Looking for something new to binge? Close Netflix and head to Soft White Underbelly on YouTube.
Disclaimer: Certain Soft White Underbelly Interviews discuss abuse and could possibly trigger PTSD.
Struggling to find a new YouTube channel? Is Netflix not cutting it anymore? Well get ready to learn about the next tear jerking, deep thinking, sleep stealing addiction of a YouTube channel: Soft White Underbelly by Mark Laita.
Created by photographer Mark Laita, the YouTube videos interview individuals that America has turned its back on; the drug addicts, pimps, tricks, prostitutes, sex offenders, and gang members that our country sees as an entity on their own.
The way Soft White Underbelly humanizes these individuals that carry a stamp of disapproval on them from society is what makes this YouTube channel addictive. It shows that no matter how far removed we are from one another, we really aren’t that different. Also, Mark Laita’s subjects offer tales that “everyday people” couldn’t fathom.
The emotions these interviews pull from you alone makes it a binge worthy channel. But with new uploads everyday, the viewer has an endless supply of content. The great amount of interviews can be intimidating, so I’ll give you a few of my Soft White Underbelly favorites to get started:
The link above is the interview that started my obsession with the show. I came across this video during a night of diving deep into the YouTube rabbit hole. First, the picture caught me. Seeing a professionally taken photo in the midst of bullshit click bait definitely stands out. The fact that it was an interview with a pimp grabbed my attention immediately.
Me, being a “square,” as Sharp, the pimp born in Detroit and raised on the west coast, would say, had no idea that pimps ever went public. I thought they were menaces forcing women into prostitution for their own profit behind closed doors. Now, this may be true, but they are also people.
Knowing what Sharp does and how he does it I should hate him. Right? But, wow, it is hard to hate this man. He’s intelligent, aware, and very well spoken. His interview was nearly a motivational speech.
Also, Sharp has two more interviews with Laita on the Soft White Underbelly Channel. The friendship they build over time is amazing to watch.
Ever see someone you don’t know and you just want to give them a hug? That's how I feel watching this interview times a million. If you don’t feel anything after watching this you should probably speak to a medical professional.
I won’t go into great detail because I don’t want to spoil anything, but the story of Lin’s life - although brief - is a series of experiences that no one should have to go through.
In this interview - like all of his interviews - Laita’s questions are short and direct. Still, with the stories his subjects have to tell, emotions poor out from their first syllable.
So, there it is. Unlimited binge-worthy entertainment in the form of a YouTube Channel. Soft White Underbelly will make you cry and believe you should switch your major to psychology.