AMERICAN FORK, Utah — One Utah County man is making a name for himself by doing something parents or teachers may have told us not to do as children: mumbling.
As a full-time content creator for social media sites like YouTube @notgasboys, TikTok @es.imps, and Instagram @es.imps, Easton Simpson, 22, of American Fork told FOX 13 News that he began mumbling to strangers on camera after he ran into a creative block one day.
“I don't know where I came up with it, but I used to do it in high school,” he explained. “So, I tried it, and it just hit.”
Many of his mumbling videos have garnered hundreds of thousands of views, with a few reaching millions. These videos show Simpson walking up to strangers on college campuses and in stores where you can clearly hear him ask people if he can ask them questions. Once he gets the green light, his questions turn to gibberish.
“I wanted to pull pranks on people, but I didn’t want to ruin their day, so I made a goal just to pull pranks on people that would make them smile," he explained. "Make people laugh because there’s so much negativity on social media.”
The goal of creating this type of content is more time-consuming than people may guess, as well. Simpson invests about five days a week, anywhere between 8-12 hours a day, planning, filming, and editing videos.
His friend Kaden Frost and older brother Dylan help execute his visions. Specifically, they’re behind the camera recording Simpson’s unpredictable interactions.
“I just get to sit behind the camera uncomfortably while he mumbles to people,” Dylan said.
While it may be uncomfortable for Dylan to watch, filming together is anything but. He said they grew up making short videos with their mom’s camcorder and filming continues to strengthen their bond as they pursue their dreams.
As for Simpson, his mumbling has gone beyond social media and is now inspiration for T-Shirts that he created for an apparel line of his own.
“To see myself actually make a living off of just doing what I love, and making people laugh, it's kind of a surreal feeling,” he remarked. “Even if your talent is mumbling, you can turn it into a profession.”
As for what’s next, Easton said he plans to bring his mumbling to a bigger arena; think sports. However, he can’t reveal much about project details yet, so people should keep an eye out for new content.
