How Scientology Destroyed A Popular Skateboarding Channel

Summary

Braille Skateboarding, founded by pro skateboarder Aaron Cairo, rose to fame through engaging skate tutorials and viral content, gaining millions of subscribers. However, Aaron's deep involvement in Scientology and his questionable financial choices led to the channel's downfall. He donated large sums to the Church of Scientology, which caused tension with the team. As the channel stagnated, former members left due to poor pay and working conditions. Aaron's eventual absence and focus on Scientology left the channel in disarray, with dwindling views and damaged relationships. Braille Skateboarding now struggles to regain its former popularity.

Takeaways

• 😀 Braille Skateboarding started as a channel focused on skateboarding tutorials, created by pro skater Aaron Cairo in the early days of YouTube.
• 😀 Aaron Cairo's involvement with Scientology began during a vulnerable period in his life, and the Church's courses helped him communicate better, which he linked to his skateboarding success.
• 😀 The channel gained rapid popularity through a series of tutorials on basic skateboarding tricks, eventually reaching over 200,000 subscribers.
• 😀 In addition to tutorials, Braille made a series of wacky videos featuring unconventional skateboards (e.g., Walmart boards, Lego boards, and glass boards), which garnered millions of views.
• 😀 Despite the channel's growth, Aaron Cairo's significant donations to Scientology raised concerns among viewers, with accusations of prioritizing the Church over the skateboarding community.
• 😀 Between 2015 and 2017, Aaron spent significant amounts on Scientology courses, including expensive ones like the L10 rundown, but justified the spending with personal growth claims.
• 😀 Braille's team members, such as Lance, Fedy, and Carlos, eventually left due to dissatisfaction with pay, working conditions, and Aaron's increasing involvement with Scientology.
• 😀 In 2020, Braille faced backlash after Aaron requested donations for a skate park while simultaneously donating large sums to Scientology, leading to a loss of trust among fans.
• 😀 Aaron Cairo disappeared from the channel for an extended period, allegedly attending business school, but was later revealed to have been involved in Scientology coursework during that time.
• 😀 After Aaron's return, Braille's content quality declined, and the channel struggled to maintain its viewership, leading to the eventual closure of their skate park and a sharp decline in the channel's success.

Q & A

What led to the downfall of Braille Skateboarding's popularity?

The downfall of Braille Skateboarding's popularity was a combination of factors, including Aaron Cairo's increasing involvement in Scientology, a decline in the novelty of their videos, and the departure of key team members. Viewership dropped significantly between 2016 and 2019, and the departure of Gabe, who had been largely responsible for running the channel, left a noticeable void.

How did Aaron Cairo's involvement in Scientology affect Braille Skateboarding?

Aaron Cairo's involvement in Scientology played a significant role in the downfall of Braille Skateboarding. His increasing focus on Scientology led to questionable spending, including large donations to the Church of Scientology, which negatively impacted the skaters working for Braille. His absences, often to attend Scientology courses, also affected the consistency and direction of the channel.

How did Braille Skateboarding initially gain popularity?

Braille Skateboarding gained popularity through its tutorials that helped viewers learn basic skateboarding tricks. Aaron Cairo, the channel's owner, leveraged early YouTube success with instructional videos on skateboarding techniques, which resonated with a wide audience, quickly amassing over 200,000 subscribers.

What was the impact of Aaron Cairo's disappearance from the channel?

Aaron Cairo's disappearance from Braille Skateboarding for extended periods had a profound impact. His absence left the remaining team members to carry the channel, with Gabe Cruz taking on most of the responsibilities. The lack of leadership and direction led to a decline in content quality and viewership, and many team members eventually left due to dissatisfaction.

How did Braille Skateboarding handle the decline in viewership?

Braille Skateboarding tried to reignite interest with a shift back to their original content format of skateboarding tutorials, while also continuing the 'stupid skate' and 'skate everything' series. However, the lack of fresh ideas, combined with the departure of key figures like Gabe, caused a continued drop in views, and the channel failed to recover.

What controversy arose from Braille's request for donations in 2020?

In 2020, Aaron Cairo uploaded a video asking fans for donations to save his hometown skatepark, while it was revealed that he had donated a large sum of money to Scientology. This led to backlash, with viewers questioning why Cairo was asking for money from fans when he had the financial resources to donate to Scientology.

How did Braille Skateboarding's team feel about their compensation?

Braille Skateboarding's team felt underappreciated and poorly compensated. Despite playing a central role in the channel's success, the skaters were reportedly paid very low wages (around $20/hour), and there were complaints about the lack of raises, with some team members even stating that they earned more from unemployment than from working at Braille.

What was the significance of the 'Skate Everything' series for Braille?

The 'Skate Everything' series was a key contributor to Braille's initial success, with the team attaching skateboard trucks to random objects like iPads, surfboards, and even a bedroom door. These videos went viral, attracting millions of views and new subscribers, which helped to solidify Braille's position as a prominent YouTube channel for skateboard-related content.

What was the public reaction to Aaron Cairo's leadership of Scientology in San Francisco?

The public reaction to Aaron Cairo's leadership of Scientology in San Francisco was largely negative, especially when it became apparent that his time in business school was, in fact, spent completing more Scientology courses. This further fueled backlash from both fans and former team members, who criticized Cairo for neglecting his role at Braille in favor of Scientology.

What led to the destruction of Braille's skate park?

The destruction of Braille's skate park was due to financial struggles and a failure to negotiate a better deal with the landlords. Despite Aaron Cairo claiming he did everything he could to save the park, the team was eventually forced out, and the skate park was dismantled, which further contributed to the channel's decline in popularity.