Harry Brewis, known online as Hbomberguy, is a British YouTube creator who produces long-form video essays covering media criticism, internet culture, gaming, and political topics. His channel, launched in 2006 and active with original content from 2013 onward, has grown to over 1.8 million subscribers.

Early Career and YouTube Beginnings

2013-2015 Before focusing on YouTube full-time, Brewis worked as an information technology engineer and as an animator for The School of Life’s YouTube channel. He began posting original content in 2013, initially gaining attention through response videos addressing online cultural debates, including discussions around gaming criticism and media commentary.

Video Essay Style and Measured Response Series

2015-Present Brewis developed a distinctive style of long-form video essays, often running several hours in length, that combine detailed research with humor and cultural analysis. His “Measured Response” series features in-depth examinations of topics such as climate change denial, flat earth claims, and online cultural movements, presenting factual rebuttals in an extended format.

His media criticism videos cover a wide range of subjects, including analyses of television shows like Sherlock and RWBY, and gaming topics such as his defense of Dark Souls II. These videos helped popularize the long-form critical essay format on YouTube.

Donkey Kong 64 Charity Stream

January 2019 From January 18 to 21, 2019, Brewis conducted a continuous livestream on Twitch in which he attempted to complete Donkey Kong 64 while collecting all possible in-game items. The stream served as a fundraiser for Mermaids UK, a charity supporting transgender youth. Over 57 hours and 48 minutes of streaming, the event attracted approximately 659,000 viewers and raised over $347,000 in donations. The stream drew participation from public figures including members of the UK Parliament and U.S. Congress, becoming one of the most-discussed charity gaming events of that year.

Plagiarism and You(Tube)

December 2023 Brewis released “Plagiarism and You(Tube),” a nearly four-hour video documenting instances of plagiarism by several YouTube creators, including James Somerton and Internet Historian. The video amassed tens of millions of views and prompted widespread discussion about content originality and attribution practices in online media. It led to public responses and apologies from some of the creators discussed in the video.

Influence on Political YouTube

Brewis became a prominent figure in the broader landscape of political and cultural commentary on YouTube. His detailed, research-driven approach to video essays influenced the development of long-form political content on the platform. His work contributed to the growth of a community of creators producing in-depth political and cultural analysis on YouTube, demonstrating the viability of extended analytical content in a platform ecosystem often associated with shorter formats.