering it tough to speak about private well being issues, elevating consciousness whereas making folks snigger makes good sense. “It’s a kind of issues the place, even when it’s sub consciously, if we will get folks extra open and keen to getting themselves checked, or no less than be extra conscious, we’ll really feel like we’ve succeeded,” mentioned Gizzi.
What Are the Early Signs of Prostate Most cancers?
Okay, so with consciousness raised, what do you must know? The PCF states that almost all urinary signs normally happen because of non-cancerous causes, however signs can embrace:
- The necessity to urinate regularly, particularly at night time, generally urgently
- Issue beginning or holding again urination
- Weak or interrupted movement
- Ache or burning sensations when urinating
- Decreased ejaculation quantity
- Painful ejaculation
- Blood within the urine or semen
Whereas it’s extra possible that these signs are attributable to non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland, you must get checked out by a health care provider to rule it out. The sooner the therapy, the larger probability of success.
To encourage extra check-ups, the boys are embarking on a month of content material in honor of Movember, and they’re going to throw themselves into this vital time for males by rising their very own mustaches as well. Lannum reveals to M&F that they’ve already filmed content material, together with a celeb cameo with comic Sebastian Maniscalco. “That can be posted round mid-November,” he says, sharing that the clip can be ‘mustache associated.’ Maniscalco joins a line of iconic movie star company like Ed Sheeran and Peyton Manning, who’ve been wanting to get in on the joke.
@areyoukiddingtv What did you assume was within the field? @Ed Sheeran #comedy #funny #funnyvideos #fyp #foryou #viral #wow #lol
Joey Gizzi and Steven Lannum Aren’t Joking About Males’s Well being
Regardless of the laughter on AreYouKiddingTV, each males have turn into extra critical about their particular person well being journeys, nevertheless. “Previously couple of years, I’ve been attempting to get extra in form, and work out extra,” says Lannum. Not solely is train thought to assist stop most cancers, however studies have shown how physical activity slows tumor growth and improves survival rates. “This yr I had a purpose of strolling 10,000 steps per day,” provides Lannum, who notes that he additionally tries to exercise 3 times per week.
“We’re each approaching 30 within the subsequent couple of months,” says Gizzi. “So, we’re attempting to remain forward of the clock.” Most cancers is undoubtedly a horrible sickness, however it is usually a fantastic unifier. “Most cancers has undoubtedly affected my life, with my mom having it a number of occasions,” shares Gizzi. “However I believe usually, everyone is aware of any individual who has been affected ultimately, form or type by most cancers. Prostate most cancers may be underdiscussed, and we felt that was a topic to begin with.”
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For more information on the Prostate Cancer Foundation, click here.
