Blair Carlyle, a 30-year-old native Floridian, is the man behind the popular social media persona Uncle Pappy. Carlyle created the character of Uncle Pappy using a Snapchat filter and initially kept his identity anonymous. However, in January, he decided to share his true identity with his fans to be more open and honest with them.
From Satire to Environmental Advocacy
Uncle Pappy’s social media videos often start with a shirtless old Florida man in a lily-pad-filled pond sharing messages of positivity, philosophy, and a love for nature. Carlyle’s journey as Uncle Pappy began a few years ago when he created a satirical comedy character to yell about uniting America against England. The character was initially meant to be humorous, but it took a turn when a right-wing firebrand, Ben Shapiro, made a reaction video to one of Uncle Pappy’s clips, taking his comedic comments at face value.
This experience served as a wake-up call for Carlyle, who then decided to pivot his content toward a more positive direction, focusing on environmental advocacy and spreading encouragement and motivation to his followers. He now talks about legislation and current events that pose harm to Florida’s public lands and wild spaces.
A Passion for Nature and Conservation
Carlyle’s love for nature and conservation stems from his childhood, growing up in Central Florida. His grandparents taught him the importance of protecting the natural world, and his grandma even started a local movement to save a wilderness area near Lake Harris. Carlyle is now an environmental law student at Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg and is working with environmental groups to raise awareness about important issues.
Carlyle is embarking on a summer road trip with the nonprofit United by Nature, driving 8,000 miles from Los Angeles to the Everglades to raise awareness about water issues. He believes that social media can be a powerful tool for good, despite its potential drawbacks, and is using his platform to make a positive impact.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
