NEW YORK — Seán McLoughlin, widely recognized as Jacksepticeye, is known for his diverse roles as a YouTuber, voice actor, and coffee entrepreneur. Yet, he often expresses that he might have pursued a career in therapy had he not become famous for sharing video game experiences with his nearly 31 million subscribers.
At 34 years of age, the Irish content creator highlights how gamers are attracted to not only his lively reactions to new action role-playing games but also his openness about mental health topics. The genuine support he receives from his dedicated fan base helps him feel less isolated and mirrors the camaraderie he found in online gaming communities when he was a solitary 20-something living in a remote area with his family.
This sense of shared understanding plays a significant role in his annual charity event, “Thankmas.” This online fundraiser resembles modern telethons, adapting to the digital landscape. Donations for this initiative have surged by more than 50% within the past year on Tiltify, a platform that facilitates online giving during livestreams. These digital events have been praised for fostering authentic engagement between charities and younger audiences, promoting generosity in a space often marked by divisive sentiments.
“If you want to do good things, the people are there, and they’ll listen,” McLoughlin stated. “They’re already following you for what you do for a reason, so they’ll support you in helping others as well.”
And indeed, his livestreams have raised over $26 million, as reported by Tiltify. This year, McLoughlin aims to generate $6 million for two mental health-focused organizations: Crisis Text Line and Samaritans.
When McLoughlin first entered the fundraising space, establishing such lofty goals seemed ambitious. Initially, he aimed to conduct monthly fundraising streams and hosted seven in 2018 for various causes, including pediatric cancer and access to clean water. The year concluded with the first “Thankmas,” which raised over a quarter of a million dollars.
However, he soon felt overwhelmed by the frequency of these events, and announced a brief hiatus from YouTube in 2018 due to the high demands of content creation. He decided to concentrate on one significant holiday event each year, believing people are generally more generous and empathetic during this time.
It was in 2020 that McLoughlin and Tiltify CEO Michael Wasserman began collaborating closely to amplify the streams’ outreach. McLoughlin reached out, expressing a desire to create an experience that would have a deeper impact. The two launched the #HopeFromHome campaign as communities worldwide struggled with the pandemic; it became a peer-to-peer fundraising effort that allowed many streamers to join forces around a common goal.
Their first collaborative event netted $1.9 million for United Way Worldwide, with over one-third coming from McLoughlin’s own stream. The subsequent “Thankmas” raised more than $4.7 million, and Wasserman noted that he had never witnessed such collaboration in using his technology before.
“That’s what really established this as a regular multimillion-dollar event,” Wasserman remarked. “It’s not just about fundraising alone; it’s about coming together as a community to make a difference.”
This year’s “Thankmas” will feature a live audience in Los Angeles while being streamed online. Recent events have included McLoughlin making surprise calls to other streams engaging in fundraising efforts. Comedic segments may even feature well-known actors; in 2022, Jack Black participated in a life-sized game of Jenga.
This model draws inspiration from star-studded telethons of the past, such as those led by Jerry Lewis. However, advancements in technology and internet culture allow for a more interactive experience now. Wasserman emphasized that charitable livestreams, unlike traditional broadcasts, offer a much more personal way to give.
Yvette Wohn, a professor studying human-computer interaction at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, highlights that an audience’s connection to a streamer is profound; they’re drawn to the content because they genuinely like the person behind it. Social media and chat features give fans a sense of visibility that’s unattainable through traditional TV formats. Donors may receive personal mentions during streams, creating an engaging atmosphere.
Fandoms often develop unique cultures of their own, with McLoughlin’s gaming catchphrases resonating loudly among his audience. His signature greeting, “Top of the morning to ya, laddies!” has spurred fans to create compilations. This fosters friendship among followers, forming a “positive social pressure” that encourages donations, according to Wohn. This trend helps introduce younger generations to the concept of philanthropy.
“Giving habits build over time,” Wohn explains. “If younger individuals engage in this culture, it can expand the overall landscape of giving in ways that traditional methods cannot.”
However, McLoughlin warns that online communities can be a double-edged sword. He mentions the troubling phenomenon of “monetizing hate,” which has proliferated and acknowledges that the struggle for acceptance often leads outsiders to dark parts of the online world while also finding camaraderie.
“Thankmas” aspires to demonstrate how easy it is to engage in altruism online. McLoughlin concedes that charity work can feel daunting, especially navigating the tricky balance between self-promotion and advocating for the cause. Nevertheless, he hopes that his genuine intentions come through to supporters.
One long-time follower, Jack Worthey, 20, from Texas, shared that McLoughlin’s connection to mental health this year offered him comfort rooted in shared family experiences. Though he hadn’t watched McLoughlin’s content for years, a recent video discussing his mental health journey drew him back.
Worthey stated he likely wouldn’t have participated in “Thankmas” without McLoughlin making it so personal. He now aims to raise awareness through his digital artistry. Returning as an adult, he finds the “positive product” of McLoughlin’s channel to be refreshing.
“It’s illuminating to see what I enjoyed in the past through a new lens,” Worthey observed. “It brings a different type of joy.”
