Scotty Kilmer
{{Short description|American mechanic, YouTuber, and television personality (born 1953)}}
{{BLP sources|date=March 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox YouTube personality
| name = Scotty Kilmer
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name = Scott Michael Kilmer
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1953|10|02}}
| birth_place = Niagara Falls, New York, U.S.
| height =
| nationality =
| education = {{plainlist|
}}
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- YouTuber
- author
- auto mechanic
}}
| spouse = Leslie Kilmer
| website = {{URL|carkiller.com}}
| pseudonym =
| channel_handle = scottykilmer
| channel_display_name = Scotty Kilmer
| location = {{Ubl
| Clarksville, Tennessee, U.S.
| Portsmouth, Rhode Island, U.S.
}}
| years_active = 2007–present
| genre = Automotive
| views = 2.99 billion
| view_date = March 2025
| silver_year = 2013
| gold_year = 2018
| diamond_year =
}}
Scott Michael Kilmer (born October 2, 1953) is an American YouTuber, author, and auto mechanic.{{cite news |last1=Krasoff |first1=Bess |title=These are the Houston YouTube stars you should be watching |url=https://www.click2houston.com/news/2019/08/22/these-are-the-houston-youtube-stars-you-should-be-watching/ |date=August 22, 2019 |website=Click2Houston |publisher=KPRC-TV |access-date=March 30, 2021 |archive-date=October 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022185354/https://www.click2houston.com/news/2019/08/22/these-are-the-houston-youtube-stars-you-should-be-watching/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.inquisitr.com/2410384/car-repair-shops-beware-youtubes-scotty-kilmer-mechanic-for-over-40-years-offers-his-advice-video/ |title=Car Repair Shops Beware: YouTube's Scotty Kilmer, Mechanic For Over 40 Years, Offers His Advice [Video] |last=Cornell |first=David |website=Inquisitr |date=September 11, 2015 |access-date=November 18, 2019 |archive-date=February 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216151832/https://www.inquisitr.com/2410384/car-repair-shops-beware-youtubes-scotty-kilmer-mechanic-for-over-40-years-offers-his-advice-video/ |url-status=live }}
Early life
Scotty Kilmer was born on October 2, 1953, in Niagara Falls, New York. At age 14, he learned to be a mechanic from his grandfather, Elmer Kilmer, who was the chief mechanic at the Texaco gas station which Scotty's father owned.{{Cite web|date=2021-03-22|title=Clickbait Extraordinaire: This Is How Scotty Kilmer Got His Start As A DIY Mechanic Youtuber|url=https://www.hotcars.com/scotty-kilmer-automotive-industry-how-he-started/|access-date=2021-03-31|website=HotCars|language=en-US}} He studied at York University and received a BA in anthropology in 1975{{cite web |title=Classes |website=The York University Magazine |year=2020 |url=https://magazine.yorku.ca/issues/winter-2020/classes/ |access-date=15 May 2024}} and then attended the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, receiving a master's degree in anthropology. He was in the process of working towards his Ph.D., but eventually quit due to his dissatisfaction with the university tenure system. Kilmer went on to become a mechanic and moved to Houston in 1980. On the suggestion of his wife, he wrote a book, Everyone's Guide to Buying a Used Car and Car Maintenance, originally published in 1994. Its release led Kilmer to be on the front page of the Houston Chronicle, which attracted the attention of the local CBS affiliate KHOU.
Career
Before YouTube, Kilmer had a television show on KHOU titled Crank it Up with Scotty. In this series, he showed the audience how to diagnose minor automotive mechanical problems, offered opinions on vehicle engineering, and provided solutions to low-profile problems. In 2004, Crank It Up earned a Regional Emmy Award for "Outstanding Interactivity"; Kilmer subsequently received an Emmy for "Best Interactive Car Talk Host."{{Cite web |url=https://lonestaremmy.org/awards/archives/2004-lone-star-emmy-awardees/ |title=2004 Lone Star EMMY Awardees |website=National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences - Lone Star Chapter |access-date=March 30, 2021 |archive-date=January 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126190622/http://lonestaremmy.org/awards/archives/2004-lone-star-emmy-awardees/ |url-status=live }} His YouTube channel is much the same, and he answers questions about car problems and the vehicle industry, and gives advice. Kilmer typically uses his customers' cars in his videos as a point of comparison or other demonstrations with various products he uses as a mechanic. He has garnered controversy over the use of "clickbait" video titles.
Publications
{{refbegin}}
- {{Cite book |title=Everyone's Guide to Buying a Used Car and Car Maintenance |last=Kilmer |first=Scotty |date=2017-11-14 |orig-year=1994 |publisher=Independently published |isbn=978-1973292661 | ol = OL32476920M | oclc = 1079423286 | df = dmy-all}}
{{refend}}
References
{{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kilmer, Scotty}}
Category:YouTube channels launched in 2007
Category:York University alumni
Category:University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumni
Category:People from Niagara Falls, New York
Category:YouTubers from New York (state)
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