Tool of the Day Award. WTF is a "You Tuber"?

[El Presidente]

Talk about a drama queen. Nick Shirley cracks me up. 

 

How is one "almost taken hostage?"  You are in a one party state you goose, if they wanted your arse in jail they would have just hooded you off the street and done so. 

"Shirley found him and his team in a sticky situation where they 'have to figure out how we're going to escape."

Here's an effing hint Shirls.....catch a cab to the airport and hop on a plane 

 

 

 

YouTuber speaks out after having all cameras seized and nearly being taken hostage in Cuba

He said the situation is 'much worse than anyone knows'

 

 

A YouTuber has spoken out after he was allegedly almost taken hostage in Cuba.

As President Donald Trump's blockade cut off Cuba's supply of oil and gas, the island has been in a state of crisis. The situation has drawn increasing international attention, yet independent reporting from within the country remains extremely difficult due to its strict communist rule.

Cuban law prohibits journalism without state approval, and those who attempt to document life on the island without government oversight do so at their own risk.

 

However, independent news journalist and YouTuber Nick Shirley reportedly tried to expose the situation in the Caribbean, leading him to be 'almost taken hostage.'

Shirley says he travelled to Cuba with the intention of documenting the island's worsening humanitarian situation, including severe shortages of fuel, food, and electricity that have left Cubans struggling.

According to his account, authorities at the airport seized his cameras, GoPros and gear, leaving him with only a microphone concealed beneath his shirt and his iPhone.

Taking to X, Shirley posted a video explaining his situation.

"We are currently being held by Cuban intelligence here in Havana, Cuba," he said.

He alleged that agents had followed his team throughout the day before stationing themselves outside his hotel 'where they waited all night for us to come down.'

The content creator claimed he went to Cuba to 'document the humanitarian crisis and show life under 60+ years of communism and now amid the US blockade,' following the Trump administration's actions against Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro.

 

In his video, he described scenes he claimed to have witnessed first-hand.

“Right now you currently have surgeons doing operations with flashlights because there's no power [...] in the hospitals," Right now I'm in the only hotel in Havana that has 24-7 electricity because this is the only one that has that access," he said in the video.

He added that he encountered people going hungry on the streets and said the situation is 'much worse than anyone knows.'

Due to the country's ban on independent reporting, Shirley found him and his team in a sticky situation where they 'have to figure out how we're going to escape.' In the video, he said his team are considering going to the US embassy or find early flight options.

 

[JohnS]

The very essence of being a 'YouTuber', for the greater part these days, is exaggerating or heightening your audience's response to your videos to gather more attention upon yourself, I would think, right? ('vero'? as Italians would say! 😂) I mean, not everyone that uses YouTube is like that, but this particular guy seems to 'fit the bill'!

[El Presidente]

4 minutes ago, JohnS said:

The very essence of being a 'YouTuber', for the greater part these days, is exaggerating or heightening your audience's response to your videos to gather more attention upon yourself, I would think, right? ('vero'? as Italians would say! 😂) I mean, not everyone that uses YouTube is like that, but this particular guy seems to 'fit the bill'!

 

Spot on JS. This plea for assistance from Shirls is YT moron baiting at its finest.  

When you are wearing a "concealed microphone" through Havana Airport + Go Pro + Sat Phone + + + + ....you are calling out to be arrested. He must have been immensely disappointed that he wasn't. 

SOMEONE ARREST ME!!!! AM I NOT WORTHY! I NEED A STORY! 

 

[Chitmo]

Another idiot with a soapbox, no shortage of those around these days unfortunately. 

[Chibearsv]

10 minutes ago, Chitmo said:

Another idiot with a soapbox, no shortage of those around these days unfortunately. 

Tip of the iceberg I’d wager. 

[LaoFan]

This kid is getting attention these days. 

I hadn't actually watched any of his stuff but had been curious upon seeing this post.. + Cuba.

Now I've gone down a rabbit hole...

Having been there a few times in the last 2 years I'm always amazed at how clearly split down the middle content is:

1) People like Alyssa: https://www.instagram.com/absolutelyalissa/

I chatted with her a lot before my most recent trip (cancelled Habanos Festival '26 timing). She tells the reality like it is..

It ain't pretty. But, Cubans are persistent. Struggle isn't new... This is Cuba, which means they will always find a way. Expats do the same. It's far from ideal.. but it's not what #2 sells.

2) The Nickys of the world:

This is almost certainly Hotel Nacional.

Which not only isn't the only hotel in Havana that has electricity... it is probably my least favourite hotel for living purposes in the city. It has a beautiful terrace and an iconic history/landscape... but nobody I know is staying there. It's also sanctioned and Americans aren't technically even allowed to stay there (from the US side).

They're not letting UK kids born after '00 smoke tobacco anymore? If you ask me.. they shouldn't give incompetent attention whores a camera and a gullible platform.

[bmac]

Yeah, he’s not a popular guy in Minnesota either.

[JDoughty]

You, tuber? 

[ImTripN2]

3 hours ago, bmac said:

Yeah, he’s not a popular guy in Minnesota either.

Yeah, no s**t. Anyone who has uncovered a confirmed hundreds of million dollars in fraud, and by the way, the estimates are upwards of 8 billion dollars of US taxpayers money wasted in Minnesota alone, has got to be pretty unpopular among some folks. I'm guessing anyone who pays taxes isn't too upset though.

Why he is in Cuba? Don't know and don't care.

[ImTripN2]

.

[El Presidente]

2 hours ago, ImTripN2 said:

Yeah, no s**t. Anyone who has uncovered a confirmed hundreds of million dollars in fraud, and by the way, the estimates are upwards of 8 billion dollars of US taxpayers money wasted in Minnesota alone, has got to be pretty unpopular among some folks. I'm guessing anyone who pays taxes isn't too upset though.

Why he is in Cuba? Don't know and don't care.

With all due respect, God bless him for shining a light on intrinsic welfare/industry fraud. 

My point/post was on his "last on the bus breakthrough commentary" on Cuba and his incessant wish to be arrested for his YT channel. 

Young guy. I am sure he will grow up. 

[ImTripN2]

14 hours ago, El Presidente said:

With all due respect, God bless him for shining a light on intrinsic welfare/industry fraud. 

My point/post was on his "last on the bus breakthrough commentary" on Cuba and his incessant wish to be arrested for his YT channel. 

Young guy. I am sure he will grow up. 

While I certainly don't disagree with your assessment of his reporting style, and he certainly is a drama queen, how much of his reporting and exposure of the staggering amount of fraud in Minn do you think he could bring to light  without YouTube? The mainstream media would never, and still hasn't, given it much exposure as they seem to have a common, but apparently incurable affliction, that prevents them from presenting the truth to their viewers,

I still can't fathom why he would choose to report from Cuba, but I am guessing that beyond the public's' need for constant sensationalism, he wanted to show the joys of Communism to the American public who seem to be headed in that direction regardless of the facts.

[Ford2112]

15 hours ago, LaoFan said:

 

 

He looks like a dope!

[El Presidente]

6 hours ago, Chas.Alpha said:

This infuriates me. I mean profanity-laced anger. Moderators, please monitor my behavior if anyone adds comments to this thread. I suspect @JohnS has already hidden or deleted my original reply to this topic. 

Let's just keep it about his insane/juvenile  "look at me" antics re Cuba. 

[Chas.Alpha]

I shall go no further. For what it’s worth, my opinions on this particular subject have seen me banned on Twitter for the next 90 days. Infuriated, ashamed. I have nothing positive to contribute to this thread. Members, please forgive me…😔

[Chibearsv]

 

17 hours ago, Chas.Alpha said:

I shall go no further. For what it’s worth, my opinions on this particular subject have seen me banned on Twitter for the next 90 days. Infuriated, ashamed. I have nothing positive to contribute to this thread. Members, please forgive me…😔

Let's do a call tonight so you can get it all off your chest. I've got no knowledge or opinions on the subject matter, so let's let 'er rip. I'd love to hear it all. 

[Chas.Alpha]

On 5/8/2026 at 2:49 AM, Chibearsv said:

Let's do a call tonight so you can get it all off your chest. I've got no knowledge or opinions on the subject matter, so let's let 'er rip. I'd love to hear it all. 

What’s a good time for you?

[Chibearsv]

19 minutes ago, Chas.Alpha said:

What’s a good time for you?

I just got home, so I’m good anytime from now till 9 my time. Just say when. 
 

[Chas.Alpha]

7:45 CST or 1 hour from now… 🙂

[Chas.Alpha]

On 5/6/2026 at 1:39 PM, Ford2112 said:

He looks like a dope!

At least something intelligent was following him…

[Chas.Alpha]

On 5/6/2026 at 10:12 AM, ImTripN2 said:

While I certainly don't disagree with your assessment of his reporting style, and he certainly is a drama queen, how much of his reporting and exposure of the staggering amount of fraud in Minn do you think he could bring to light  without YouTube? The mainstream media would never, and still hasn't, given it much exposure as they seem to have a common, but apparently incurable affliction, that prevents them from presenting the truth to their viewers,

I still can't fathom why he would choose to report from Cuba, but I am guessing that beyond the public's' need for constant sensationalism, he wanted to show the joys of Communism to the American public who seem to be headed in that direction regardless of the facts.

Fraud is the new Epstein…