{{short description|Australian blogger (born 1988)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Use Australian English|date=October 2011}} {{Infobox YouTube personality | name = Caitlin Hill | image = Caitlin-hill-2015.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Caitlin Alexandra Hill | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1988|9|8}} | birth_place = Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | other_names = | spouse = | relations = | occupation = YouTube personality | years_active = 2006–present | notable_works = | known_for = Comedy, vlogging, lip sync | website = {{URL|http://starnow.com.au/actorcaitlinhill}} | youtube_handle = TheHill88 | youtube_display_name = Snacks and Facts with Caitlin Hill | youtube_years_active = | youtube_genre = | youtube_subscribers = 70.4 thousand<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE WITHOUT UPDATING stats_update BELOW --> | youtube_views = 42.4 million<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE WITHOUT UPDATING stats_update BELOW --> | stats_update = 1 October 2024{{nu|date=October 2025}} }} '''Caitlin Alexandra Hill''' (born 8 September 1988) is an Australian YouTube personality under the name '''TheHill88'''. She produces, edits and uploads her videos from her home in Brisbane, and since 2008 from New York City.
Dubbed "the goofy princess of cyberspace" by Australia's version of ''60 Minutes'', Hill maintains a channel on YouTube. By November 2008, her videos had a cumulative view count of over 17 million.<ref name="huffington1">Myers, Jack [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jack-myers/youtubes-biggest-viral-vi_b_146246.html "YouTube's Biggest Viral Video Stars Sign With Hitviews to Tap Into Marketers' Budgets"] The Huffington Post, 25 November 2008</ref>
In addition to maintaining a channel on YouTube, Hill is the Chief Creative Officer of Hitviews, a website and new media business venture, which she co-founded with Walter Sabo.<ref name="hitviewspr">{{cite web|url=http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2008/12/prweb1683004.htm|title=Hitviews Offers Brands a New, Proven Way to Deliver Message Inside the Most Popular Online Videos|accessdate=18 September 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090423113950/http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2008/12/prweb1683004.htm|archivedate=23 April 2009}}</ref> The site allows marketers direct access to internet celebrities such as Kevin Nalty and Cory Williams. Bob Weinstein is among the site's investors.<ref name="huffington1"/>
== YouTube fame == Hill submitted her first video to YouTube 16 August 2006, as a fan response to popular web serial ''lonelygirl15''.<ref name="First">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhGWbWX8f8c |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060922101458/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhGWbWX8f8c |archive-date=2006-09-22 |url-status=dead|title= Re: I Probably Shouldn't Post This...|website = YouTube|accessdate=18 September 2014}}</ref> A day later, Hill began to assemble fans of her own upon uploading ''Re: LonelyGirl: Lazydork is Better Than You'' (posted 17 August 2006), a video response to YouTube comedian Richard Stern, received over 1,000,000 views before September 2006. Described by ''The Age'' as "cheesy rap", YouTube featured the video and her 14 short videos collectively received over 4,000,000 views.<ref name="Age1"/><ref name="Rap">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQO3K8BcyGM |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060820164546/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQO3K8BcyGM |archive-date=2006-08-20 |url-status=dead|title= Re: LonelyGirl: Lazydork is Better Than You|via=YouTube|accessdate=18 September 2014}}</ref>
She has credited Zach Braff, Brooke Brodack and Bree, a ''lonelygirl15'' character played by Jessica Rose, for inspiring her to join the YouTube community.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blip.tv/file/273505/|title=CC licensed video interview with Caitlin Hill|accessdate=18 September 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100312072826/http://www.blip.tv/file/273505|archivedate=12 March 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thestream.tv/watch.php?v=72|title=Unexpected: Episode 100 – TheHill88 & Ian Crossland|accessdate=18 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304083611/http://www.thestream.tv/watch.php?v=72|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
After sustaining a sizable viewership on YouTube for nearly a year, Hill became one of the first twenty to thirty YouTube users to join the YouTube partnership program in May 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiVKdu3D3No |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/XiVKdu3D3No |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title=Video interview with Caitlin Hill, by Abbie Santiago of BusinessBoomer|via=YouTube|accessdate=18 September 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref> This status gives the user "the ability to share in ad revenue".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.youtube.com/partners|title=The YouTube Partner Programme|website=YouTube|accessdate=2008-10-16}}</ref>
In September 2007, Hill announced on her MySpace blog that 2007 would be her last year in the partnership program, stating:
{{cquote|I'll try really hard to make 2007 my last year of YouTube. Sure I'll keep TheHill88 up, but I wont force myself to make videos. I'll only ever do them when I want to and ONLY when I have a really good idea. So I suppose it's not my last year...but its my last committed year. I'll have to end the partnership and everything....for now, I need to focus all my attention on the REAL WORLD and my goals.<ref name="sad">[http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=98147531 "Fading away...2007 will be my last year on YouTube."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029034200/http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=98147531 |date=29 October 2007 }} Caitlin Hill's blog on MySpace 21 September 2007</ref>}}
By October 2007, YouTube no longer listed Hill as a revenue sharing partner.
In addition to her own output, Hill plays a recurring role in ''Choose Your Own Tube'', a YouTube serial produced and directed by Remi Broadway.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chooseyourowntube.com/|title=ChooseYourOwnTube.com|accessdate=18 September 2014}}</ref>
In July 2007, she featured in 'Disgrace', a music-video created by the band Coldstone.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coldstonemusic.com/|title=coldstonemusic.com|accessdate=18 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602035558/http://coldstonemusic.com/|archive-date=2 June 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Also in July 2007, Hill played herself in Lisa Donovan's comedy sketch ''LisaNova Does YouTube'', in which she and other popular video bloggers are kidnapped by Donovan and made to comment on thousands of YouTube user profiles.<ref>Behrens, Zach [http://laist.com/2007/07/11/lisanova_perezhilton.php "LisaNova Kidnaps Perez Hilton"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070828203935/http://laist.com/2007/07/11/lisanova_perezhilton.php |date=28 August 2007 }} [http://laist.com/ LAist.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825142843/http://www.laist.com/ |date=25 August 2007 }}, the Los Angeles version of the Gothamist 11 July 2007</ref>
In August 2018, Caitlin made a return to YouTube and relaunched her channel with the series "Snacks and Facts with Caitlin Hill".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/user/TheHill88 | title=S Facts - YouTube | website=YouTube }}</ref>
== Off YouTube == Hill played an unpaid but central part in the independent horror movie ''The Girl in the Red Dress'',<ref name="Age1">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/web/caitlins-15-megs-of-fame/2006/09/04/1157222037639.html |title=Caitlin raps her way to YouTube success – web – Technology – theage.com.au |last=Hutcheon |first=Stephen |date=4 September 2006 |newspaper=The Age |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422185605/http://www.theage.com.au/news/web/caitlins-15-megs-of-fame/2006/09/04/1157222037639.html |archivedate=22 April 2009 |accessdate=9 March 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> featuring Remi Broadway, among others.
She plied her YouTube fame to The Darfur Wall, earning the nonprofit website hundreds of hits in a period of two weeks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/14146/|title=The Darfur Wall Introduces Advocates Program|accessdate=18 September 2014}}</ref> Her fansite ranked at #2 in advocacy points.<ref>[http://darfurwall.org/advocate/profile/35 Advocate Profile on darfurwall.org] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012192442/http://darfurwall.org/advocate/profile/35 |date=12 October 2008 }}</ref>
In February 2007, Hill visited California to take part in the "As One" YouTube gathering in San Francisco.<ref name="CNET1">Sandoval, Greg [http://news.cnet.com/2100-1025_3-6160390.html "Top YouTube videographers descend on San Francisco"] [http://www.cnet.com/ cnet.com], 17 February 2007</ref> She appeared on Tom Green Live with "Weird Al" Yankovic and Mike Vallely during her stay.
Over the course of repeated travels from Australia to the United States, Hill has auditioned for roles in several big-budget Hollywood movies.<ref name="Courier1">Swanwick, Tristan [http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22147113-3102,00.html "Local talent goes global"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080108104447/http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22147113-3102,00.html |date=8 January 2008 }} The Courier Mail, 28 July 2007</ref>
Hill was cast for the role of Lucy Grimm in the remake of ''Plan 9 from Outer Space'', whose teaser trailer was released on 9 September 2009 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the original, but pulled out.<ref>Woerner, Meredith [http://io9.com/5056559/plan-9-remake-is-cast Plan 9 remake is cast] io9, 29 September 2008</ref>
In 2008, Caitlin Hill announced in multiple videos that she moved to New York City, New York.
On 8 December 2008, Hill became the youngest recipient of the National Arts Club Medal of Honor.<ref name="Medal of Honor">{{cite news|url=http://www.nypress.com/blog-3033-caitlin-hill-web-star-wins-medal-of-honor.html|title=Caitlin Hill: Web star Wins Medal of Honor|last=Seccombe|first=Andy|date=9 December 2008|work=New York Press|accessdate=2008-12-11|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081214153043/http://nypress.com/blog-3033-caitlin-hill-web-star-wins-medal-of-honor.html|archivedate=14 December 2008}}</ref>
On 20 April 2009, Hill briefly became the new host of the vlog Rocketboom, replacing the outgoing Joanne Colan. However, Rocketboom producer Andrew Baron stated that they were unable to reach agreement with Hitviews to keep Hill at that time, although they hoped to reach a deal.<ref>{{cite web | title=ROCKETBOOM INTERNATIONAL TALENT SEARCH | url=http://blog.rocketboom.com/post/117531981/rocketboom-international-talent-search | date=3 June 2009 | accessdate=2009-06-08 | archive-date=21 August 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090821191149/http://blog.rocketboom.com/post/117531981/rocketboom-international-talent-search | url-status=dead }}</ref> Molly Templeton subsequently replaced Hill on Rocketboom.<ref name="tube-july09">{{cite news | url=http://news.tubefilter.tv/2009/07/06/rocketboom-premieres-new-nyc-host-mememolly/ | title='Rocketboom' Premieres New NYC Host 'mememolly' | publisher=Tubefilter | author=Marc Hustvedt | date=6 July 2009 | accessdate=29 November 2009 | archive-date=11 November 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091111162434/http://news.tubefilter.tv/2009/07/06/rocketboom-premieres-new-nyc-host-mememolly/ | url-status=dead }}</ref>
Hill performed with a Brisbane Bollywood Performance Team, Dance Masala.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bollywoodbrisbane.com.au/portfolio/caitlin|title=Caitlin » Dance Masala|work=Dance Masala|accessdate=18 September 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160318223512/http://www.bollywoodbrisbane.com.au/portfolio/caitlin|archivedate=18 March 2016}}</ref>
== See also == * YouTube celebrities * Vegemite wars
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
== External links == {{Commons category|Caitlin Hill}} * {{YouTube|u=TheHill88|Caitlin Hill}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070323023427/http://thehill88.com/ TheHill88.com, Caitlin Hill's official fansite.] *[http://www.chooseyourowntube.com/ Choose Your Own Tube] *[https://archive.org/search.php?query=caitlin%20hill%20AND%20mediatype%3Amovies%20AND%20collection%3Acomputersandtechvideos Segmented, CC licensed video interview with Caitlin Hill, by Christian Einfeldt], of [https://web.archive.org/web/20090118131308/http://digitaltippingpoint.com/ digitaltippingpoint.com] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20081218012102/http://hitviews.com/ Hitviews]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hill, Caitlin}} Category:1988 births Category:Australian bloggers Category:Australian film actresses Category:Living people Category:Australian video bloggers Category:Australian YouTubers Category:Australian women bloggers Category:YouTube vloggers Category:Australian comedy YouTubers Category:Actresses from Brisbane Category:YouTubers from Brisbane