A YouTube video dubbed the ‘most boring video of all time’ has racked up more than three million views from a legion of fans hailing it as the ultimate sleep aid.
Ormond Beach retiree Randy Smith was working for Florida Marketing International when he recorded the two-hour tutorial about an early version of Microsoft Word in 1989.
The softly-spoken salesman was alerted to the unexpected afterlife of his video explainer to the obsolete technology late last year when he received a text from a stranger thanking him for putting her to sleep.
But he remains modest about the success of his most popular work and its impact on the sleeping habits of his audience.
‘Why somebody who has no interest in Microsoft Word would be watching it, especially such an old version, I have no idea,’ he said.
The 1989 video opens with a pulsing 1980s electro-beat and a spinning floppy disk before cutting to Smith seated at his desk in semi-darkness
Over the next hour and 47 minutes he introduces viewers to the latest version of Microsoft Word along with how to save, edit and print documents
The ancient tutorial was uploaded 10 years ago by an influencer who titled it ‘the most boring video of all time’ but it has won a legion of fans who have used it as a sleep remedy
The video opens with a pulsing 1980s electro-beat and a spinning floppy disk before cutting to Smith seated at his desk in semi-darkness.
The lights come up to reveal a vast cube-shaped monitor perched on one end as the host begins speaking.
‘Hello and welcome to MacAcademy,’ he tells viewers. ‘My name is Randy Smith and over the next couple of hours we’ll be discussing Microsoft Word, we’ll be going over the basics of that program,’ he promises.
After a brief digression on the difference between word processing and desk top publishing he lifts the lid on the mysteries of formatting, saving and printing documents.
But he has taught more people how to sleep than how to use Word, according to more than 10,000 comments posted since the video was uploaded by a fan a decade ago.
‘I can’t remember the number of times that this Video has helped me sleep. Thanks so much for uploading,’ wrote one fan.
‘Literally searched up ‘most boring video to sleep to’ because it’s 5.18am and I have online class at 9am,’ wrote another.
‘If you’re up for a real challenge, watch this at 0.25x speed!’ suggests another.
‘At the end he says: ‘And the best way to learn this is to just sit back and watch this video a couple of times’, another points out.
But Smith has also won praise for his flawless delivery and sly sense of humor
But those who have sat through the program say those who dropped off have missed a masterwork in presentation from a man who delivered the entire program without notes in a single piece to camera.
‘Look how far we’ve come with the technology, it’s insane!’ wrote one. ‘Also, let’s just take a moment and respect how this man sat down and explained the whole thing, no cuts or edits!’
‘As a teenager in 1989 I can assure you our definition of boring was very different than it is today,’ added another. ‘And I predict that you will be saying, ‘google it’ to your grandchildren and they will laugh at you before going to talk to the droid instead.’
Smith is not the first tutor to have their works repurposed for the sleepless, with some pointing out that videos of celebrity art instructor Bob Ross have long been helping them drop off.
And insomniacs have discovered a sly and even alarming humor in the smartly dressed Smith who tells viewers at one point that ‘there’s no hope button, neither can you press command+m for miracle’.
While any viewers dropping off just before the hour mark may be jolted awake when Smith illustrates how to indent text using the example of an imaginary lease agreement.
‘I want you to keep your crummy dog off my brand new carpet,’ he types.
‘If you don’t, I will shoot both you and your dumb dog. So there!’
‘I can’t decide if this is passive aggressive or dark humor or just what,’ posted one viewer. ‘This cat is a lot more complex than we realize.’
‘The comedic timing on the whole ‘cut & paste’ anecdote is absolutely flawless,’ wrote another. ‘And then they gave us a bottle of paste… which we ate.’
YouTuber Jesy James posted a ‘follow-up’ to the video in November, featuring Smith offering ’10 steps to raising self-esteem’.
Smith is not the first tutor to have their works repurposed for the sleepless, with some pointing out that videos of celebrity art instructor Bob Ross have long been helping them drop off
‘The topic is a little less dry this time around, but Randy’s natural charisma and effective teaching are as great as ever,’ James wrote.
‘And, yes, this legend is my Dad. He’s getting a kick out of being a viral sensation and sent me these tapes to bring more joy to those who enjoyed the original video.’
Influencer Whamtan titled Smith’s tutorial ‘the most boring video ever made’ when he uploaded it to his YouTube channel in April 2014.
But even he has been won over by the presenter’s professionalism and quiet charm.
‘The topic may be dry, but Randy Smith is an absolute LEGEND,’ he wrote.
