Today, we’d like to spotlight our close friend and favorite gamer Brett Eastburn, known on Twitch as brett_thestub. In his bio, Brett describes himself as a “no arms & no legs gamer, comedian, speaker, author.” If you had to do a double-take after reading that, you’re not alone. We were initially shocked to watch Brett play with only his face and arms. Seeing Brett game is not only incredibly fascinating, but inspiring as well; he has never allowed his condition to prevent him from doing what he wants, whether that be gaming or his other passion, stand-up comedy.
Some Background on Brett Eastburn
Standing at a mere 2’10”, Brett Eastburn was born without limbs. However, he refuses to refer to this as a “handicap,” opting instead to use the term “obstacle.”
In an interview with Your Everyday Heroes, Eastburn says, “When you make excuses, you’re throwing handicaps into your life. Turn those into obstacles because obstacles can be overcome.” This is a fitting philosophy for him, as he has managed to overcome the many obstacles that life has thrown his way. We’ll list just a few of his accomplishments below.
- In high school, Brett played basketball, swam, and made the varsity wrestling team. He placed 4th in the 1988 AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) national wrestling competition.
- Brett has traveled the country as a comedian and motivational speaker, even catching the attention of NBC News.
- He has authored the self-help book I’m Not Missing Anything.
- Despite his obstacles, he has managed to live life on his own terms. He works, drives, is married, and recently took up Twitch streaming as a hobby.
Considering the hard work it took for Brett to get where he is today, it wouldn’t make sense for his comedy to not have a message. When speaking on the overarching point of his work, Brett tells YEDH, “The message that I want to get out is that you can do whatever you want with your life. You can achieve most of your goals.”
Grateful for His Obstacles
This conviction is reflected in the personal goals that Brett himself has achieved. And as a result of his success, he is not only proud of, but grateful for his obstacles. As he says to his audience, “I believe that God made me this way so that I can do what I want to do, have fun doing it, and then come here and show you that you can do anything that you want to do too. And once you understand that message, do me a favor and pass it on to someone else.”
The audience feeds off of Brett’s motivation. Following his sets, it is regular for people to approach him and express how he has changed their lives.
However, some people are not won over so easily. Brett describes the typical crowd’s reaction to his coming on stage: “I know a few people are like, ‘poor guy’… wondering, ‘Is this gonna be a funny set, or is this all gonna be sad and depressing?’”
Since his audience inevitably has preconceived notions about him, Brett’s best bet to win them over is to simply be objectively funny, something he has no trouble with. He is also not afraid to address the elephant in the room: much of his comedy is centered around his obstacles, proving that he–as any comedian should–has a sense of humor about himself. He jokes about his hardships in a way that is both heartfelt and whimsical. By the end of his sets, the crowd is putty in his hands. “I feed off of it [the crowd’s reaction] every time,” he tells us. “It’s a legal drug… I love to watch their faces. Their opinion changes from ‘poor guy’ to, ‘Wow, he’s awesome.’”
Brett Eastburn’s Gaming
Live gaming is Brett’s latest endeavor. At the time of writing, he has been active on Twitch for less than a month, but his almost-daily streams have already amassed him over 1.5k followers. His rapid comeup makes perfect sense when you consider that he’s doing what many would think is impossible. To play, he holds his PS4 controller between his stubs and uses his mouth to hit buttons and move the analog stick. Most recently, he has been playing Red Dead Redemption 2, but he will likely play different games in the future.
An Interview With Brett Eastburn
YEDG: What was your first experience with gaming?
Brett: It was with a game called Pong. It had two dial-controllers that I could operate, and it attached the back of the TV. The whole game consisted of two white lines, a square dot, and it basically played like a tennis game. Then came Atari, several Nintendos, PlayStations 1, 2, 3, and 4. When I raise enough through Twitch, I’ll get a PS5.
YEDG: What inspired you to make your Twitch channel?
Brett: Being a comedian and motivational speaker, I have learned over the years that people are inspired by my achievements, especially if they can watch me do it. So I figured lots of people would want to watch me play using the controller with my arms and face! I’m hoping it will go viral.
YEDG: You’ve been streaming a lot of Red Dead 2. What about the game appeals to you, and do you plan on streaming other games in the future?
Brett: Red Dead Redemption 2 may be the best game on the planet! My wife Chrisa and I love this game. The graphics are amazing. It reminds me of growing up and watching old western shows. I like the control I have, like riding the horse fast, getting in a fistfight, or buying clothes. I think the question would have been easier if you had asked what I didn’t like about RDR2!
Definitely playing different games in the near future: like GTA V, Fall Out 76, Warzone, and Cold War, just to name a few.
YEDG: As far as your Twitch channel goes, what are your plans for the future?
Brett: Again, I plan to go viral! I plan on doing a podcast and just chatting. Also, I may stream my comedy shows live, available to subscribers only, unless it has logistical issues.
YEDG: Any shoutouts?
Brett: My biggest fan and wife, Chrisa. She watches about 90% of my gaming and enjoys it as much as I do. Also, Bucky, Moooody, Captain, Pennywise to name a few.
Our Takeaway
Your Everyday Entertainment is honored to know Brett Eastburn not only as an inspirational figure, but as a friend. He has always shown us love, so we had to show him love back. We recommend that you follow his Twitch channel @brett_thestub for updates on his gaming career, which is still in its infancy. However, if we know anything about Brett, we know it’s only a matter of time before he conquers the world of gaming, just like he has everything else in his life.
