YouTube star Angry Grandpa, who won over millions of viewers with his irascible antics, has died aged 67 after a battle with cirrhosis, his son has announced.
Charles Marvin Green Jr., of Summerville, South Carolina, rose to fame online thanks to The Angry Grandpa Show, a series of vlogs that saw him lose his cool when confronted to various concepts such as Starbucks’ unicorn Frappuccino, Taco Bell’s breakfast menu, and his son’s PS4 habits.
Angry Grandpa was previously diagnosed with and recovered from skin cancer, but had battled numerous other health issues, including cirrhosis.
Passing: YouTube star Angry Grandpa, who won over millions of viewers with his irascible antics, has died aged 67 after a battle with cirrhosis, his son has announced
Team: Charles Marvin Green Jr., of Summerville, South Carolina, rose to fame thanks to The Angry Grandpa Show, a series of vlogs managed by his son Michael (pictured with him)
Charles’ liver disease was diagnosed over the summer, after he collapsed while at his son’s house on the Fourth of July. At the time, Charles and Michael discussed Angry Grandpa’s health in a video, with Michael explaining that his father was also suffering from major kidney stones, hernia, and that he had symptoms of malnutrition including a magnesium deficiency.
Charles claimed in that video that his cirrhosis was in its early stages, but Michael now believes his father knew the disease was end-stage and didn’t want to tell his loved ones.
Angry Grandpa’s son shared an emotional video on Sunday announcing his dad’s passing and paying tribute to Charles and his unexpected second act as an online star. He explained that his health had been in decline since July, and that the family first thought they were going to lose Charles in October.
Michael, who had power of attorney to rule on his father’s health matters, even went to the hospital to say goodbye and make final decisions. But Charles appeared to bounce back and went home to spend Thanksgiving with his relatives, before passing away this weekend.
‘I never wanted to make this video,’ Michael said between tears in his latest clip. ‘But I want to make it right now so I can say thank you so much to all of you.
‘YouTube is a very fickle game. Some people start a channel and they rise up and the next year they’re gone. And for some reason you guys watched us for ten years. And you never went away and Dad lived his entire life seeing this channel grow to be something that none of us ever believed that it could be.’
Fans: Over the course of seven years, Angry Grandpa’s current YouTube channel garnered a whopping 3.4 million subscribers
Online star: When Charles, a father of four, was diagnosed with cirrhosis in July, he pledged to keep making videos as long as he remained alive
Illness: Angry Grandpa (pictured with his daughter Kim) was previously diagnosed with and recovered from skin cancer, but had battled numerous other health issues, including cirrhosis
Michael also recounted being able to buy his father the car of his dreams, a 1955 Chevy Bel Air, which made Angry Grandpa weep openly after being overcome by emotion and gratitude.
‘Through this channel I was able to buy him this house,’ Michael added. ‘I was able to buy him the dream car. And I’m so grateful to you guys for watching all the time and liking all the time and telling him how much you love him and appreciate him. It gave him a lease on life that none of us believed that he could have.’
Over the course of seven years, Angry Grandpa’s current YouTube channel, which he re-started after he said he was banned from YouTube, garnered a whopping 3.4 million subscribers.
When Charles, a father of four, was diagnosed with cirrhosis, he pledged to keep making videos as long as he remained alive. His son wanted to give him a break for his health, but on video, Angry Grandpa appeared vehemently opposed to this idea.
Dozens of people have been sharing tributes and messages of condolences on Twitter, including Roseanne Barr, of whom Charles was a massive fan.
‘G-d Bless U GRANDPA we will always love u!’ the actress wrote.
Angry Grandpa, who over the course of his YouTube career destroyed items such as cell phones, gaming consoles, and living room tables, previously fended off accusations of racism.
‘I get a lot of criticism. I’m considered white trailer trash,’ he told the Charleston City Paper at the time. ‘If you’re from the South and you live in a trailer, you’re trailer trash, right? I don’t care. I laugh at ’em.’
Tribute: Angry Grandpa’s son Michael shared an emotional video (pictured) on Sunday announcing his dad’s passing and looking back on Charles’ second act as an online star
Last clip: Even while sick, Charles recorded a final video for his fans, which Michael previously didn’t release because of how ill his father appears on the footage
He leaned on the support of his fans, whom he referred to as ‘young’uns’ or Grandpa’s Army, to fend off the allegations.
‘See, I take up for the gays. I don’t like people to put down anybody,’ he added. ‘The color of your skin doesn’t matter to me. I have a lot of black young’uns, and they take up for me, too, because I get hollered at that I’m a racist a lot.’
His videos also featured his ex-wife, Tina, and saw him lashing out at his ex-spouse and son, sometimes bringing Michael to tears. Yet, Charles, who was believed to suffer from bipolar disorder, previously told the Charleston City Paper: ‘I love my son. I worship the ground he walks on.’
Tina, meanwhile, told the paper her ex-husband had never been physically violent with her or the children. She admitted that some of the videos were ‘degrading’ to her, but insisted that some were ‘pretty funny’.
Asked about her ex’s polite demeanor during the interview, she added: ‘That’s a put-on. He’s an a*****e.’
Support: Dozens of people have been sharing tributes and messages of condolences on Twitter, including Roseanne Barr, of whom Charles was a massive fan
Changes: Charles, who described his previous self as an ‘alcoholic’ and a ‘distant father’ had credited YouTube with encouraging him to take better care of his health
At the time of his death, Charles was engaged to his partner Lauren, who made rare appearances in his videos.
Michael pledged to continue making videos, which he said was Charles’ wish.
‘My dad is gone. My best friend is gone, and I don’t know where he is. And he made me promise that I would never stop this channel. And that’s what we’re going to talk about in the future but today, we’re honoring my father. So Dad, I love you so much,’ he said before bursting into tears.
‘I hope I make you proud. I hope I don’t disappoint you. You’ll never meet my son or my daughter but I’ll have this YouTube channel to show them. Goodbye Dad.’
Charles, who described his previous self as an ‘alcoholic’ and a ‘distant father’ had credited YouTube with encouraging him to take better care of his health, and even saving his life.
Asked what his life would have been like without the video platform, he said: ‘I’d’ve done died. I wouldn’t have cared about my health, and I wouldn’t have had an outlet to do anything, and I probably would have died.’
Even while sick, Charles recorded a final video for his fans, which Michael previously didn’t release because of how ill his father appears on the footage.
Charles can be seen in the short clip fist-bumping with his son, before telling his audience: ‘Love you young’uns.’
