Tylan Glines, self proclaimed “Mormon on Drugs.” At first glance he may seem like the boy next door, but when his family decides to film his trip to the oral surgeon to have his wisdom teeth removed, the world finds out he’s so much more. With over 150,000 views in its first week, Tylan’s
Mormon on Drugs YouTube video seems on its way to viral victory. While medicated, Tylan supplies viewers with a plethora of opinions and laughs. He’s a fan of Limbaugh and Justin Beiber. Likes Mitt Romney, dislikes President Obama, but not because he’s black. He cries almost as much as Glen Beck. Has a wee bit of a caffeine addiction, and yes he’s a
Mormon. This Mormon on drugs had us intrigued, so we decided to have a chat with his sober self.
Before we get started, did you have any questions for us, or about our blog?
No, I didn’t even know about you guys until I got your email.
Sista Beehive and Sista Laurel at the same time: You didn’t know about us!
Sista Laurel: We’re kind of a big deal.
Tylan: No, no, you are. I’ve been telling everybody to check Sistas in Zion out.
We’re just kidding of course, now that he knows that we are two sarcastic chicks the interview can begin.
Where did you come up with the title “Mormon on Drugs?”
I was at my aunt’s house, watching the video with all my cousins and we just came up with it because we thought it would be a catchy title, and it sure was.
We've got a list of quotes from Tylan’s video and we are dying to pick his brain about them. Here goes:
“Why am I crying?”
Since I don’t remember any of my thought process, I only remember arriving back at my house after the operation. I’m just assuming my subconscious was wondering why I was crying, for no reason too. I don’t know.
Sista Laurel: Are you Mormon?
Tylan: Yes.
Sista Laurel: We hear Mormons cry a lot.
Tylan: It’s true, we’re just kind of tender people, you know.
"I just want a normal Diet Coke."
[Laughs] This seems to be the greatest quote; I am actually working on some t-shirts to disburse around because this seems to be everybody’s favorite quote. When I got home from Christmas break my dad and I challenged each other to stay away from soda and caffeine. I guess I had a headache and just really wanted a normal diet coke with caffeine.
Sista Laurel: And you specifically prefer Coke over Pepsi?
Tylan: Yeah, absolutely Diet Coke all the way.
Sista Beehive: I’m assuming you’re a BYU student.
Tylan: Yeah.
Sista Beehive: So can you get any caffeine on campus?
Tylan: Nope, not on campus, but I even think there’s some kind of booth set up right off campus where they sell caffeinated beverages for the students. But I mean you can drink them, your fine, they just don’t participate in selling them. I guess to prevent students from becoming dependant on substances.
Sista Beehive: Can you bring caffeine on campus?
Tylan: Oh yeah, totally, absolutely. That’s kind of the Mormon style party, is Diet Coke right.
Sista Laurel: So would an underground, on campus, caffeine selling venture be profitable?
Tylan: I think it would be, I actually wrote a paper on selling caffeine on campus and kind of figured out the numbers. I mean its a billion dollar industry and a lot of college campuses around the country make quite a bit of money from selling caffeinated beverages. And a lot of students depend on caffeine, so I think it would be really successful. It sounds like a Mormon drug deal.
Sista Laurel: Well when you look at the dollars and cents it seems like something we Sistas might want to look into. Plus it’s not too dangerous, if the police pull us over we won't go to jail for having a trunk full of caffeine. And we’d pay tithing on our profits.
Sista Beehive: I want to go on the record saying that I would not do that, because BYU security is serious.
Tylan: Oh, they are. I got kicked out of the library once because I had a Jamba Juice and they said it wasn’t sealed sufficiently. Apparently the styrofoam cup and plastic lid it came in wasn’t good enough.
What was Jesus like when you met him?
Like I said, I don’t know my thought process or what was going on in my mind, but apparently I was walking down the yellow brick road with my pal Jesus.
Sista Beehive: What was he wearing, was he dressed normal, were you wearing a dress and some sandals?
Tylan: [Laughing] I have no idea.
Sista Laurel: So I guess you’re not going to be able to tell us if Jesus wears socks with sandals.
What made your family decide to film you?
I’m a typically bubbly, happy, outgoing person. I think they just figured that me hopped up on anesthesia would be quite interesting. We went through the doctor and made sure it was ok, and he okayed it as long as other patients weren’t on camera. And they just decided to film me. My brother actually watched the operation cause the Oral Surgeon’s our neighbor and he said I talked for about 10 minutes before he realized that he had his phone with him. That’s when he took out the cell phone camera and started recording in the operation room.
Sista Laurel: Ah, so he realized there was going to be some interesting stuff said?
Sista Beehive: Or did he just not trust your neighbor?
Tylan: I think he just liked seeing my mouth get ripped open.
You said that your legs felt like Jell-o, was that green Jell-o?
I’m assuming with my Mormon background and growing up in Utah it was probably green Jell-o.
Sista Beehive: With carrots?
Tylan: Yup, with shredded carrots.
“I have a testimony and they never thought I had a testimony, ever!”
When I watch that back I don’t know what I was thinking, but I’m just assuming that I was declaring to the world that I have a testimony so any doubters would understand that I have a testimony.
Sista Beehive: Do you have a lot of haters in your life?
Tylan: No, I don’t, that’s why I don’t know why I said that in the testimony part. I’ve always been involved in a lot of leadership positions. I don’t think I have any haters, maybe I do, now I kind of do.
You might have some haters out there because you said, “I don’t want to go to BYU anymore, those Mormons…some are so nice, [whispers] but some are just so rude.”
That part makes me laugh really hard. Just cause, you know, you get your typical self righteous individuals that are sometimes hard to deal with and bear. So when I watch that back I was just assuming I was referring to those individuals.
Sista Laurel: The BYU bullies?
Tylan: [Chuckles] Yes, the BYU bullies.
Sista Beehive: You’ve got 14 more minutes of fame, name some names, who is it?
Tylan: I don’t have any names.
Sista Beehive: Don’t say President Monson, don’t say him, but like who, Samuelson, Cecil, is it Cecil?
Tylan: No, I love the administration; BYU’s administration is absolutely fantastic.
Sista Beehive: Vern Heperi is he one of em?
Tylan: Nope, I love all, I love the whole administration.
Smart man, we’ll have to ask him who they are the next time he’s under anesthesia.
Speaking of people you love there was this quote: [In regards to disliking President Obama] “…And it's not because he's black. They are my kind of people because they are so wonderful to me, and I really appreciate it. In my Multi Cultural America class I learn that everyone is so beautiful.”
Sista Laurel: Ok, we’ll have to break it down cause it was a long quote, but let’s start with how “we” are your kind of people, I mean we were really excited to hear that, so we were just wondering about it.
Tylan: I really wish I could go back and go through my thought process like I’ve mentioned, just to know what I was thinking about.
Sista Laurel: It’s ok, you don’t have to answer the questions as your high self. You can answer them as your sober self.
Tylan: I mean, I just recently finished a class, Multi-cultural America and just learned a lot. It really kind of opened my eyes just to the kind of problems we are dealing with and have dealt with in America. So I’m assuming I clarified that after the Obama part, just to clarify that it’s not because he’s black. I come from a conservative background and I’m political, but I just really wish I could understand what I was thinking. I’m just assuming it was from the class that I took.
Sista Beehive: So we really aren’t that wonderful to you?
Tylan: No, no, you are, and my professor was actually of African American decent, and she was really amazing; I’m just assuming that’s what linked everything together. And the part, “everyone is so beautiful,” that line, it cracks me up.
Sista Laurel: It brought tears to your eyes.
Sista Beehive: Literally.
Tylan: It did, and so to the people that think I’m faking it, I really wish I could cry on demand like that, it’s pretty amazing.
Sista Beehive: Have people accused you of faking it?
Tylan: Oh yeah, I get a lot of comments on YouTube. You’re always gonna have that, but just people saying; I took acting lessons and I’m faking. And I told them, you know, if I could act like that, and fake it like that, I would be making a lot of money in the acting industry.
What are you studying in school?
I’m still undeclared major, but I’m thinking somewhere in the business field or political field.
Sista Laurel: Well how are you going to become a rich doctor and give all your money away?
Tylan: Well that was another thing, political science, premed, or business those are the three venues I’m thinking of.
We are definitely hoping that Tylan’s dreams come true. When he’s a rich doctor, business man or politician and gives all his money away to live in a “dirt box,” we hope he remembers us Sistas and cuts us in on the cash too. We’d pay tithing on it of course!
It might be hard for people to tell, but you are a huge Justin Beiber fan.
I love Justin Beiber! And to all the people that are such haters on JB, they need to see his movie and they just need to understand that everyone is an individual. Cause the Beibs really is a cool guy, not that I’ve met him, But I’m going to one day.
We hope that when that happens his family is there with the video camera too!
Sista Laurel: Do you like his music, his dance moves, his girlfriend?
Tylan: I do like his girlfriend, I think it’s a great choice, and I just appreciate the hard work he’s put into how far he’s come.
Sista Beehive: [After talking politics for a few] …Now we are going to get to the serious question.
Tylan: Perfect.
Sista Beehive: The bad word.
Holy BLEEP I just feel like...Did I just say a bad word, no I didn't, I never swear before, that’s ok, I’m tough…”
When I went back and watched it, I came to the conclusion that most of it was all truth. In fact, like almost everything, I think the only part was saying that I’ve never sworn before because I have. I’m not like a crazy sailor swearer, but I have sworn before. So I don’t know why I said that. Maybe my subconscious was afraid because I was with my family and so I felt bad. But yeah, I think that’s what’s gotten a lot of people, in mostly a good way, just because it’s hysterical. But I obviously was sincere in feeling bad that I was swearing, but I guess later on blamed it on my mom.
Sista Beehive: And your grandpa.
Sista Laurel: So your mom, is she a sailor?
Tylan: No, she’s not. I think growing up just like I’m not perfect, she’s not perfect, maybe I’ve heard her say some swear words so that’s just what maybe came to my head. And my grandpa did have a mouth every once in a while.
Sista Beehive: I noticed how your dad threw your mom under the bus, letting everybody know it was the mother you heard swearing and not the father.
Tylan: Yeah, that was pretty great, because it’s pretty even.
We just want to point out to all the women leaving comments about how cute Tylan’s dad is, the man is married. And despite popular belief Mormons do not practice polygamy. We got ya back Tylan’s mama.
You said, “Crap’s a good word, it’s a really good word.” Do you still feel that way?
Yeah I do, it’s a good substitute, especially for what I meant and growing up that was always the substitute word.
Is this your first year at BYU?
Yeah, I’m just starting my second semester.
Sista Laurel: What made you choose BYU?
Sista Beehive: You couldn’t get into the U of U?
Tylan: No it’d be vice versa. I toured six universities and loved two. I was kind of torn between BYU and Utah State, but I just kind of had a feeling I was supposed to be at BYU. And even if stuff bugs me while I’m here, I just say I’m supposed to be here so it will all just work out.
Sista Laurel: Even though you said you don’t want to go to BYU anymore?
Tylan: I do though; I think I was just frustrated.
Sista Beehive: How’d you do last semester?
Tylan: I did pretty good for my first semester, so I don’t think it had to do with anything academically. Maybe something was just rolling through my head, that I wish I could grasp.
What’s the response been on campus, have students seen it [the video], have they not seen it?
It’s been really fun to watch it grow, actually today when I was going to class I saw some girls pounding on a window and I looked up and they said, “You’re the Mormon on drugs.” I’ve taken pictures with a few people. It’s kind of hard for people to recognize me though because I was a little under the weather and my eyes were closed. But we’ve seen people in the library watching the video and a professor showed it in class today supposedly.
Sista Beehive: Have you been called in yet by the dean of students?
Tylan: I haven’t and I’m hoping that they would enjoy it. The marketing director of BYU contacted me and they wanted to play clips. I don’t know what they’ll play, but they wanted to play clips this upcoming basketball game and bring me on the floor.
Sista Laurel: It’s kind of like you’re the new Jimmer.
Tylan: I don’t think I’m gonna be as big as Jimmer, but its funny when people recognize me or put two and two together.
So let’s get to what all the girls want us to ask you, are you single?
Am I single? I am.
Sista Laurel: So you’re single. The ladies will be happy to know that. Now that Jimmer’s gotta girlfriend, they can move on to you.
Ladies don’t get too excited; Tylan turns nineteen this summer and plans to serve an LDS mission.
What’s the craziest thing to happen since you've done the video?
Probably when people, mainly girls, freak out and want to take pictures with me. I just think it’s crazy, obviously I enjoy it, who wouldn’t. Obviously it’s a lot of fun, somebody recognizing you. That and probably that BYU wants to play it at the basketball game. I thought that was kind of a big deal. I’m curious to see what they will play seeing that some of it could cause a little bit of controversy.
You said in the video that you wanted to be famous. Is that truly a goal of yours, or just something your subconscious said?
I mean if I happen to stumble upon it, which it’s kind of going in that direction, you know I mean, nothing crazy, but like I said in high school I did a lot of leadership and I enjoy being involved and being a part of the community. So I think when I refer back to that part in the video; it’s kind of talking more or less being involved and just kind of helping change people’s lives.
Well Tylan, don’t get too famous, some people say the church told Steve Young and Jimmer that they couldn't serve missions because they were too famous. If you get too big you might end up serving a cannery mission with David Archuleta. We hear that’s where they send missionaries that are so famous they’ll get recognized anywhere they go. Best of luck in your endeavors Brother Glines.
Have you seen Mormon on Drugs, what do you think of Tylan’s creation? Would you wear an “I just want a normal Diet Coke t-shirt? Is YouTube good for the Mormons, or bad for the Mormons?
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