LAKE FOREST, Calif. - Jonah Mowry, the Serrano Intermediate School student whose anti-bullying YouTube video drew attention from Lady Gaga and other celebrities in December, has launched a weekly advice video.
On Tuesday last week, teens and their parents could view the second segment of his weekly video called "Jonah Mowry Advice." Mowry, 14, tackles the subject of depression.
"Depression is like being sad but it's a whole lot worse," he said. "I hated being around people and talking to people so I'd sleep all day and stay up at night."
Mowry took on a national spokesperson role in February when he headlined the launch of Monster March in San Francisco appearing with parents and siblings of teens who had committed suicide because of bullying.
He launched the YouTube advice videos as a way to help others deal with what he went through.
"It's something I've always wanted to do," he said. "I have 55,000 subscribers from the original video and I wanted to turn that into something good. I want people to know they're not alone and that they can get through bullying and depression like I did."
Mowry said he came up with the idea because of the time he spent sharing his feelings with friends and listening to what they had to say. His interest in making videos also played a role.
In the first video, launched last week, Mowry talks about his own experiences and the motivation that led him to make his original video, which drew millions of viewers.
He gets questions for his video from his followers on Twitter.com/jonahmowryreal and from posts on the video itself.
"I answer questions from my own experiences and from what I learned in therapy," he said. "It's kinda like people who go through this understand what I'm saying because they're a teenager and they know I'm one of them."
Mowry's mother, Peggysue Mowry, said her son has grown up a lot since last year when he made his viral video.
"It's less walking on eggshells and he's even-keeled even though he's still a teen," she said. "He's a lot more fun and his true personality is out. He isn't always angry and upset."
Peggysue Mowry said she was initially concerned about her son making the advice video and spoke with his therapist to make sure he was in a good place. In addition, she and her husband, Kevin, review each video before its uploaded.
"I don't want to change who he is and he was worried about that," she said. "I was so impressed with his video. I thought 'that's my kid and he's pretty awesome.' I think he can make a difference for other kids."
Mowry said he plans to make as many videos as people want to see.
"Once I get all this sad stuff out of the way, I can be happier and joking," he said on Tuesday's video from his Lake Forest, Calif., bedroom.
