It was the Pleasure of a Lifetime

by David Graham

I met Keenan Cahill (or Beenerkeekee19952) in October 2010. I was producing an award show after-party for the now-defunct Fox Reality Channel "Really Awards." My producing partner and I wanted something unique to open the event, and Mark (MTV's Mark Long of "The Challenge" fame) came to me with this YouTube video of this kid lip-syncing Katie Perry's "Teenage Dream." We spent an hour deep-diving his channel and watching all of his videos.

We reached out to him and are still waiting to hear back. He didn't have an email in his bio, so we tried a YouTube message, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. We sent 10+ messages before we heard back.

It took several more messages, plus a phone call, to convince him to do a split-screen lip-sync video with Mark. We only had one obstacle, which was the budget. Keenan was all over YouTube, and nightclubs and bars began playing his videos.

Mark and I asked the big, scary question. "How much do you want to do this for us?" He said, "Nothing." He thought it would be fun. I asked his mom, "Is Keenan just rolling in dough?" (To all my Gen Z | Millenial readers, dough is another word for money). His mom said, "Keenan has made $1,500." I asked, "How?" She said one company reached out to license a video, and she sent them to an agent they previously worked with (this agency doesn't negotiate deals for clients but runs a school you pay to attend.

I asked Keenan if he gets emails, and he said, "Yes." Keenan was a little talker. I asked, "Can you show me ten of them?" Keenan forwarded me the emails. I read through them and responded to each of them (with his permission). Keenan had emails from talk shows, record labels, production companies, cable networks, and personal managers/agents.

I informed Keenan, "These are all real!" I asked him if I could see all of them. He had a total of 417 emails he ignored. I categorized them and found out he had 23 production companies (offering him various reality TV shows, appearances on episodes, and creative meeting requests), record labels (asking him to do their artists' songs), and talk shows.

The email that stood out the most was from Ryan Basford from "Chelsea Lately" (a one-time talk show on E!). Ryan asked me if Keenan was interested in coming on "Chelsea Lately" to lip-sync a song with Chelsea. I, of course, said yes, but (and it's a big but) the show couldn't fly him out, put him up, or pay for expenses). I had to sell Keenan's mom on it, but their issue was that Keenan didn't have any money.

I offered to advance the funds, and that's how I became Keenan's manager.

Ryan later reached out to "sweeten" the deal, telling me that 50 Cent wanted to lip-sync with Keenan (vs Chelsea). 50 had this song titled "Down On Me," and he thought it would be perfect. I presented it to Keenan, and he wasn't too into it. I had to give him a history of "Who is 50 Cent" to get him excited about doing it.

We decided to say yes, and a week later, Keenan, his mom, and his sister were all in LA for rehearsals in his bedroom ("Chelsea Lately" rebuilt his bedroom, which is the bedroom you see in the viral video).

We showed up on a Sunday, Keenan met 50 Cent, and they recorded the video (Fun Fact: 50 Cent and Keenan recorded two videos. They recorded "Down On Me" and a sad song, where 50 Cent cried in the video).

We drove to the studio the following day, and Keenan appeared on "Chelsea Lately." We pitched Keenan this idea to "flirt" with Chelsea by bringing her flowers and being very flirty. He wasn't comfortable, but he was game to try it.

He walked out with a bouquet, flirted to the best of his ability, and Chelsea played the video.

"Down On Me" by Keenan Cahill (with 50 Cent) went on to become the "Viral Video of the Year," per CNN, and gained tens of millions of views. (The original upload currently sits at 61 million views, and countless accounts have re-uploaded the video to their channel).

*Keenan and 50 Cent would collaborate one more time. Keenan went to the 50's office in NYC, and they shot a follow-up to "Down On Me" to 50 Cent's new song (with Jeremih), "Girls Gone Wild."

The video never got released because the single got shelved. Madonna and 50 Cent both had songs titled "Girls Gone Wild." The brand "Girls Gone Wild" attempted to block it due to trademark. Madonna altered the name of her song to "Girl Gone Wild," while 50 Cent and Jeremih ultimately scrapped the song, music video, and other assets.

Keenan would go on to rule YouTube between 2010 and 2013. He would team up with Jennifer Anniston for the "Jennifer Anniston Sex Tape" Smartwater viral video, the David Guetta Mega-Mix viral video, and dozens more.

Keenan appeared on "America's Got Talent" with Nick Cannon, "America's Next Top Model" with Tyra Banks, and on MTV's New Year's Eve Show hosted by Jersey Shore.

Keenan would help launch the careers of Andy Grammer, Jake Miller, and Vanessa Morgan.

Keenan would collaborate with Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Flo Rida, the cast of GLEE, Big Time Rush, LMFAO, Jason Derulo, and dozens others.

Keenan's big moment came when he closed the "American Music Awards" with LMFAO, Justin Beiber, David Hasselhoff, and WILL.I.AM.

Keenan passed away on December 29th, 2022, and while it's been just over a year. He left one big giant hole in the world of viral video.

I will end with this. Keenan's story is one where he attended modeling and acting lessons for 3+ years. The experts associated with this school told him, "You will only ever play a dwarf or a midget" professionally.

Keenan opted to take matters into his own hands. He began uploading on YouTube. He found success when "Jimmy Kimmel Live" played his "What Hurt's the Most" video, but it wasn't until Keenan posted his "Teenage Dream" video that his life would change. Keenan posted the video, and within 30 minutes, Katy Perry would tweet twice. The first is "This is my Teenage Dream," with a link to the video, and the second is "I Heart You Keenan Cahill."

E! picked up the story and played his video for an entire weekend. This action directly led to his appearance on "Chelsea Lately," his video with 50 Cent, an appearance in the viral "Jennifer Aniston Sex Tape" video, and David Guetta coming to Chicago.

Keenan Cahill changed my life. I was not looking to become a personal manager as I was working on a career in producing. I saw a kid with a non-traditional talent who had this dream, and I couldn't help.

I say this with all the gratitude, privilege, and humility I can muster. It was the pleasure of a lifetime to work with you, Keenan, and while you may no longer be with us, your memory is alive every time one of those songs plays on the radio, in a TV show or movie, or just waiting for the doctor.

You brought a smile to millions of people across the world. I will never forget being chased in Paris, cornered in a fast-food place, or the time a woman grabbed you on stage, threw you over her shoulder, and ran off stage, or my memory of sitting in a bathroom with Justin (Bieber) waiting to jump out and surprise you.

Keenan, I'm proud you lived your "Teenage Dream."

RIP Keenan Cahill (aka BeenerKeeKee19952)

I want to add to this a huge THANK YOU to all of those who were TEAM KEENAN, developed a friendship with, or propelled his dream closer to reality (in chronological order): Mark Long, Joann Mignano, Caity Mae Marsh, Ryan Basford, Chelsea Handler, Curtis Jackson, Jeremih, Jennifer Aniston, SmartWater, Jeff Hoover, WGN Morning News/WGN Chicago, Jimmy Kimmel, Tom Mullen, Joe Rainey, Cody Simpson, B96 Chicago, Erik Bradley, David Guetta, Romuald Boulanger, Andy Grammer, the San Francisco Giants, The New York Knicks, Jason Derulo, Ariana Grande, Joan Grande, Britney Spears, the Atlantis Resort - Bahamas, Kim Kardashian, Dianna Agron, Darren Criss, Harry Shum, Jr, Jenna Ushkowitz, Nick Cannon, Pauly D, Vinny Guadagnino, Wilmer Valderrama, Red Foo & Sky Blue (aka LMFAO), Scooter Braun, Justin Bieber, Tyra Banks, Damian Irvine, the Miz, Lil Jon, Kally Davies, Tammy-Jay Hagerty, Darren & Mark Scott (aka SHY & DRS), Lovey James, Drake Bell, Big Time Rush, Ryan Tedder, and OneRepublic.

If I left anyone out, it was not intentional. Thank You!