Probably because I had Abandoned OK on our old blog roll, the all-knowing YouTube algorithm occasionally forces urbex and other abandoned-building exploration videos on me.
You know, the ones where some dude visits an empty amusement park, dead mall, or entire ghost town and documents the experience. I rarely volunteer to watch them, but pesky autoplay videos and doom scrolling will occasionally sneak them in.
For example, here’s a video of Oklahoma’s own BigBankz checking out some mansion on the outskirts of town:
Whenever I watch these videos, the first thing that pops into my head is, “What am I doing?” You’re telling me in this beautiful world of infinite content, the best thing I can do is watch some Bear Grylls wannabe creep around a scary house saying, “Whoa! Look at that,” while shining a flashlight on an old bed?
The second thing that pops into my head is, “Do these guys ever get caught?”
Well, I guess they do!
According to Channel 9, BigBankz was arrested in Oklahoma City on charges that he vandalized a property in Tennessee.
Via News 9:
Popular Oklahoma YouTuber Carter "BigBankz" Banks was arrested in Oklahoma City for vandalism, according to authorities.
Banks' channel, which has been active since 2013, has amassed close to 130 million views and nearly 750,000 subscribers.
The YouTuber is known for exploring large abandoned buildings and homes across the country, including some here in Oklahoma.
He was picked up for breaking into a house in Tennessee, allegedly causing over $3,000 in damages.
Although it’s helped make the world a more terrible place, one cool thing about the internet is that it lets people – even those from Oklahoma – make a living doing just about anything they want.
For example, want to write a blog about the happenings around Oklahoma City? There’s an internet for that. Want to make a living “having it” on the liberal never-Trump podcast media circuit? There’s an internet for that, too! Want to have a YouTube channel where you travel the country sneaking into creepy abandoned old buildings and then get arrested for it? There’s an internet – and jail – for that as well!
Seriously, I wonder what the dude did to get arrested?
According to the always-reliable Facebook commenters, BigBankz claims he gets permission to enter the properties he breaks into. I buy that. Since BigBankz has a YouTube channel and gets paid based on views, we can obviously trust him and take him at his word.
Anyway, there’s an honor among thieves in the algorithmic attention economy struggle, so I’d like to wish Mr. Bankz the best of luck getting off the hook. Hopefully, we don’t have to watch a video of him entering an abandoned jail cell any time soon.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
