November 2, 2020 • 11 mins
If you want to change, preserve, or build a better America, there’s one easy way to make your voice heard: Vote. This year, iHeartRadio is teaming up with over 20 incredible celebrities (plus a handful of our most popular podcasters) to get the country excited to go vote, broadcasting the personal, emotional and heartfelt stories behind why showing up to the ballot box means so much-- not just as individuals, but for our entire nation.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Why I'm Voting, a production of I Heart Radio. Listen.
You already know this, but it's an election year. You
might already be tired of hearing about it. But here's
the thing. Democracy doesn't work without you. I'm Holly Frying,
and I'm sitting down with many of my fellow podcasters,
from Will Ferrell to Stephanie Rule as well as other
(00:26):
luminaries to find out about their relationships with the ballot
box and ultimately just to find out why they vote.
I hope you're exercising your right to vote, and if
you're not, I hope that their stories inspire you. Hello,
and welcome to Why I'm Voting. Today's guest is David Dobrick.
(00:48):
He is most well known from his YouTube channel, where
he heads up the vlog Squad and they get into
all manner of Shenanigan's, but he has also done voice
work in animation and TV hosting gigs, including hosting ball
Thunderdome for the Discovery Channel. David, thank you so much
for being here, Thanks for having me. Shenanigans is the
exact word I used to describe my channel to when
people ask him, like just aboutch of Shenanigans. It's perfect.
(01:12):
It's a perfect word. Now, you are unique among the
people that we have had on this show because you
actually are not a voter. So first of all, I
would love it if you would just tell our listeners
your story and about your status in that regard and
why you are not a voter. Right, So I am.
I'm what you would call a deck or recipient. So basically,
(01:33):
I moved here when I was I think, like six
years old. I always get this wrong, and I always
going to text for my parents and they were like,
you were five. But I think I moved here when
I was When I was around six, my parents were
already here. My dad went ahead, he went to New
York to to look for jobs, and then my mom
joined him. And then like a month or two later,
I flew over by myself. I was really scared on
(01:53):
the airplane. I was crying the entire time. And then
I got here and yeah, and I live with my
parents in the suburbs Illinois for quite some time. And
then I remember I was I turned sixteen, and I
was like super pumped to get my license, and then
I found out that I can't because I didn't have
a social Security number and it was like so confusing
to me. I like, I just didn't understand the concept.
(02:14):
I was like, what do you mean I don't have?
Like everybody I've asked, like, I didn't know what a
social Security number was at the time. Honestly still really don't, um,
but I asked. I asked my parents that I was
like all my friends, like I just went around school,
all my friends have on how do I not have one?
And They're like, well, you're not from here, so you know,
your citizenship really doesn't allow you to have that because
you don't have one. And that was just such a
(02:36):
no pun intended foreign concept to me because because I
grew up just as anybody else would out and I
felt like a hundred percent American, I was like super
in and so I was like, what's going on? Like
this is my main language now, all my friends are here,
my home is here, Like how am I not allowed
to do certain things that pyo bar? But yeah. Then
then Obama passed what is now Dacca and that basically
(02:58):
gave me the right to stay in the country and work,
and it gave me privileges like being able to travel
for emergencies or education or anything like family related and
then allowed me to get my license and you know,
just kind of be a part of society and contribute
and do all that kind of fun stuff. And then
recently I was going to go to Australia for work,
(03:21):
and as I was packing to go to Australia, it
was announced on the news that the like the travel
privileges and all the like the add ons for a
DACA recipient were taken away, so I couldn't travel anymore,
no matter what it was. And then, you know, then
people got scared that it was the whole thing was
just gonna be taken away, And yeah, now we're in
this like limbo state where DAC is kind of like
(03:43):
what's gonna happen with it? Is it? Is it going
to be renewed? Is it? Is it going to be terminated?
That's kind of been what's on my mind for quite
some time, and a lot of other recipients just like me.
I'm told if I leave the country now, I wouldn't
be able to re enter for ten years. I think
that's the rule. I don't know if someone just said
that to spook me, but I've been hearing that a
couple of times when I speak to some people. So
(04:03):
that's why I can't vote from not a citizen. Know,
that's perfect though, I mean, I think it's important to
get that context that just by virtue of having been
born in another country, you can live here in your
whole life, your whole life that you remember anyway, and
it's still like not part of your package. It's such
a bizarre thing. And it's also weird because, like I
would assume recipients are like seriously, seriously seriously contributing to
(04:27):
everything here in this country, especially because they came from
another country, so they understand the importance of the opportunity
that they have here. And I think that's that's why
it's so crazy that I've even seen something like how
like Dack recipients are, like there's so many felons and stuff.
You can't even have a Decker card if you're you know,
if you have any felonies or if you have a
criminal record, right, so that's not even possible. You already
(04:47):
lose those privileges. So it's like they're all good working people,
good hard working people, and they're literally people that you
interact with every day that our teachers that are lawyers
that like you know, that do everyday kind of stuff,
and I helping other people. So it's it's a really
strange thing that it's like they're trying to get rid
of us. So obviously by virtue of having been born
(05:08):
in a foreign country and all of the story you've
just shared, you can't vote, but I know that you
still want to get involved and get the word out
for people who can. So will you talk about what
inspired you to start doing that and trying to make
sure that the people that can vote are voting. Yeah? Right,
I mean, I think the most important part that I
got from this year was there is a lot to
(05:29):
fix and there are a lot of issues going on.
There are a lot of issues that at the end
of the day, they fall in the people's laps like
everyday people. And I think it's kind of hard to
wrap your head around how one person's vote can make
an impact. But it's like it's that mindset that isn't
making an impact, right, It's if it's everyone understands that
they are making a difference just by going out and voting,
(05:50):
Like it doesn't take much time, that you can do
it from home, You can do it easily, and it
makes such a big difference, and it makes a difference
for people like me who literally cannot go out and
have their voice. And I think it's important. I've been
given a pretty cool platform to be able to do
some pretty cool stuff, and I think the least I
can do is be like, hey, go out there, you know,
make a change, at least on my behalf. If you
(06:12):
want to see me make more videos, like, I don't
care what your excuses. If you want us to make
more videos here in the country or whatever it is,
go out and vote. I think it's it's so important.
You have no idea how how much it means to
other people around you, And you have no idea how
many people you've come across that have helped you in
your life that are going to be affected by you
going out and getting your voice hurt you. Obviously, we
talked earlier about how basically you make your living through Shenanigans.
(06:34):
So you're known for being a prankster and you host
a show that's very upbeat, it's happy, go lucky and
silly and lighthearted. But this is obviously something you're really
serious about. And I wonder if you've always been politically
minded and this just sharpened that focus or if a
lot of this is just the result of personal experience
in recent years, right, I would say I haven't been
(06:55):
extremely political at all. I should say it hasn't even
really been the deck is that you lation that really
took me over over the edge on And I think
it's just it's everything that I've really been reading up on,
like the last year with the Black Lives Matter protests
and all that that's going on, that's kind of like
almost opened my eyes and been like, Okay, there's so
many different things that that are up to us to decide,
(07:16):
and the lack of people voting other years have gotten
us into a position where now we kind of got
to dig ourselves out of a little hole, which is
still possible. But I think it's it's just really highlighted
the importance of it to me. So I think it's
a combination of a lot of things, just this year
being a crazy, crazy year, my dak is status, my
inability to vote. It's it's a combination of all that
where it's like, okay, let me get involved in somewhere
(07:38):
and another. And I'm not the most articulate person, so
it's really tough for me to like talk about this stuff.
But but I because I only know like seven words,
you've used way more than seven. I promise, really I
appreciate it. But no, bottom line, it's important. It's so
easy to just leave your house, go with a friend,
go vote with a friend, and make it like a
cute little picnic and then you got to stick her
(07:59):
out of it and open on the back of your
phone and people will look at you in a nicer
way for the time being. So it's very good. It
helps everybody just do it selfishly, just so you can
get the sticker, right. I mean, that sticker is a motivator.
It worked on us when we were in elementary school.
It works today. I'm not allowed to get that sticker.
I am wondering, since you are an active voice in
(08:21):
wanting to motivate people to vote, but you can't vote,
what is election day gonna look like for you? Are
you going to follow all the returns as they come
in or are you going to steer clear and just
let the chips fall where they may and get the
information when it's all decided in the end. I don't know.
That's so interesting. I'm trying to think how I watched
it last election. I remember last election was like we
were all sitting on the couch like and we were
(08:42):
watching television like it was like the super Bowl, like
We're all just like we were like, oh my god,
Oh my god. I think this year is gonna be
a lot bigger than that. I don't think I'm gonna
be able to just to just be playing video games
and then go, how do you go? So I think
I'm right. Yeah, I think I think this is I'm
going to be a little bit more involved and I'm
definitely gonna be you on the edge of my seat
for this election for sure. Yeah. No, this especially last year,
(09:05):
I didn't know half the stuff I know now, and
I didn't have as much skin in the game as
as I understand like now. So I think it's gonna
be important to be part of it, and I want
to be able to watch it and and have my
viewers know that I'm watching it and how important it
is and stuff. Last question, and you've probably touched on
where you're gonna land here, because you have given a
lot of good reasons for people to get out there
and do it, from stickers to also recognizing that their
(09:28):
vote impacts the people around them. So if you could
tell someone who is not using their right to vote something,
you would love to have one thing to make sure
they understand how important it is and that they should
be using it. What would that one thing be like
if I was sitting across from a person and they're like, Hey,
I'm on the fence about voting. Yeah, pretend i'm the person.
I'm like, David looked like, I know there's a lot
(09:49):
of issues, but I'm tired and I really just I
think I'm in a nap today and not go vote. Right.
Can I see your phone? You can look at the
back of it. Look how sticker as it is. How
amazing would it be for there to be a sticker
on the back of that symbolizing how much how much
of a difference you've made? Now? I think we have
like the coolest opportunity to all have a part in
(10:12):
what's going on, and it's really being slept on, and
people don't value it. They don't understand how many voters
were on accounting for how many people don't go out
to vote, And if that difference is meant, like, there's
gonna be a serious change in the way things are
happening and working around the country, and I think it's
it's almost selfish and irresponsible to not go out and vote.
It's just it's such an easy thing to go out
(10:33):
and have your voice heard, and it shouldn't be more
than that. Just walk out the door, get in your car,
and go vote and help some people out, help your
friends out, help yourself out, and help your country out. Hey,
are you not registered to vote yet but you think
it's something you want to do. You may still have time.
(10:53):
Voter registration deadlines vary by state, so to find out
the scoop for where you are, check out a nonpartisan
registration voting site like head count dot org or fair
vote dot org. Why I'm Voting is an I Heart
Radio production. For more podcasts from I Heart Radio, visit
the i Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever it
is you listen to your favorite shows.
Welcome to Why I'm Voting, a production of I Heart Radio. Listen.
You already know this, but it's an election year. You
might already be tired of hearing about it. But here's
the thing. Democracy doesn't work without you. I'm Holly Frying,
and I'm sitting down with many of my fellow podcasters,
from Will Ferrell to Stephanie Rule as well as other
(00:26):
luminaries to find out about their relationships with the ballot
box and ultimately just to find out why they vote.
I hope you're exercising your right to vote, and if
you're not, I hope that their stories inspire you. Hello,
and welcome to Why I'm Voting. Today's guest is David Dobrick.
(00:48):
He is most well known from his YouTube channel, where
he heads up the vlog Squad and they get into
all manner of Shenanigan's, but he has also done voice
work in animation and TV hosting gigs, including hosting ball
Thunderdome for the Discovery Channel. David, thank you so much
for being here, Thanks for having me. Shenanigans is the
exact word I used to describe my channel to when
people ask him, like just aboutch of Shenanigans. It's perfect.
(01:12):
It's a perfect word. Now, you are unique among the
people that we have had on this show because you
actually are not a voter. So first of all, I
would love it if you would just tell our listeners
your story and about your status in that regard and
why you are not a voter. Right, So I am.
I'm what you would call a deck or recipient. So basically,
(01:33):
I moved here when I was I think, like six
years old. I always get this wrong, and I always
going to text for my parents and they were like,
you were five. But I think I moved here when
I was When I was around six, my parents were
already here. My dad went ahead, he went to New
York to to look for jobs, and then my mom
joined him. And then like a month or two later,
I flew over by myself. I was really scared on
(01:53):
the airplane. I was crying the entire time. And then
I got here and yeah, and I live with my
parents in the suburbs Illinois for quite some time. And
then I remember I was I turned sixteen, and I
was like super pumped to get my license, and then
I found out that I can't because I didn't have
a social Security number and it was like so confusing
to me. I like, I just didn't understand the concept.
(02:14):
I was like, what do you mean I don't have?
Like everybody I've asked, like, I didn't know what a
social Security number was at the time. Honestly still really don't, um,
but I asked. I asked my parents that I was
like all my friends, like I just went around school,
all my friends have on how do I not have one?
And They're like, well, you're not from here, so you know,
your citizenship really doesn't allow you to have that because
you don't have one. And that was just such a
(02:36):
no pun intended foreign concept to me because because I
grew up just as anybody else would out and I
felt like a hundred percent American, I was like super
in and so I was like, what's going on? Like
this is my main language now, all my friends are here,
my home is here, Like how am I not allowed
to do certain things that pyo bar? But yeah. Then
then Obama passed what is now Dacca and that basically
(02:58):
gave me the right to stay in the country and work,
and it gave me privileges like being able to travel
for emergencies or education or anything like family related and
then allowed me to get my license and you know,
just kind of be a part of society and contribute
and do all that kind of fun stuff. And then
recently I was going to go to Australia for work,
(03:21):
and as I was packing to go to Australia, it
was announced on the news that the like the travel
privileges and all the like the add ons for a
DACA recipient were taken away, so I couldn't travel anymore,
no matter what it was. And then, you know, then
people got scared that it was the whole thing was
just gonna be taken away, And yeah, now we're in
this like limbo state where DAC is kind of like
(03:43):
what's gonna happen with it? Is it? Is it going
to be renewed? Is it? Is it going to be terminated?
That's kind of been what's on my mind for quite
some time, and a lot of other recipients just like me.
I'm told if I leave the country now, I wouldn't
be able to re enter for ten years. I think
that's the rule. I don't know if someone just said
that to spook me, but I've been hearing that a
couple of times when I speak to some people. So
(04:03):
that's why I can't vote from not a citizen. Know,
that's perfect though, I mean, I think it's important to
get that context that just by virtue of having been
born in another country, you can live here in your
whole life, your whole life that you remember anyway, and
it's still like not part of your package. It's such
a bizarre thing. And it's also weird because, like I
would assume recipients are like seriously, seriously seriously contributing to
(04:27):
everything here in this country, especially because they came from
another country, so they understand the importance of the opportunity
that they have here. And I think that's that's why
it's so crazy that I've even seen something like how
like Dack recipients are, like there's so many felons and stuff.
You can't even have a Decker card if you're you know,
if you have any felonies or if you have a
criminal record, right, so that's not even possible. You already
(04:47):
lose those privileges. So it's like they're all good working people,
good hard working people, and they're literally people that you
interact with every day that our teachers that are lawyers
that like you know, that do everyday kind of stuff,
and I helping other people. So it's it's a really
strange thing that it's like they're trying to get rid
of us. So obviously by virtue of having been born
(05:08):
in a foreign country and all of the story you've
just shared, you can't vote, but I know that you
still want to get involved and get the word out
for people who can. So will you talk about what
inspired you to start doing that and trying to make
sure that the people that can vote are voting. Yeah? Right,
I mean, I think the most important part that I
got from this year was there is a lot to
(05:29):
fix and there are a lot of issues going on.
There are a lot of issues that at the end
of the day, they fall in the people's laps like
everyday people. And I think it's kind of hard to
wrap your head around how one person's vote can make
an impact. But it's like it's that mindset that isn't
making an impact, right, It's if it's everyone understands that
they are making a difference just by going out and voting,
(05:50):
Like it doesn't take much time, that you can do
it from home, You can do it easily, and it
makes such a big difference, and it makes a difference
for people like me who literally cannot go out and
have their voice. And I think it's important. I've been
given a pretty cool platform to be able to do
some pretty cool stuff, and I think the least I
can do is be like, hey, go out there, you know,
make a change, at least on my behalf. If you
(06:12):
want to see me make more videos, like, I don't
care what your excuses. If you want us to make
more videos here in the country or whatever it is,
go out and vote. I think it's it's so important.
You have no idea how how much it means to
other people around you, And you have no idea how
many people you've come across that have helped you in
your life that are going to be affected by you
going out and getting your voice hurt you. Obviously, we
talked earlier about how basically you make your living through Shenanigans.
(06:34):
So you're known for being a prankster and you host
a show that's very upbeat, it's happy, go lucky and
silly and lighthearted. But this is obviously something you're really
serious about. And I wonder if you've always been politically
minded and this just sharpened that focus or if a
lot of this is just the result of personal experience
in recent years, right, I would say I haven't been
(06:55):
extremely political at all. I should say it hasn't even
really been the deck is that you lation that really
took me over over the edge on And I think
it's just it's everything that I've really been reading up on,
like the last year with the Black Lives Matter protests
and all that that's going on, that's kind of like
almost opened my eyes and been like, Okay, there's so
many different things that that are up to us to decide,
(07:16):
and the lack of people voting other years have gotten
us into a position where now we kind of got
to dig ourselves out of a little hole, which is
still possible. But I think it's it's just really highlighted
the importance of it to me. So I think it's
a combination of a lot of things, just this year
being a crazy, crazy year, my dak is status, my
inability to vote. It's it's a combination of all that
where it's like, okay, let me get involved in somewhere
(07:38):
and another. And I'm not the most articulate person, so
it's really tough for me to like talk about this stuff.
But but I because I only know like seven words,
you've used way more than seven. I promise, really I
appreciate it. But no, bottom line, it's important. It's so
easy to just leave your house, go with a friend,
go vote with a friend, and make it like a
cute little picnic and then you got to stick her
(07:59):
out of it and open on the back of your
phone and people will look at you in a nicer
way for the time being. So it's very good. It
helps everybody just do it selfishly, just so you can
get the sticker, right. I mean, that sticker is a motivator.
It worked on us when we were in elementary school.
It works today. I'm not allowed to get that sticker.
I am wondering, since you are an active voice in
(08:21):
wanting to motivate people to vote, but you can't vote,
what is election day gonna look like for you? Are
you going to follow all the returns as they come
in or are you going to steer clear and just
let the chips fall where they may and get the
information when it's all decided in the end. I don't know.
That's so interesting. I'm trying to think how I watched
it last election. I remember last election was like we
were all sitting on the couch like and we were
(08:42):
watching television like it was like the super Bowl, like
We're all just like we were like, oh my god,
Oh my god. I think this year is gonna be
a lot bigger than that. I don't think I'm gonna
be able to just to just be playing video games
and then go, how do you go? So I think
I'm right. Yeah, I think I think this is I'm
going to be a little bit more involved and I'm
definitely gonna be you on the edge of my seat
for this election for sure. Yeah. No, this especially last year,
(09:05):
I didn't know half the stuff I know now, and
I didn't have as much skin in the game as
as I understand like now. So I think it's gonna
be important to be part of it, and I want
to be able to watch it and and have my
viewers know that I'm watching it and how important it
is and stuff. Last question, and you've probably touched on
where you're gonna land here, because you have given a
lot of good reasons for people to get out there
and do it, from stickers to also recognizing that their
(09:28):
vote impacts the people around them. So if you could
tell someone who is not using their right to vote something,
you would love to have one thing to make sure
they understand how important it is and that they should
be using it. What would that one thing be like
if I was sitting across from a person and they're like, Hey,
I'm on the fence about voting. Yeah, pretend i'm the person.
I'm like, David looked like, I know there's a lot
(09:49):
of issues, but I'm tired and I really just I
think I'm in a nap today and not go vote. Right.
Can I see your phone? You can look at the
back of it. Look how sticker as it is. How
amazing would it be for there to be a sticker
on the back of that symbolizing how much how much
of a difference you've made? Now? I think we have
like the coolest opportunity to all have a part in
(10:12):
what's going on, and it's really being slept on, and
people don't value it. They don't understand how many voters
were on accounting for how many people don't go out
to vote, And if that difference is meant, like, there's
gonna be a serious change in the way things are
happening and working around the country, and I think it's
it's almost selfish and irresponsible to not go out and vote.
It's just it's such an easy thing to go out
(10:33):
and have your voice heard, and it shouldn't be more
than that. Just walk out the door, get in your car,
and go vote and help some people out, help your
friends out, help yourself out, and help your country out. Hey,
are you not registered to vote yet but you think
it's something you want to do. You may still have time.
(10:53):
Voter registration deadlines vary by state, so to find out
the scoop for where you are, check out a nonpartisan
registration voting site like head count dot org or fair
vote dot org. Why I'm Voting is an I Heart
Radio production. For more podcasts from I Heart Radio, visit
the i Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever it
is you listen to your favorite shows.
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