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Jerma985, or Jerma (/ˈdʒɜːrmə/ JUR-mə), is an American live streamer, YouTuber, performance artist,[1] and voice actor known for his elaborate Twitch live streams incorporating surreal comedy. He has been described as an online personality across multiple social media platforms.[2][3][4]

Key Information

Early life and education

[edit]

Jeremy Elbertson[4] was born on September 22, 1985, to an Irish-American father and Polish-American mother.[5][6][7] Upon receiving a Bachelor of Science in communication studies, he became a freelance wedding videographer.[8][9]

Career

[edit]

Early work and voice acting

[edit]

Jerma previously owned a now defunct website called jermanet.com, which contained video and audio clips, largely from his college years.[10][non-primary source needed]

He has voiced characters in multiple indie games, such as "Matt" in Galactic Phantasy Prelude,[11] the Engineer in Cryptark[12] and Gunhead,[13] and the Horse Lord Hipparchos in Apotheon.[14]

YouTube

[edit]

Jerma created his YouTube channel, Jerma985, on June 11, 2011.[15] His content primarily focused on the video game Team Fortress 2.[citation needed]

On October 8, 2011, Jerma announced his partnership with the online entertainment network Machinima.[16]

In March 2014, Jerma released the first "Jerma Rumble", an annual production which used the WWE 2K games to make primarily quirky or strange characters, often based on characters from past videos and live streams, and watch them wrestle in-game.[17] In August 2016, Jerma released a live-action wrestling sketch as that year's Jerma Rumble.[18] In 2015, he played multiple low quality Grand Theft Auto clones through the Apple app store, which is, to date, his most-viewed video.[19]

Twitch

[edit]

Jerma did not fully transition into Twitch streaming until 2016.[20] He primarily streamed video games (such as The Sims) while interacting with viewers in the chat.[21] His streams were heavily comedically driven, often involving physical sketches or interplay with the virtual audience. After transitioning to Twitch as a main platform, he became well known for his "unconventional streams" and green screen performances, which fans used to edit comedic videos, gaining notoriety for his distinctive and atypical live streaming formats and viewer interaction.[22]

On September 21, 2019, Jerma hosted a real-life "robot carnival" stream that used viewer-controlled robots, allowing members of the live stream chat to control the aim in carnival games such as ring toss and dunk tank.[23][24]

In March 2021, Jerma hosted a real-life archaeology and geology stream with a paleontologist from the Nevada Science Center.[25] In the stream, he "unearthed" Grotto Beasts!, a fictitious trading card game from the 1990s based on Pokémon.[26] The cards were produced in collaboration with multiple artists. Fans played along with the joke, producing fan art in the form of found footage-style art, such as a website for the card game made to resemble a GeoCities webpage from the 1990s.[27][25] In early 2022, he donated $10,000 to the Nevada Science Center.[28]

In August 2021, Jerma began his real-life The Sims-inspired "Dollhouse" streams, which he described as his "biggest project yet".[29] The first of three streams, entitled The Jerma985 Dollhouse, was aired on August 18, 2021, and began with a prerecorded video of Jerma choosing his outfit. The streams allowed viewers to control Jerma's actions through voting and suggestions, similar to the way one would control a Sims character: keeping him fed, happy, healthy and energetic, leading to a primarily improvised plot and series of events.[2][30] The Dollhouse series is notable for its high production value,[31] as well as the level of control that viewers were allowed to have over the events of the stream.[32] These streams used a combination of visual effects and a real set in order to portray a scene similar to that of the Sims series.

On August 19, 2022, Jerma hosted a streamed baseball game[33] at CarShield Field, featuring the fictitious Jerma Baseball Association. He later compared the game to a "live comedy improv show".[4] During the stream, two fictitious and comedic baseball teams, the Maryland Magicians and the California Circus (made up of semi-professional baseball players and circus performers), played a modified game of baseball with various gimmicks,[4] such as "Power Cards" which provided advantages to the team that played them. Jerma played the role of the umpire.[4][34][35] The event received financial support from sponsors Fansly and Manscaped.[4]

At the end of February 2023, Jerma revealed that Grotto Beasts! was officially being released nearly two years after the initial reveal. The 'revamped' trading card game features artwork from 20 different artists, including Jerma himself.[36][37]

On June 12, 2023, Jerma joined Offbrand, a media production company co-founded by fellow streamer and occasional collaborator[38] Ludwig Ahgren, as chief creative officer.[39][40] Later that year, Jerma discussed plans for a "soft retirement" from streaming, moving into further work with other creators in collaboration with Offbrand.[41] Ludwig later revealed that Jerma stepped down as CCO of Offbrand in June 2024, due to "personal reasons."[42]

On May 27, 2024, Jerma admitted to being "completely retired" from streaming as a career and went live very infrequently.[43][44] Since January 2025, Jerma began to stream more often yet still not on a set schedule.

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Ceremony Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.
The Streamer Awards 2021 Best Streamed Event The Jerma985 Dollhouse Won [45]
League of Their Own Himself Won
2022 Streamer of the Year Nominated [46]
Legacy Award Won
Best Streamed Event Jerma Baseball Stream Nominated

Filmography

[edit]
  • Otto's Big Adventure: A Dog's Day Out! (2012)[47]
  • Otto's Big Adventure 2: The Great Cookie Mystery (2012)[48]
  • Rat Movie: Mystery of the Mayan Treasure (2014)[49]
  • Rat Movie 2: The Movie (2015)[50]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Jerma985

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Jerma985, whose real name is Jeremy Elbertson, is an American Twitch streamer, YouTuber, performance artist, and voice actor renowned for his elaborate, surreal live streams that combine gaming, improvisational comedy, and real-time audience participation to create immersive, theatrical experiences. After studying communications and video production in college, Elbertson launched his online career on YouTube in 2011, initially gaining a dedicated following through humorous gameplay commentaries focused on titles like Team Fortress 2. He transitioned to Twitch in 2016, where his content evolved into high-production events that pushed the platform's boundaries, such as the 2021 "Jerma985 Dollhouse" stream—a three-day interactive simulation styled after The Sims, which peaked at over 100,000 concurrent viewers and featured viewer-controlled scenarios in a custom-built set. Other standout productions include the 2022 "Jerma Baseball Association" event, a four-hour clown-versus-magician game that highlighted his blend of absurdity and professional staging, often supported by sponsors and a crew of dozens. Elbertson has also contributed voice acting to projects like Generation Loss: The Social Experiments (2023) and earlier works such as The Rats (2014) and Garfield Kart (2013), showcasing his versatile comedic talents. With over 1.5 million Twitch followers (as of November 2025), his streams have amassed millions of hours watched, fostering a tight-knit community drawn to his zany, unpredictable style that emphasizes joy and creativity over conventional gaming narratives. In May 2024, Elbertson announced his retirement from full-time streaming, describing it as achieving "everything I wanted out of it," though he has continued occasional broadcasts as a hobby, including more regular streams starting in early 2025.

Early life and education

Childhood and family

Jeremy Elbertson, professionally known as Jerma985, was born on September 22, 1985, in , , to parents of Irish and Polish ancestry. Raised in the city's working-class neighborhoods, he grew up immersed in a multicultural environment that reflected his family's heritage, though specific details on parental remain private. Elbertson has occasionally shared glimpses of his family life during live streams, highlighting a close-knit dynamic with siblings and a supportive father figure central to his early years. His upbringing profoundly shaped his distinctive accent, a thick regional evident in early videos and streams, which he attributes to local influences rather than direct family heritage. Family bonding often revolved around shared activities, such as playing the Nintendo Entertainment System's Super Mario Bros. in the late and early , where Elbertson and his siblings challenged their father to complete levels under strict conditions—like reaching with at least five lives intact. These sessions fostered memorable moments of encouragement and cheering, underscoring a playful household atmosphere that encouraged creativity and resilience. Elbertson's early interests leaned toward gaming and media, with exposure to classic video games like Super Mario Bros. sparking a lifelong passion during his childhood. He also drew humor from 1990s pop culture, including cartoons such as and films like the Police Academy series, which influenced his comedic style amid rough-and-tumble play with his brother and neighborhood friends—activities like pretend bouts or crab apple fights that occasionally led to mishaps, such as a at age 10 or 11 requiring five staples. These anecdotes, recounted in streams, illustrate a boisterous yet affectionate family environment in pre-digital , laying the groundwork for his later pursuits in entertainment without formal early training.

College years

Jerma985, whose real name is Jeremy Elbertson, pursued higher education in the field of communications and video production. His studies provided a foundational background in media-related skills, including video editing and production techniques that would later influence his content creation endeavors. During his college years, he engaged in projects that honed his abilities in voice work and media production, such as creating an amateur voice acting demo in 2007 that showcased a range of character voices. These early experiments allowed him to balance academic coursework with practical applications of his interests in video and audio production. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in communication. Following graduation, Jerma985 took on various odd jobs to support himself, including working as a freelance wedding videographer and a substitute middle school teacher in the Boston area. His experience as a substitute teacher, in particular, contributed to the development of his improvisational and engaging performance style, which he later incorporated into his streaming content.

Career

Early professional work

After completing his in , Jeremy Elbertson, known as Jerma985, pursued a series of odd jobs in the late 2000s to support himself while exploring creative outlets. These included working at a call center and filming weddings as a freelance videographer in the area. He also served as a in middle schools after college, an experience that honed his improvisational skills and ability to engage diverse audiences under pressure. During this period, Elbertson began dipping into voice acting, creating amateur demos to showcase his vocal range and performance talents. A notable example is his 2007 voice acting reel, which featured exaggerated character voices and impressions that foreshadowed his later comedic style. These early efforts included small, local projects such as voicing characters for independent animations and flash games, often shared through personal websites like Jerma-Net, where he posted audio clips and comedy sketches from his college days. Elbertson's involvement in Boston's local media scene provided further opportunities to collaborate on amateur theater and radio spots, building his on-camera presence and timing through community productions. These experiences emphasized character development and audience interaction, skills he later credited with shaping his performative approach. Frustrated by the limitations of traditional and the lack of creative control in entry-level roles, Elbertson sought greater , leading him to transition toward digital content creation by the early . This shift allowed him to leverage his voice work and performance background in more self-directed formats.

YouTube career

Jerma985 launched his primary YouTube channel, initially named Jerma985, on June 11, 2011, with the upload of his debut video, a commentary on a Team Fortress 2 payload match titled "TF2- Spy: Goldrush (First Commentary)." The channel quickly established itself as a hub for gaming content, drawing from his background in voice acting to deliver energetic narrations over gameplay footage. Early videos centered on Team Fortress 2, featuring humorous commentaries on matches, updates, and community antics from 2011 to 2013. Notable examples include parodies such as "TF2 - Irritable Contract Worker," a satirical take on the game's promotional "Meet the Team" series that showcased his impressionistic voice work and editing flair, amassing significant views and helping build his initial audience. Other viral entries like "TF2: Jerma is Mad" series captured his exaggerated reactions to in-game frustrations, blending frustration with comedy to resonate with the TF2 community. These pre-recorded videos emphasized scripted humor and effects, distinguishing his style from live formats. By 2014, Jerma985's content began evolving toward more experimental and absurd narratives, incorporating intricate editing techniques like rapid cuts, , and surreal animations. This shift was epitomized by the "Rat Movie" series, starting with "Rat Movie: Mystery of the Mayan Treasure" in November 2014, a short animated thriller parodying films through anthropomorphic rats on a heist adventure. The sequel, "Rat Movie 2: The Movie," released in April 2015, expanded the lore with even more layered absurdity, including meta-elements and that solidified his reputation for whimsical, self-contained storytelling. The channel's growth reflected this creative progression, with subscriber counts rising steadily from tens of thousands in the early to over 500,000 by 2016, driven by the viral appeal of his TF2 parodies and innovative shorts. By the end of the decade, it approached 1 million subscribers, underscoring the enduring impact of his absurd humor and editing-driven persona on gaming commentary.

Twitch streaming

Jerma985 transitioned to Twitch streaming in 2015–2016, after establishing an initial audience on YouTube through edited gaming videos focused primarily on Team Fortress 2. His first major streams on the platform centered on variety content, including adventure games like in late 2015 and sessions that highlighted unscripted gameplay and viewer engagement. Beginning in 2016, Jerma incorporated interactive elements into his streams, enabling viewers to influence outcomes through chat-based voting and direct participation, which became a core aspect of his live, improvisational format. This approach contrasted with his prior edited work, fostering a dynamic community-driven during regular broadcasts. The 2018 Green Screen Stream series marked a key milestone, with Jerma performing a range of actions and expressions in front of a backdrop over several hours, inspiring widespread community remixes and edits. By , his viewership had seen substantial growth, with lifetime statistics reflecting an average of nearly 8,000 concurrent viewers across thousands of hours streamed and peaks exceeding 100,000 during high-profile events. Jerma's production values advanced through dedicated technical setups, including green screens for virtual environments and physical props to enhance immersion, allowing for creative, theatrical presentations that blurred the line between gaming and .

Major events and collaborations

One of Jerma985's signature productions is the Jerma Wrestling Federation, a series of scripted events that evolved into elaborate spectacles from 2019 to 2023. These iterations, including Jerma Rumble and Jermania style broadcasts, featured absurd characters voiced by actors, custom props, and battle royale formats where up to 30 participants entered the ring sequentially. The 2021 Jerma Rumble, integrated into his annual stream awards ceremony, showcased a chaotic rematch with returning wrestlers like the Glue Man and new entrants such as the Demon Clown, blending simulation with pre-recorded skits for a runtime exceeding five hours. In August 2021, Jerma985 hosted , a groundbreaking three-day interactive stream spanning over 12 hours, where viewers used a Twitch extension to control his actions as if he were a Sims character, managing needs like hunger and via real-time polls. The production involved a custom two-room set, on-site crew of about 35 for lighting, props, and scene changes, and guest appearances including streamer as a character. Major segments included a hygiene crisis leading to an improvised shower scene and a "death" sequence from viewer-forced exhaustion during push-ups, highlighting the event's blend of and agency. Another high-profile event was the August 2022 Baseball Stream at in , a four-hour live under the fictional Jerma Baseball Association, pitting the clown-themed Circus against the Magicians. Jerma985 served as and director, incorporating circus performers, actors in costumes, and gimmicks like unicycling outfielders and sabotage traps inspired by , with the production costing hundreds of thousands of dollars and involving hired players for authenticity. The Magicians emerged victorious in a scripted yet improvised affair sponsored by brands like . Jerma985 has frequently collaborated with fellow streamers, enhancing his events through joint appearances and co-productions. Longtime friend Ster, a former collaborator, joined for high-energy co-streams like reacting to in 2021 and 2022, contributing to chaotic commentary and shared gameplay segments. Joel participated in crossover events, including a 2019 wrestling intrusion during 's Vinewrestle charity stream where Jerma's characters invaded the ring, and subsequent joint sessions like the 2020 defusal challenges. These partnerships often extended to multi-streamer tournaments, such as competitions in 2023, fostering a shared community lore around competitive absurdity.

Developments from 2020 onward

During the , Jerma985 ramped up his streaming production, adapting to virtual formats that allowed for innovative, home-based content creation. This period saw the development of elaborate virtual events, including the multi-day "Dollhouse Stream" in August 2021, sponsored by , which simulated a TV-style setup within a custom-built digital environment and drew significant viewership. These efforts highlighted his ability to pivot creative projects to online platforms, fostering collaborations and setting the stage for larger-scale productions in subsequent years. In June 2023, Jerma joined Offbrand, a media production company founded by streamer in 2022, as to oversee event planning and content innovation. His role emphasized pushing boundaries in events, building on the legacy of his major virtual spectacles from the early . However, he stepped down from the position in June 2024 for personal reasons. On May 27, 2024, during a live , Jerma announced his "complete retirement" from streaming as a full-time career, stating he had achieved all he wanted from the profession and planned to stream only sporadically thereafter. This led to infrequent broadcasts for the remainder of the year, aligning with the shutdown of Offbrand's events production branch in December 2024, which cited sustainability challenges in the competitive streaming events market. Following these changes, Jerma resumed more personal and frequent streams starting in 2025, marking a partial resurgence in his . Notable activities included an exclusive with the developers of House Flipper 2 in August 2025, where he discussed game features and pitched ideas like a PvP mode, alongside hosting invitational tournaments that engaged his . These streams, often focused on casual gaming and interactions, signaled a shift toward less structured, enjoyment-driven while maintaining his signature humorous style. He continued this pattern into late 2025, with streams such as a Halloween broadcast on October 31, 2025, featuring horror games.

Personal life

Privacy and relationships

Jerma985, whose real name is Jeremy Elbertson, maintains a high degree of privacy regarding his personal life and relationships, with reputable media coverage focusing exclusively on his professional streaming career rather than intimate details. This approach extends to rare mentions of family, limited to his Irish-American and Polish-American heritage, as noted in biographical overviews of his background. Elbertson relocated from Boston, where he was raised, to Las Vegas in 2018, aligning with his efforts to facilitate larger production-scale events while preserving privacy.

Health and well-being

In May 2024, Jerma985 announced his from regular streaming, citing personal fulfillment and a desire to slow down after achieving his career goals, though he continued occasional broadcasts thereafter. This decision was partly influenced by burnout from years of intensive , as he expressed during the announcement stream, where he also emphasized incorporating health practices like frequent movement breaks and stretching to maintain during any future streams. Throughout 2024, Jerma985 publicly discussed ongoing physical health challenges that impacted his energy levels and streaming schedule. In a November 2024 stream update, he described a prolonged illness starting in late , initially suspected as food poisoning but possibly linked to a flare-up of (IBD), involving symptoms such as stomach issues, headaches, head pressure, and muscle aches. These conditions led to a several-week hiatus from streaming, as physical exertion like laughing or coughing could worsen symptoms, forcing him to miss planned events including a Halloween broadcast; he managed the episode with antibiotics, , vitamins, and herbal remedies while awaiting further diagnosis. Jerma985 has also been open about mental health struggles, particularly in early 2024. In a January Instagram post, he detailed severe anxiety and depression that manifested physically, including an intense fear of that triggered panic attacks and made eating—previously a favorite activity—nearly impossible, contributing to inconsistent content output during that period. By 2025, he resumed streaming at a pre-2024 frequency, integrating humorous elements into his content as a form of positive , such as lighthearted discussions on daily routines and recovery in variety game broadcasts.

Content creation style

Humor and performance elements

Jerma985's humor is characterized by its absurd and surreal nature, often blending everyday gaming mishaps with unexpected, over-the-top skits that eschew traditional punchlines in favor of escalating chaos and situational comedy. This style emerged prominently in his early videos focused on , where gameplay failures were amplified through exaggerated reactions and whimsical narratives, setting the foundation for his later works like stream, a live-action simulation of that incorporated bizarre viewer-directed scenarios such as romantic entanglements and simulated deaths. Central to his performances are theatrical elements that transform streams into immersive events, featuring physical acting, costumes, and props to heighten the absurdity. For instance, in the 2021 production, Jerma985 embodied various roles, including a character entangled in a with a cat-boy maid portrayed by fellow streamer Ludwig, complete with on-set antics like showering in the presence of other and reacting to pie-in-the-face gags. These performances draw from traditions, with Jerma985 directing scenes using simple tools like for scripting gags while allowing room for spontaneous , such as unicycling outfielders or audience-controlled dunk tanks in variety streams. Interactivity forms a core pillar of his content, where viewer input drives the narrative toward unpredictable outcomes, enhancing the humorous unpredictability. In streams like , audiences used Twitch widgets to vote on actions—dictating everything from Jerma985's simulated eating and sleeping to chaotic events like bear fights or bedding the Grim Reaper—resulting in over 100,000 concurrent viewers during peak moments. Similar mechanics appear in and variety streams, where polls lead to escalating absurdities, such as Mario Kart-inspired traps or baby-costumed players in a clown-versus-magician game. Over time, Jerma985's style has evolved from tightly edited commentaries to elaborate live Twitch spectacles, incorporating professional crews, sets, and props for greater theatricality. Early TF2 content relied on post-production cuts to highlight comedic timing, whereas later events like the 2022 stream featured live orchestrations with circus performers and real-time improv, costing hundreds of thousands in production while maintaining the core absurd humor. This progression reflects a shift toward , where gaming serves as a for surreal, viewer-fueled narratives.

Persona and community lore

Jerma985's primary online persona revolves around the character of "Jerma," a chaotic and self-deprecating entertainer who blends gaming commentary with absurd performance elements, often referring to himself under aliases like "Sterling" in collaborative streams or "Frank Ugly" as a humorous, intentionally unflattering self-portrait encouraged among fans. This persona emerged from his early videos and evolved into elaborate Twitch productions where he embodies an exaggerated, unpredictable version of himself. Additional alter egos, such as "Tiny Jerma," a diminutive caricature poking fun at his compact stature, appear recurrently in streams and , reinforcing the playful, meta nature of his content. The community surrounding Jerma985 has cultivated an extensive body of lore, primarily documented on the fan-created Jerma Lore Wiki, a collaborative repository that catalogs , characters, and narrative arcs drawn from his streams since the . One prominent example is the "Evil Jerma" , which originated from a fleeting, distorted captured during a Gunslinga stream and subsequently amplified by fans through edits and deepfakes into a villainous within the shared mythology. This wiki serves as a central hub for fans to expand on Jerma's in-universe events, blending real stream moments with fictional narratives to create a cohesive "Jermaverse." Fans actively participate in community-driven events that deepen this lore, such as the JermAwards, an annual ceremony launched in 2018 where viewers nominate and vote on standout stream moments, characters, jokes, and mishaps, often culminating in a live-streamed awards show hosted by Jerma himself. These events highlight the interactive dynamic between streamer and audience, with categories like "Best New Character" or "Worst Decision" turning ephemeral clips into canonical highlights. The JermAwards have continued annually, with editions through 2024. Self-referential storytelling is a hallmark of Jerma's streams, exemplified by the "Jerma Sus" meme, which originated in 2020 when fans edited his facial reactions into the viral "sus" format from , leading to ongoing in-stream acknowledgments and a dedicated VR playthrough in 2022 that leaned into the absurdity. This arc not only satirized the community's culture but also integrated fan creations back into Jerma's performances, blurring the lines between creator and communal narrative. Following his 2024 retirement from full-time streaming, Jerma has maintained his chaotic, interactive style in occasional 2025 broadcasts as a .

Recognition

Awards and nominations

Jerma985 has received recognition through , an annual ceremony celebrating achievements in . In the 2022 edition, held on March 12, 2022, honoring accomplishments from the previous year, he won the League of Their Own award, which celebrates unique and innovative streamers who stand out in their field, as well as Best Streamed Event for . The following year, at the 2023 on March 11, 2023, Jerma985 was nominated for Streamer of the Year, a top honor for overall impact and popularity in the streaming community, though the award went to . During the same event, he received the Legacy Award, acknowledging his long-standing contributions and pioneering creativity in streaming over more than a decade.
YearAwardCategoryResultNotes
2021 (2022 ceremony)League of Their OwnWonRecognized for innovative variety streaming, including events like .
2021 (2022 ceremony)Best Streamed EventWonAwarded for the stream.
2022 (2023 ceremony)Streamer of the YearNominatedCompeted against prominent figures like Ludwig and .
2022 (2023 ceremony)Legacy AwardWonHonored for career-long influence on streaming creativity and entertainment.
These accolades highlight Jerma985's evolution from early gaming content to elaborate, performance-based that have influenced the medium's creative boundaries.

Cultural impact and legacy

Jerma985 has significantly shaped streaming culture through his pioneering of interactive on Twitch, elevating livestreams from conventional gaming sessions to immersive, surreal productions that blend improv, theater, and real-time audience participation. Events like the 2021 Dollhouse , a live-action recreation of franchise where viewers dictated actors' actions via chat extensions, attracted a peak concurrent viewership of over 100,000 and demonstrated innovative uses of technology for collaborative storytelling. This approach not only blurred the lines between digital gaming and physical performance but also inspired subsequent creators to experiment with virtual simulations and chat-controlled narratives, expanding the creative frontiers of online entertainment. His influence extends to the broader landscape of variety streaming, where noted in 2022 that Jerma's elaborate shows—complete with casts, crews, and budgets in the hundreds of thousands—have pushed Twitch toward , fostering a maturation of the platform beyond passive consumption. By prioritizing whimsical, boundary-testing content over standard gameplay, Jerma encouraged a participatory model that emphasizes viewer agency, as seen in his integration of live improv and satirical elements reminiscent of shows like . This shift has rippled through the industry, promoting diverse formats that prioritize entertainment and community interaction over algorithmic predictability. The streamer's dedicated fanbase further amplifies his cultural footprint, with the subreddit r/jerma985 acting as a central hub for lore-building, discussions, and community-driven initiatives like annual censuses that map the global reach of his audience. Despite a retirement announcement, Jerma's resurgence—marked by continued streams averaging over 10,000 viewers and involvement in showcases such as Next Fest—has sustained his relevance, influencing collaborations with emerging developers and reinforcing his role in nurturing innovative, fan-centric content ecosystems.

Filmography

Voice acting credits

Jerma985, whose real name is Jeremy Elbertson, began his professional career in the mid-2010s, focusing primarily on independent video games. His early experience in voice work, rooted in demo reels from the late , showcased a versatile range of characters that emphasized comedic and improvisational delivery. This foundation allowed him to secure roles in several indie titles, where he provided voices for non-human and quirky supporting characters. His notable credits include the role of Horse Lord in the action RPG Apotheon (2015), developed by Alientrap, where he voiced a mythical equine central to the game's mythology-inspired narrative. In the shooter Cryptark (2015), also by Alientrap, Elbertson provided the voice for the Engineer, an amphibious alien character who guides players through tutorial mechanics with a distinctive, humorous tone.
YearProjectRoleDeveloper/Publisher
2013Pumkins / Pumkins
2015Horse LordAlientrap /
2015EngineerAlientrap / Alientrap
2016A Fox in SpaceVoice cameoIndependent
2023Generation Loss: The Social ExperimentsThe PuzzlerIndependent
2024Frank Heffley (voice)Independent
Between 2015 and 2018, Elbertson contributed minor voice roles to other indie projects, often involving brief but memorable lines for background or elements, building on his reputation for adaptable, energetic performances. Elbertson's voice acting experience directly informed his improvisational approach in content creation, as evidenced in his early demo reels where he demonstrated rapid shifts between exaggerated accents and character archetypes, such as gravelly elderly narrators or whimsical . For instance, his demo featured improvised monologues blending absurdity with precise vocal control, skills that enabled seamless on-the-fly character development in later professional recordings like the Engineer's explanatory dialogues in . This training in quick adaptation and vocal variety enhanced his ability to improvise engaging, lore-driven segments in collaborative media projects.

Original video projects

Jerma985's original video projects encompass a series of low-budget, self-produced short films and animations uploaded to his YouTube channel in the early 2010s, showcasing his creative experimentation with absurd humor and multimedia storytelling. These works, primarily featuring anthropomorphic animals in comedic scenarios, were crafted using accessible tools like 3D Movie Maker for animation and basic editing software, with Jerma985 handling directing, voicing, animation, and editing single-handedly. Among his earliest efforts are the live-action shorts centered on his dog Otto. Otto's Big Adventure: A Dog's Day Out! (2012), a roughly five-minute , follows Otto on a playful outdoor escapade, narrated and produced by Jerma985 under the Frank Ly, with music sourced from royalty-free libraries like Danosongs. The sequel, Otto's Big Adventure 2: The Great Cookie Mystery (2012), expands the format with a mystery plot where Otto and his companions investigate missing cookies, incorporating full director commentary voiced by Jerma985 and a credited script by "Burger Boy," another alias. These pet-focused videos, uploaded toward the end of 2012, demonstrated Jerma985's emerging skills in simple live-action filming and voice performance, amassing over 368,000 combined views and contributing to his initial subscriber growth from gaming content. Jerma985's most notable original projects are the animated Rat Movie series (also known as The Rats), which elevated his comedic style through surreal narratives. Rat Movie: Mystery of the Mayan Treasure (2014), a five-minute short, depicts a band of inept bank robbers clashing with an army of sentient rats guarding a hidden treasure, uncovering a feline conspiracy in a chaotic blend of action and absurdity; Jerma985 voiced all characters and composed the score using free assets. The follow-up, Rat Movie 2: The Movie (2015), continues the saga with rats hosting a birthday party fraught with jealousy, greed, and clownish interruptions, again fully produced by Jerma985, including animation in and music by . Both films received strong audience acclaim, earning IMDb ratings of 8.9/10 (from over 1,000 votes) and 8.5/10 (from over 2,000 votes), respectively, and collectively surpassing 6.4 million views, which played a pivotal role in solidifying Jerma985's presence and fanbase prior to his full transition to Twitch streaming in 2015. These projects highlight Jerma985's versatile , where he performed a range of character accents and tones to bring ensembles to life without external collaborators. Overall, the Rat Movie and Otto's Big Adventure series marked a creative pivot from his initial gameplay videos, helping build a dedicated following through their quirky, shareable appeal and fostering the eccentric lore that would define his later content.

References

  1. https://www.npr.org/2022/10/16/1129355129/meet-the-twitch-streamer-creating-performance-art-for-hundreds-of-thousands-of-v
  2. https://www.polygon.com/22634146/twitch-jerma-sims-dollhouse-stream-livestreaming
  3. https://www.michigandaily.com/arts/digital-culture/inspired-by-jerma985/
  4. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8719792/
  5. https://twitchmetrics.net/c/23936415-jerma985
  6. https://tribune.com.pk/story/2468559/twitch-streamer-jerma985-announces-retirement-i-got-everything-i-wanted-out-of-it
  7. https://thearrowhead.org/10566/entertainment/twitch-streamer-jerma985-continues-livestreams-through-retirement/
  8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIzbkPH69Yg
  9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNkPXSN-HFc
  10. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/jerma985-147478.php
  11. https://www.rubiconline.com/elbertson-takes-teaching-tricks-to-twitch-as-jerma985/
  12. https://youtube.fandom.com/wiki/Jerma985
  13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S4UCdK3kLs
  14. https://jerma-lore.fandom.com/wiki/Jerma-Net
  15. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Jeremy-Harrington/
  16. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NTuflw3nrM
  17. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=somevideo_if_known
  18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGr18BHG4ak
  19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAXioRNYy4s
  20. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNy9HIo3shs
  21. https://www.tumblr.com/iamfunke/153034318359/just-a-really-long-writeup-about-tf2-youtubers
  22. https://www.twitch.tv/jerma985/about
  23. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9_15f5iuYM
  24. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxSMdjtNs-k
  25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRjOMS30ex0
  26. https://twitchtracker.com/jerma985/statistics
  27. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkxji9Npm4ijrzeKhxtdvjHrdpP9CrTvv
  28. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MEYUy91Y90
  29. https://www.polygon.com/22634146/twitch-jerma-sims-dollhouse-stream-livestreaming/
  30. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkJjP9Lr7Bn7SWZh74mnqDd1Ce3GBqJrx
  31. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wae1lbb4njY
  32. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnnPR9EJ55U
  33. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVehgLHlZI8
  34. https://jerma-lore.fandom.com/wiki/Jerma985
  35. https://www.tubefilter.com/2023/06/12/ludwig-offbrand-nick-allen-hire-jerma-expand-growth/
  36. https://www.tubefilter.com/2024/12/18/ludwig-ahgren-close-evens-production-offbrand/
  37. https://www.dexerto.com/youtube/ludwigs-offbrand-shuts-down-events-branch-a-year-after-expansion-3007560/
  38. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQaJGQrMeWw
  39. https://www.twitch.tv/jerma985
  40. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AumgDbmYiqU
  41. https://x.com/Jerma985/status/1011179035655901184
  42. https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/streamers/news-is-jerma985-retiring-streaming-twitch-streamer-gives-big-update
  43. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKR1vWX5HuA
  44. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31s3uZri1w4
  45. https://www.instagram.com/p/C2s28LtPUls/
  46. https://kotaku.com/jerma985-twitch-amazon-youtube-dollhouse-baseball-1849434689
  47. https://www.twitch.tv/jerma985/clip/AnnoyingObedientOstrichBCouch
  48. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9P9btKMmfo
  49. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_siZkYEONU
  50. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5Qqavv8DyY
  51. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8-7AS1yUNI
  52. https://www.twitch.tv/jerma985/clip/ObeseSparklyApeChefFrank
  53. https://streamscharts.com/channels/jerma985
  54. https://gamerant.com/the-streamer-awards-full-winners-list/
  55. https://www.sportskeeda.com/esports/news-it-s-overwhelming-too-twitch-streamer-jerma985-provides-take-nominated-streamer-year-the-streamer-awards-2023
  56. https://www.oneesports.gg/culture/streamer-awards-2023-full-list-winners/
  57. https://twitchtracker.com/jerma985/streams/43363881341
  58. https://listenandlearnresearch.com/listen-learns-guide-to-twitch/
  59. https://bowdoinorient.com/2022/10/21/the-look-jerma985-and-the-frontiers-of-online-entertainment/
  60. https://www.twitchmetrics.net/c/23936415-jerma985
  61. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/394938490_Streaming_as_a_Convergent_Model_for_Modern_Broadcasting
  62. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Jeremy-Elbertson/
  63. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2485030/
  64. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10949600/
  65. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl4Alxywcy0
  66. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3414510/fullcredits/
  67. https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/jeremy-elbertson.html
  68. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7454352/
  69. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7456044/
  70. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXSdCYQOuW0
  71. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv9c38fEukk
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