32 years of this last outing on his walks with Black out and his friend to the pier ... on July 3, 1989 ... a few hours after his unexpected death ... Nelson sulivan someone who is already a legend
That was also the first video I watched of his because I went down a rabbit hole of McDonald’s history and then another rabbit hole of Nelson Sullivan’s vlogs
Came across Nelson’s vids pre COVID. Not only a pre curser to RUclips but reality shows. I got to know him and his friends, family. Saw the urban New York and clubs. I know that when I finished watching all of his vids and knowing that he passed , I still miss him. Glad to have got to share in his life. RIP ❤🇨🇦
Thank You Nelson- Ilived in the East Village during the 80s and your videos bring it all back to me- the streets the clubs the stores the restaurants- I watch your videos and suddenly I am there- one of the happiest times of my life
Netflix needs to do a documentary on Nelson or a movie...found out about him in my feed a yr or 2 ago...love his videos of the good ole days in NYC !!! The 1980s was the best decade ever...was a teenager then...miss those days...R.I.P. Nelson...thx for the memories👍
A Biopic of Nelson would be the ultimate tribute to him. He's a hero who inspired and time travelled without ever realising. I see that someone has also published a book just last year about Nelson, its available on Amazon now. His gravesite in Kershaw is also being maintained alot more than what it would have been in recent years. Nelson is finally getting the recognition that he deserves. He was already on the verge of fame when he filmed his pilot to his cable show on July 2, 1989. I get the feeling that his passing at the time, (July 4th, his favourite holiday) was symbolic in order for him to become something much more bigger than even what he would have managed had he have lived, its bittersweet how destiny can work at times. Despite his early passing, Nelson's spirit lives and he is aware of how much we admire him and his work 💕
Nelson was born in Kershaw, SC....hence his southern drawl. Where did you come up with California? He also went to Davidson college, not far from where I was born and raised.
@@SpaceGhost999 yes! His most popular one! I definitely am working on these documentaries of forgotten icons but hope these will bring some awareness and shine them back in the spotlight. Nelson was indeed very ahead of his time and it's a shame he doesn't get the recognition he truly deserves!
Good job on you analysis on Nelson. I found him through the algorithm with the McDonald’s video and didn’t watch any others for months and the McDonald’s video popped up again, then I fell down the rabbit hole. As a straight man I figured out quickly that he and his videos were oriented around the gay lifestyle. But it was probably his realness that pulled me in. I’ve watched about all of the videos on and always enjoyed seeing New York through the lens of his camera and always enjoy his commentary and seeing the old façade of the buildings and old cars. It’s truly a window into what I believe a better place and time in our world. No one on phones at bars/restaurants and having conversations, The era of Manhattan when you could actually live there making minimum wage or slightly above and also be able to get some space alone, and also the danger that came with it. I never knew of the club kids and Michael Alig. I do vaguely remember seeing them on Sally Jessy or on of those hack shows when I was a kid. And I enjoyed when I found Nelson and Ru Paul we’re friends I always found her funny and how much it angers my dad when she’d pop up on tv. Any way I ramble and my grammar sucks. But if you made it this far thanks for your video I always enjoy thoughtful content on true gems such as Nelson .
Thank you so much for the comment! I'm glad you enjoyed! I try my best to do mini documentaries on forgotten people in history. Nelson was ahead of his time, and exactly what you said, it was like going back in time looking through a window! I hope more people will find out about Nelson and his work. Thank you again for watching!!! More videos to come!
Nelson deserves a lot more recognition than his work has ever received. But first, we need to clarify (and I hate to be the pronounciation police, but someone has to be): His name is Nelson SULLivan. Not SILLivan. Regardless, thank you for making this video. Nelson's work is important as it documents a moment in time when some of today's LGBTQ icons and artists were still scrappy twentysomethings on the street. A time when the East Village was still a grungy, artists' wonderland of inspiration. He''s perhaps most well-known today for having captured a large amount of footage of the infamous Club Kid era of Downtown, including the cautionary case of convicted killer Michael Alig. Much like many of those he trained his ever-present camera's eye on, it was years only after his shocking death that the size and scope of Nelson''s work was discovered. So many - whether it be younger LGBTQ's, New York historians, aficionados of Club Kid Culture, and those simply interested in a fascinating time gone by have enjoyed the massive treasure trove he left as his legacy. He's even often studied by other photographers and videographers that find fascination in Nelson's style and technique (most often, the fluid movements he created to ensure he was as much a presence in his videos as his famous friends.) Thank you, Nelson. I hope you know how much we appreciate what you left the world.
That is not an era or situation RuPaul would like to remember. Nelson Sullivan was very generous to him, as were the "Pop-Tarts" ( who really launched his career ). RuPaul moved into Nelsons home immediately after his death (along with 2- others ), taking over his bedroom. Many of Nelsons possessions were sold or stolen and his brother had to obtain a court order to evict them. The dog ( Blackout ) was not well cared for, dying just 6 months later. The cats disappeared.. It was a situation immersed in drugs and opportunism...
@@1953childstar How do you know this? Not saying you're lying, but just curious as I do know Ru Paul was homeless for a while and had a rough time during this period in NYC. If true, that's really unfortunate things transpired that way.
Thank you for making this: all of those people fail to mention him. This man made ALL those club kids famous. Without the footage, it like it didn’t happen.
People wouldn’t have paid any attention to the club kids in the beginning if it wasn’t a man following them with a video camera. That creates buzz. Of course they made their own names, but Nelson really was the one that made vlogging and influencers a thing.
I thought he was from South Carolina not Cali for one thing. Second, the RUclips channel is 5ninthavenueproject, not 5th avenue project. It’s an amazing glimpse into another era and I love all his videos
32 years of this last outing on his walks with Blackout and his friend to the pier... on July 3,1989...a few hours after his unexpected death...Nelson Sullivan someone who is already a legend...I am Alexander
By the late 80s people were extremely used to portable VHS cameras being everywhere. I myself recall tons of people owning them in the late 80s and throughout the 90s.
Like the commenter above me said, it was somewhat common for people to bring their huge vhs video cameras to events. My parents friends who babysat me had one that they were really in to and we have a lot of videos of us just hanging around watching Barney and walking to the park and stuff, as well as some birthday parties. The tone of the videos is so much different from one you would see these days since it was still not an everyday thing (for most). As far as Nelson’s video, there was a particular narrative of celebrity in the club kid scene that evolved from Andy Warhols concept of the super star. I think it was Ernie Glamour who said in an interview that in the late 80s and early 90s, the fiscal crisis in New York meant that the nightclubs that were once popular amongst celebrities and the wealthy were going out of business and the club kids were able to fill that void with their own, not wealthy DIY celebrities specific to the scene. And nothing makes you feel like a celebrity like paparazzi! It’s one of the things I find most endearing about the club kids, and when I was younger and partied a lot (in a different and later scene), I loved to treat everyone like celebrities. We have to create our own culture snd our own media if we want any sort of authenticity, since mainstream media is all created by billionaires and exists to keep them wealthy. Any illusions of authenticity are carefully curated. It makes us feel so empty and strips away the wonderful and strange things about being humans together in favor of a polished and consumable spectacle.
This is such a great video - thoughtful and intelligent. Great tribute to the late great Nelson Sullivan. He and his videos remain a niche subject but there can be no doubt he documented 80s NYC like no other. Thanks for making this!
He was a wonderful human being. And one of the wisest homosexual men to have lived. He was a pioneer and groundbreaker too. He is missed. R.I.P. 1947-1989.
The sweetest, most creative man who ever walked the earth. He was pure love. He truly had live and friendship to give to everyone. The world is a poorer place without him. #5ninthavenueproject
Nelson holds a really special place in my 🫀 I wish I could go to New York & check out his place (which is now a little museum dedicated to Nelson, I think..?) In the meat packing district of NY & see the vine (which is still there) on his apartment that he planted & to walk where he walked. That would probably be one of the best moments of my life.
He created a time machine and didn't even know it. His last video was in July and the camera he used was pretty hefty. This the heavy breathing and not wanting to run. He had finally been able to quit his job. I doubt he committed suicide or knew it was his last day....to be alive. He said running. I've seen his other videos and he was always tempered like his last video. He could have been somber because his friend Christine had recently died and I think he was one of the first people to discover the body.
A guy who had a family history of heart problems with his father and others dying from heart attacks dies from a heart attack and it's labeled a horror. All because he stumbled on one phrase, he could of meant he was going to start running the next day or would be running around being busy with the new job.
Nice tribute to Nelson. I love watching his videos. It reminds me of hanging out in NYC in the 80s. I grew up in NYC and still live here, but the 80s were the absolute best time to be in nyc. The city was still looking grimy but with major character, which I've always loved and miss. It's definitely not the same, and gentrification ruined most of it, I believe. Thank you, Nelson, for doing what you did. God bless your soul.
That McDonald’s footage almost made me cry lol. It reminded me of when I was a little girl and special trips to McDonald’s. I am so grateful for Nelson’s footage. It speaks to my heart and has gotten through so tough times and continues too❤
Thank you so much for this I've been watching his videos since 2016. And if he would have lived he would have captured even more wonderful things of the 90s thank you for the upload this was incredible! #NelsonIsLegend
We appreciate you doing this short documentary on Nelson Sullivan who was so underrated way ahead of his time and not one person has done a documentary him🥲 not even RuPaul, who he practically documented his struggling upcoming life,👀Nelson practically invented the selfies lol thanks much appreciate it🙏
Nelson quit his job right before his death, he was going to work at a TV station. His dream was to have his own production company, and would call it "Wonder World". Today, RuPaul owns "Wonder World" in honor of Nelson's memory.
I used to film similar to Nelson, or vlogging, back in the mid 2000s. I didn't really flip the camera around towards my face, but I would record everything, taking my camera with me everywhere I went. It's sad that Nelson died. It would've been cool to see him vlog through the 90s. I was born in 1990. So I was really little through those 10 years, and barely remember much. But from what I do remember, and watching old home movies, the 90s seemed like a good time to live in, as an adult. Especially the early 90s. When hip-hop started to get huge. I would've loved to have been older, when N.W.A started coming up, and Tupac, and Biggie. I actually remember listening to a Biggie song on the radio, when I was a toddler.
@mo2chvc well then maybe I'm thinking of what some consider to be gangster rap? I guess I'm just referring to when rap was amazing. Tupac, Biggie, N.W.A as a group, then Eazy E, Dr. Dre. And Ice Cube, as solo artists. It would've also been cool to see The D.O.C perform live, before he lost his voice in that car accident, considering a lot of people say he's one of the best lyricists of all time.
I first discovered his videos during lockdown here in the UK in early 2020. I'm not sure he's particularly well known here and I wasn't sure what to make of his work when I very first saw it, but being an Americanophile I was drawn in very quickly, I think the first videos of his I found were some of the New York Subway which draw me in partially because of my love of Walter Hills' film "The Warriors" and then the rest just followed.. I love his videos and I think he was an awesome person and particularly enjoy some of his dry humour. I've just started rewatching some of them and my favourites are his trio of videos of his Delta flight delays at La Guardia.
Great video! Nelson was a great person, how did he know to film his friends like that? Lol. It's so crazy how hard that would have been. Rip Nelson Sullivan
My favorite video by Nelson may be the one in which Nelson and three of his frequent companions go riding through Manhattan at night in Eddie Braddock's clapped-out Chevy convertible. Braddock always intrigued me for his interest in statistics.,
These videos are super addictive, pretty much a full blown time capsule that last video is eerie, plenty of rumors out there about possible suicide. That scene fell very hard in the 90s the drugs were really getting out of hand
He really deserve this documentary,, he’s the first of his kind. In fact he was way ahead of his time🙏 the king of selfies. Whoever took over his RUclips channel, cut his videos to 10 to 15 minutes long it used to be longer🤬
Uh they must have confused SC for Southern California as his birthplace, if you watched Nelson’s video’s he goes home to South Carolina. He also spoke with a southern drawl. Hello does anyone proof their content anymore?
I’m sad to learn that Nelson has died.. you can tell by his videos he’s a kind loving and has a sweet soul.. his voice was like no one else.. very good narrator.. lol..he’s to darn cute as well .. may he RIH God bless you Nelson….
His videos are very special to me especially his intimate moments with his friends and families or him just strolling around new york and shops(more than the parties though also interesting). I saw a comment once saying that he's like filming for the future, and the commenter might meant something else but i think it captures the main reason why i like his videos. Cause he is so detailed oriented that on many occasions he would film the details that caught my attention, it's like "oh that sign looks interesting" and before i know it nelson is already zoomed in on it maybe even explaining what it is, it's like I'm on video call with him lol. He is truly special and one of my most favourite person even though i never get to know him personally and lived long before i was even born. I hope more people get to know who he is and his tapes, I'm also hoping for a documentary that would go in depth witg his life and tapes, but i do hope that when that happened his tapes would remain available and free here on RUclips as respect not just to him and the viewers but also to the effort of his good friend Dick who uploaded them here
HI friend. I believe I learned somewhere that the reason Nelson said "This is my last day to not be running" is because he was unemployed at the time of this video and was due to begin a new job the next day. I am not 100% certain I have that correct, but it sticks in my head from when I researched him while living in Manhattan from 2012 to 2018. By the way..."Sullivan" = (SUH-luh-vin) "Decadent." = (DECK-uh-dent) "Video Verite' = (VARE-uh-tay)
It’s called the 5ninthavenueproject, it says it on your own video. And Michael Alig wasn’t named Michael Party Monster. Couldn’t you have done some cursory research?
32 years of this last outing on his walks with Black out and his friend to the pier ... on July 3, 1989 ... a few hours after his unexpected death ... Nelson sulivan someone who is already a legend
He died from Stage 1 AIDS and Rheumatic Fever. Nelson knew his time was limited. Don’t worry, he wasn’t promiscuous, he got infected through Drug use.
@@plawson8577 sadnews for me...i did not konw. 😔
He didn't die of aids. He had a voluntary heartattack by overdosis of cocaine because of knew he had aids stage 1.
@@bruhlickd Nelson gave up Drug use in 1985 shortly after being diagnosed as HIV positive. It progressed to Stage 1 AIDS by ‘89.
@@plawson8577 And how do you know this? Where's your proof?
Nelson was one in a billion. He deserves more recognition, possibly a biopic.
We need to bring him back to life. Some ritual stuff
@@gyorgischwartz he is alive... this guy is literally a time traveler. no lies
A biopicture of Nelson Sullivan would be amaaazing!
@Antny.25 Yes Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato should do a biopic.
They are the team that made ‘Party Monster.’
his videos are his biopic lol. come on.
*I find his videos so comforting*
Been watching ever since I seen the "visiting McDonald's in 1989" about 5 years ago
Same
same, must have been an algorithm thing cause i never heard of him before that.
That was also the first video I watched of his because I went down a rabbit hole of McDonald’s history and then another rabbit hole of Nelson Sullivan’s vlogs
@@ellofam4693 closet thing to a time machine...luv it
Came across Nelson’s vids pre COVID. Not only a pre curser to RUclips but reality shows. I got to know him and his friends, family. Saw the urban New York and clubs. I know that when I finished watching all of his vids and knowing that he passed , I still miss him. Glad to have got to share in his life. RIP ❤🇨🇦
I thought the camera man never dies 😔 I wish it were true for Nelson. Rest In Peace legend.
He didn't, in a sense. His videos live on, forever.
Thank You Nelson- Ilived in the East Village during the 80s and your videos bring it all back to me- the streets the clubs the stores the restaurants- I watch your videos and suddenly I am there- one of the happiest times of my life
Nelson was one of the most beautiful people to ever grace the earth. If I had the funds I would source people and make a real life bio pic of Nelson.
And Adrien Brody should be cast as Nelson! 🗿
@@dixienormous6969 That would be perfect casting
Netflix needs to do a documentary on Nelson or a movie...found out about him in my feed a yr or 2 ago...love his videos of the good ole days in NYC !!!
The 1980s was the best decade ever...was a teenager then...miss those days...R.I.P. Nelson...thx for the memories👍
A Biopic of Nelson would be the ultimate tribute to him. He's a hero who inspired and time travelled without ever realising. I see that someone has also published a book just last year about Nelson, its available on Amazon now. His gravesite in Kershaw is also being maintained alot more than what it would have been in recent years. Nelson is finally getting the recognition that he deserves. He was already on the verge of fame when he filmed his pilot to his cable show on July 2, 1989. I get the feeling that his passing at the time, (July 4th, his favourite holiday) was symbolic in order for him to become something much more bigger than even what he would have managed had he have lived, its bittersweet how destiny can work at times. Despite his early passing, Nelson's spirit lives and he is aware of how much we admire him and his work 💕
@@digitalsoldier3894 Thank you so much for letting me know about the book, I just ordered a copy for myself!
He's definitely the Godfather of RUclips vlogging.
Great documentary, thanks for keeping New York contributors of art relevant 🤝
He was a big inspiration for a New York City creator like myself. I have been doing it for years
Nelson was born in Kershaw, SC....hence his southern drawl. Where did you come up with California? He also went to Davidson college, not far from where I was born and raised.
My bad. Possibly messed up SC with Southern Cali. Thanks for watching and letting me know! And that's really cool!
@@AbsurdHorror no worries. There's several videos of him "going home to South Carolina". You even included the famed McDonald's footage at the end 🙂.
@@SpaceGhost999 yes! His most popular one! I definitely am working on these documentaries of forgotten icons but hope these will bring some awareness and shine them back in the spotlight. Nelson was indeed very ahead of his time and it's a shame he doesn't get the recognition he truly deserves!
Yes. My hometown also.
Broo thats curry alma mater
Good job on you analysis on Nelson. I found him through the algorithm with the McDonald’s video and didn’t watch any others for months and the McDonald’s video popped up again, then I fell down the rabbit hole. As a straight man I figured out quickly that he and his videos were oriented around the gay lifestyle. But it was probably his realness that pulled me in. I’ve watched about all of the videos on and always enjoyed seeing New York through the lens of his camera and always enjoy his commentary and seeing the old façade of the buildings and old cars. It’s truly a window into what I believe a better place and time in our world. No one on phones at bars/restaurants and having conversations, The era of Manhattan when you could actually live there making minimum wage or slightly above and also be able to get some space alone, and also the danger that came with it. I never knew of the club kids and Michael Alig. I do vaguely remember seeing them on Sally Jessy or on of those hack shows when I was a kid. And I enjoyed when I found Nelson and Ru Paul we’re friends I always found her funny and how much it angers my dad when she’d pop up on tv. Any way I ramble and my grammar sucks. But if you made it this far thanks for your video I always enjoy thoughtful content on true gems such as Nelson .
Thank you so much for the comment! I'm glad you enjoyed! I try my best to do mini documentaries on forgotten people in history. Nelson was ahead of his time, and exactly what you said, it was like going back in time looking through a window! I hope more people will find out about Nelson and his work. Thank you again for watching!!! More videos to come!
RUclips Algorithm McDonald's ....same thing with me
Nelson deserves a lot more recognition than his work has ever received. But first, we need to clarify (and I hate to be the pronounciation police, but someone has to be): His name is Nelson SULLivan. Not SILLivan. Regardless, thank you for making this video.
Nelson's work is important as it documents a moment in time when some of today's LGBTQ icons and artists were still scrappy twentysomethings on the street. A time when the East Village was still a grungy, artists' wonderland of inspiration. He''s perhaps most well-known today for having captured a large amount of footage of the infamous Club Kid era of Downtown, including the cautionary case of convicted killer Michael Alig. Much like many of those he trained his ever-present camera's eye on, it was years only after his shocking death that the size and scope of Nelson''s work was discovered. So many - whether it be younger LGBTQ's, New York historians, aficionados of Club Kid Culture, and those simply interested in a fascinating time gone by have enjoyed the massive treasure trove he left as his legacy. He's even often studied by other photographers and videographers that find fascination in Nelson's style and technique (most often, the fluid movements he created to ensure he was as much a presence in his videos as his famous friends.)
Thank you, Nelson. I hope you know how much we appreciate what you left the world.
I wish RuPaul would make a DOC on Nelson. They were always together!
That is not an era or situation RuPaul would like to remember. Nelson Sullivan was very generous to him, as were the "Pop-Tarts" ( who really launched his career ). RuPaul moved into Nelsons home immediately after his death (along with 2- others ), taking over his bedroom. Many of Nelsons possessions were sold or stolen and his brother had to obtain a court order to evict them. The dog ( Blackout ) was not well cared for, dying just 6 months later. The cats disappeared.. It was a situation immersed in drugs and opportunism...
@@1953childstar How do you know this? Not saying you're lying, but just curious as I do know Ru Paul was homeless for a while and had a rough time during this period in NYC. If true, that's really unfortunate things transpired that way.
@@luxe2622 Lets just say "I was involved with the scene"... Nelson was a kind person who was very generous, thus he "was used and abused"..
@@1953childstar I wish someone would have taken the pets in, they should not have suffered.
@@ddivincenzo1194 They were "taken in" but the dog ( blackout ) was not well cared for and the cats ??
Thank you for making this: all of those people fail to mention him. This man made ALL those club kids famous. Without the footage, it like it didn’t happen.
People wouldn’t have paid any attention to the club kids in the beginning if it wasn’t a man following them with a video camera. That creates buzz. Of course they made their own names, but Nelson really was the one that made vlogging and influencers a thing.
Anytime. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Thank you for watching!
I thought he was from South Carolina not Cali for one thing. Second, the RUclips channel is 5ninthavenueproject, not 5th avenue project. It’s an amazing glimpse into another era and I love all his videos
I thought the same! 🖤
He was totally from Kershaw, SC. I don't think he ever lived in California.
Nelson's Sullivan was born and grew up in Kershaw, SC. He graduated from Davidson College in NC and moved to New York City in 1971.
Imagine Nelson knowing his videos would reach the future. Rest in peace godfather
The man was a genius he knew what the audience wanted to see and he delivered it he his work should be preserved.
32 years of this last outing on his walks with Blackout and his friend to the pier... on July 3,1989...a few hours after his unexpected death...Nelson Sullivan someone who is already a legend...I am Alexander
BEFORE
His name is pronounced Sullivan, not Silluvan.
Whoops
It warms my heart to see so many people loving Nelson! I wish he was here to see it. 🖤🥺🖤
I'm surprised that so many people are cool with being filmed. A few times people get annoyed, but most act natural.
By the late 80s people were extremely used to portable VHS cameras being everywhere. I myself recall tons of people owning them in the late 80s and throughout the 90s.
@@716Video ok boomer
@@juanshaftpatel7488definitely born in 2012
Like the commenter above me said, it was somewhat common for people to bring their huge vhs video cameras to events. My parents friends who babysat me had one that they were really in to and we have a lot of videos of us just hanging around watching Barney and walking to the park and stuff, as well as some birthday parties. The tone of the videos is so much different from one you would see these days since it was still not an everyday thing (for most). As far as Nelson’s video, there was a particular narrative of celebrity in the club kid scene that evolved from Andy Warhols concept of the super star. I think it was Ernie Glamour who said in an interview that in the late 80s and early 90s, the fiscal crisis in New York meant that the nightclubs that were once popular amongst celebrities and the wealthy were going out of business and the club kids were able to fill that void with their own, not wealthy DIY celebrities specific to the scene. And nothing makes you feel like a celebrity like paparazzi!
It’s one of the things I find most endearing about the club kids, and when I was younger and partied a lot (in a different and later scene), I loved to treat everyone like celebrities. We have to create our own culture snd our own media if we want any sort of authenticity, since mainstream media is all created by billionaires and exists to keep them wealthy. Any illusions of authenticity are carefully curated. It makes us feel so empty and strips away the wonderful and strange things about being humans together in favor of a polished and consumable spectacle.
His friends probably knew that Nelson is always filming and accepted it.
This is such a great video - thoughtful and intelligent. Great tribute to the late great Nelson Sullivan. He and his videos remain a niche subject but there can be no doubt he documented 80s NYC like no other. Thanks for making this!
He was a wonderful human being. And one of the wisest homosexual men to have lived. He was a pioneer and groundbreaker too. He is missed. R.I.P. 1947-1989.
He was born in 1948 not 1947
The sweetest, most creative man who ever walked the earth. He was pure love. He truly had live and friendship to give to everyone. The world is a poorer place without him. #5ninthavenueproject
Amen. RIP Nelson Sullivan
Nelson holds a really special place in my 🫀 I wish I could go to New York & check out his place (which is now a little museum dedicated to Nelson, I think..?) In the meat packing district of NY & see the vine (which is still there) on his apartment that he planted & to walk where he walked. That would probably be one of the best moments of my life.
That sounds beautiful! I second this idea!
Thank you so much for this ❤
I always revist Nelson during the Summer like an old friend ❤
He created a time machine and didn't even know it. His last video was in July and the camera he used was pretty hefty. This the heavy breathing and not wanting to run. He had finally been able to quit his job. I doubt he committed suicide or knew it was his last day....to be alive. He said running. I've seen his other videos and he was always tempered like his last video. He could have been somber because his friend Christine had recently died and I think he was one of the first people to discover the body.
A guy who had a family history of heart problems with his father and others dying from heart attacks dies from a heart attack and it's labeled a horror. All because he stumbled on one phrase, he could of meant he was going to start running the next day or would be running around being busy with the new job.
I just discovered him and am obsessed with his videos now! This is a great doc on him….thank you so much!!!! :)
Of course! Thank you so much for watching.
Nice tribute to Nelson. I love watching his videos. It reminds me of hanging out in NYC in the 80s. I grew up in NYC and still live here, but the 80s were the absolute best time to be in nyc. The city was still looking grimy but with major character, which I've always loved and miss. It's definitely not the same, and gentrification ruined most of it, I believe. Thank you, Nelson, for doing what you did. God bless your soul.
That McDonald’s footage almost made me cry lol. It reminded me of when I was a little girl and special trips to McDonald’s. I am so grateful for Nelson’s footage. It speaks to my heart and has gotten through so tough times and continues too❤
I know... The McDonald's part was Gold.
Thank you so much for this I've been watching his videos since 2016. And if he would have lived he would have captured even more wonderful things of the 90s thank you for the upload this was incredible! #NelsonIsLegend
I was waiting for a video like this. NICE! 👍🏻
FYI:Nelson Sullivan was born in Kershaw South Carolina, not where you stated at 1:20 of this vid.
We appreciate you doing this short documentary on Nelson Sullivan who was so underrated way ahead of his time and not one person has done a documentary him🥲 not even RuPaul, who he practically documented his struggling upcoming life,👀Nelson practically invented the selfies lol thanks much appreciate it🙏
HIS ANSWERING MACHINE STILL HAS HIS RECORDED MESSAGE AND A FEW OF THE LAST MESSAGES...
This video was amazing I love him and The Goddess Bunny, it's nice to see more recent videos about them.
Glad you enjoyed! More to come!
I had the great opportunity to watch a bunch of his videos ,it was facinating , i had the feeling to really be back in the 80 s in NY
ITS CALLED '5 NINTH AVENUE PROJECT' not fifth avenue project.
I missed the part where that's my problem
it's your channel genius. Way to Butcher it@@AbsurdHorror
Well if you don't want to be accurate I guess you don't have to be.@@AbsurdHorror
Great video ,beautiful music playing ,who is the artist? Thanks for sharing you can tell he was a very special person ,Rip Nelson🌻
Nelson quit his job right before his death, he was going to work at a TV station. His dream was to have his own production company, and would call it "Wonder World". Today, RuPaul owns "Wonder World" in honor of Nelson's memory.
The way this dude say Sullivan is driving me nuts. He obviously knows very little about these people.
Lawdy….me too! It was causing me anxiety 😂
The most bizarre thing was his prediction of his own death. So hard to believe he would be in his 70’s now, makes me wonder what he would be like.
You're bizarre.
HE DIDNT PREDICT
I used to film similar to Nelson, or vlogging, back in the mid 2000s. I didn't really flip the camera around towards my face, but I would record everything, taking my camera with me everywhere I went. It's sad that Nelson died. It would've been cool to see him vlog through the 90s. I was born in 1990. So I was really little through those 10 years, and barely remember much. But from what I do remember, and watching old home movies, the 90s seemed like a good time to live in, as an adult. Especially the early 90s. When hip-hop started to get huge. I would've loved to have been older, when N.W.A started coming up, and Tupac, and Biggie. I actually remember listening to a Biggie song on the radio, when I was a toddler.
@mo2chvc well then maybe I'm thinking of what some consider to be gangster rap? I guess I'm just referring to when rap was amazing. Tupac, Biggie, N.W.A as a group, then Eazy E, Dr. Dre. And Ice Cube, as solo artists. It would've also been cool to see The D.O.C perform live, before he lost his voice in that car accident, considering a lot of people say he's one of the best lyricists of all time.
I first discovered his videos during lockdown here in the UK in early 2020. I'm not sure he's particularly well known here and I wasn't sure what to make of his work when I very first saw it, but being an Americanophile I was drawn in very quickly, I think the first videos of his I found were some of the New York Subway which draw me in partially because of my love of Walter Hills' film "The Warriors" and then the rest just followed..
I love his videos and I think he was an awesome person and particularly enjoy some of his dry humour.
I've just started rewatching some of them and my favourites are his trio of videos of his Delta flight delays at La Guardia.
Great video! Nelson was a great person, how did he know to film his friends like that? Lol. It's so crazy how hard that would have been. Rip Nelson Sullivan
Thanks for watching!! I'm glad you enjoyed.
rest in peace nelson :( may he fly high
My favorite video by Nelson may be the one in which Nelson and three of his frequent companions go riding through Manhattan at night in Eddie Braddock's clapped-out Chevy convertible. Braddock always intrigued me for his interest in statistics.,
These videos are super addictive, pretty much a full blown time capsule that last video is eerie, plenty of rumors out there about possible suicide. That scene fell very hard in the 90s the drugs were really getting out of hand
You're right. It's like a time machine isn't it? It's a comforting feeling watching his videos
He really deserve this documentary,, he’s the first of his kind. In fact he was way ahead of his time🙏 the king of selfies. Whoever took over his RUclips channel, cut his videos to 10 to 15 minutes long it used to be longer🤬
Uh they must have confused SC for Southern California as his birthplace, if you watched Nelson’s video’s he goes home to South Carolina. He also spoke with a southern drawl. Hello does anyone proof their content anymore?
I love this so much and I watch these at least once a week!
Glad you enjoyed my friend!!!
Great video. What an interesting character Nelson was.
How absolutely wonderful to have these videos of a time gone by Would love to know where some of these people are now.
We all know what his friend Rupaul is doing these days. Lol
Such a fascinating man he is sad he’s gone
When you watch all his vlogs you can see health decline. And he was getting popular.
He had a heartattack by drugs cos HIV had became aids e didn't Want to Live that way anymore.
@@bruhlickd He had Rheumatic Fever, Complicated by Stage 1 AIDS. Got HIV from Drug use.
Crazy inspiring. Why am I just now hearing about this genius of a man
So many people out there we've never heard of. Hopefully this video brings some unknown figures back into the limelight of the younger generation
Good stuff dude!
So he predicted his death saying July 3rd was his “last day not to have to run.”
¿WTF...Souht CA?He was born in Kershaw SC.
Whoops
It is kind of sad that this kind of thing isn't even special anymore. Everyone is documenting their lives nowadays, no matter how mundane they are.
Nelson was originally from South Carolina, not southern California.
He was the glue that connected all these people. Everything he did was an event I just love how well he treated Christine.
I’m sad to learn that Nelson has died.. you can tell by his videos he’s a kind loving and has a sweet soul.. his voice was like no one else.. very good narrator.. lol..he’s to darn cute as well .. may he RIH God bless you Nelson….
Fireworks are set off on July 3rd where I live. I consider it a celebration to this amazing and innovative man.
Truly the father of vlogging and content creation.
Even though he may no longer be with us today. May he rest peacefully
@@eddie6310-c2t really? No that is pretty fine to me. Because believe it or not I always fantasized about being friends with a famous person myself. 😆
Love this man ❤️
Such an amazing person. And to do such an amazing thing. Simply Amazing.
Great video about someone I'd never heard of...but Dickens wrote the great American novel?
THE PRINCE OF NYC. (i miss our walks down by the river bb) and the wind crys :::::: mary.
The first vlogger !
I'm glad to see Nelson Sullivan get the exposure and appreciation, but how did he wind up on this channel of absurd horror?
I don't really know
His videos are very special to me especially his intimate moments with his friends and families or him just strolling around new york and shops(more than the parties though also interesting). I saw a comment once saying that he's like filming for the future, and the commenter might meant something else but i think it captures the main reason why i like his videos. Cause he is so detailed oriented that on many occasions he would film the details that caught my attention, it's like "oh that sign looks interesting" and before i know it nelson is already zoomed in on it maybe even explaining what it is, it's like I'm on video call with him lol. He is truly special and one of my most favourite person even though i never get to know him personally and lived long before i was even born. I hope more people get to know who he is and his tapes, I'm also hoping for a documentary that would go in depth witg his life and tapes, but i do hope that when that happened his tapes would remain available and free here on RUclips as respect not just to him and the viewers but also to the effort of his good friend Dick who uploaded them here
I knew his hernia came from dragging that large camera around.
5:01 this is why I think handycams are safer. Happy for nelson to have had one in the end
Nelson was ahead of his time.
How sad he passed away so young like that. I just heard of him today.
Born in Kershaw South Carolina 3-15-48, but good video.
People don’t realize his much clout a camcorder had back then. Nelson could get into any party, any vip room, anywhere he wanted. Smart move.
Nelson was from Kershaw South Carolina
He and Dick grew up in Spartanburg,South Carolina.
Great video even with the Southern California mistake. Nelson was a true pioneer.
Musto recently said Nelson's Death had something to do with Bad Drugs he had accidentally consumed
I miss Nelson 🥺
Great video, but its SULLivan not SILLivan!
Really??
Nelson
Iconic forever ❤❤
‘A great American novel like Charles Dickens’ 😖
Glad I wasn't the only one who caught that..
Why are you pronouncing it Sillivan?
Because
English is my fourth language
HI friend. I believe I learned somewhere that the reason Nelson said "This is my last day to not be running" is because he was unemployed at the time of this video and was due to begin a new job the next day. I am not 100% certain I have that correct, but it sticks in my head from when I researched him while living in Manhattan from 2012 to 2018. By the way..."Sullivan" = (SUH-luh-vin) "Decadent." = (DECK-uh-dent) "Video Verite' = (VARE-uh-tay)
Is it possible he had KS? I noticed the spots on face…maybe he knew? He looked very thin…😢
I thought so too
4:50 wow! I don't believe I saw that yet, I have watched almost all of his clips and that did look pretty heavy lol
It’s called the 5ninthavenueproject, it says it on your own video. And Michael Alig wasn’t named Michael Party Monster. Couldn’t you have done some cursory research?
Great job 👏
Excellent video. 👍
Are you saying Sull-ivan or Sill-ivan?
Rip Nelson 🙏 amazing vlogger
Fucking icon