Dear Internet: I'm Not Interested. Seriously. 

Yes all the way. I'm a loner for life, but still get a lot of proposals from all genders. The radio hams are always disappointed that I was put off by cliquishness from the past (as a kid, being fluent in morse code to even apply was a non-starter). Apparently I would look a lot better clean shaven and with a perfect set of fake American-style teeth. I tend to delete the overtly rude and personal comments.

I get a few proposals a year, Most turn out to be from bots though.

"The Content" is king, you just keep on doing what you do best, 'being you' ignore the idiots, trolls and bots...

I guess sometimes when people say 'OMG, Marry me!', what they really mean is that they just realised how much they admire you and what you do, and the way you conduct yourself, etc and they want to express it. I think it's probably important not to throw that baby away with the bathwater. Sure, there's a lot of creepy weirdness out there on the internet, but sometimes people probably just express their earnest admiration in a weird and awkward way that makes sense in their head, but doesn't really work in text.

There was a bit on this in an episode of Xena that sticks in my mind. Xena and Gabrielle had just dealt with a stalkery guy who was obsessed with them because he was into warrior women or something. Gabrielle said they could avoid guys like him by dressing in smelly old wolf skins, but Xena said that then they'd just have to deal with guys who were into smelly old wolf skins. You might as well be yourself.

You're Fran. In the lab. That's what makes for great content! Just be you and do what you do! :)

Fran, I think you totally rock! Don't change a thing. I love the weird electronics that you show us! And your sense of humor cracks me up!

Huge respect, Fran. Let's get back to talking about esoteric electronics and projects, now.

You do you, Fran. The content talks for itself.

Fran, in all my 10+ years of watching RU-vid, I can count on one hand the number of videos I've commented on. Know that you have legions of fans and admirers that don't leave comments, good or bad, and take time to watch every video because we love the content you create and want to learn the things you have to teach. Please, don't let a handful of loud mouthed trolls put you off your game. Keep doing what you do and know there are many more in the silent majority who enjoy you just the way you are.

Never change, Fran! We adore you for you being exactly who your are :)

Not to be insulting, but I'm only here for the content and a little bit your personality. I learned about your transformation years later and honestly, I couldn't care less. You do you, you _be_ you. Oh and that T-shirt is awesome.

I've spent the last 12 years dealing with constant comments and emails about how shit and "put on" my voice is and how I should "learn to talk properly", or just go plain go you know what myself etc. Worst of course on the videos that go a bit viral and get recommended to a new audience who haven't seen/heard me before. I get no shortage of offers to meet up for coffee, but I don't know if they just want me for my looks or my dumpster room. I have had the occasional women (and a few guys) want to meet me for what was obviosuly non-technical reasons, and the occasional marriage proposal too, so rare but not zero. Also plenty of comments about my looks, have I dyed my hair this week?, and watch out comments section if there is one hint of muscle flex in the thumbnail or video. I do get a lot of comments from fellow HAM's asking if I have a callsign and can connect, that's very common.

I like the “NOT INTERESTED!” sign all over the video to make it very clear! In other news I was DJing last night and a guy came over, thought usual thing of asking what I was playing etc but no he noticed my Fran Lab shirt and turns out he is another avid viewer of Frans, nice to meet another geek out in the wild and have a fist bump!

Never heard ASMR called "Asmeer" but this is my new favorite term.

Fran, your character is a welcome presence and a breath of fresh air in my you tube wanderings.👍

One of JD Salinger's fans tracked him down and knocked on his door saying "I needed to meet you because I totally get why you need to be alone." Salinger angrily said "If you actually got it, then you wouldn't be here."

I got divorced when I was 47. I am now 57. "I dont do relationships. I dont do intimacy" I know exactly what you mean Fran. I am right there with you.

I find your channel's content and others like it (esp big clive) fascinating. I have an electronics degree (from DeVry ugh.) but never really applied it in real life, so it's cool to see people break down circuits, show antique electronic etc. Thanks for what you do.

Dear Fran , When I found your videos on youtube it reignited my interest in the electronics hobby. You and Forrest Mims III are my heroes. Please don't let comments change you.

I've been a silent Fran fan for a while, but after seeing this I was moved to posta reply. Please don't let the turkeys get you down! For every one creep out there there's thousands of us fans who appreciate your hard work and tenacious dedication to your channel. I would hate to see you distracted to the point of it hurting it. Please keep up the content and I'll keep watching!!

As a non creepy Ham radio person I like the stuff you build, fix, test, modify, etc. Plus you jam on a 6 string.

I am glad you enjoy what you do. Thank you for being out there. Although I haven't seen that many of your videos, the ones that I have seen I've learned and that's what it's all about. Thank you.

Love your content Fran. It’s heart breaking that even in this community that this is such a problem.

Don’t worry about it Fran, it’s going to happen, you’re adorable so you’re going to get some admirers, I have found that not engaging them is the best course of action although they will drift in and out of your sphere of communication influence via the message system, some come back once a year and some come and go never to return. Just know we love your content and enjoy every interesting thing you tear into, I particularly love anything you do with those vacuum fluorescent displays, or any displays for that matter, love to watch you!

I was inspired by a couple of your guitar videos to dig out an amp a friend brought me to see if I could fix it. It's a 1963 Airline with the twin 6V6 outputs. I had recapped and replaced the tested bad tubes and NOTHING. I gave up on it before the pandemic, and it sat in my closet. It really bugged me, I don't like being stumped. After watching you poke around with a VOM, and get stuff working, I felt empowered to do the same. I found an open resistor in the filter network, replaced it, and now my musician buddy is strutting around showing off this beautiful apparatus to all his buddies. This was 2 days ago. THAT is how you fit in to the world, Ma'am. Thank you.

Love your content! Love the retro displays and retro tech!!! Keep up the great work!

Fran, I'm just glad you continue to make videos. Please keep bringing us interesting things! You're awesome.

Love ya fran, not in a creepy way :') just love who you are, how much you inspire and teach! Thanks

100% Fran Nerd, the best kind of Fran.

Fran, your content is great. Super interesting and informative. We love what you do. Ignore the strange ones. Keep on doing what you do.

I love your content, Fran. Don't ever stop being you, your enthusiasm is infectious. x

"Taller than Tall! Stronger than Strong! Ready to fight for Right, against Wrong! Gigantor, Gigantor! Gi-gan-an-an-an-tor!" My mom would pay us a nickle to NOT sing this all day long!

There are a-holes everywhere. I don't care what you look like on any given day. You're awesome and keep doing what you're doing. Be you.

Fran, just keep doing what you do best, making awesome content and sharing knowledge. It's what the world needs, more articulate and intelligent discussions of science.

You’re awesome Fran! Thank you for posting really interesting videos. Please keep it up from your fans in Canada 👍👍

It is the content that people enjoy, Fran, but the fact is you're adorable, and your personality (and brilliance) is the hook of your channel. Of course there are people that are inappropriate, but this is life, what the hell. Successful RU-vid channels are a mix of interesting content, personality, and video editing, and you certainly do all that. I will continue to enjoy, even if you never have coffee with me.

Never change anything about yourself Fran - you're perfect just the way you are & if others can't (or won't) accept that, then it's their loss. Thank you so much for the many interesting videos - just a suggestion, how about one just of bloopers?

Your show is awesome! When i discovered your back story it gave me more appreciation for your accomplishments! Ignore the inappropriate comments/proposals

I was born lonely, I did not want it and I would not want it, but I am 45 years old, difficult if not impossible to change.

Fran! I love how you look and talk!!! You're a delight and a pure joy!

Fran, the way you handle everything is really admirable. If I had a role model like you as a kid I would have been so much more sure of myself though life and maybe would have stuck with electronics as a main life passion. I used to be really ‘ahead of the curve’ but lost interest in my late teens due a feeling that my identity might put me at risk in that sort of environment.

Fran, I feel you. I’m not interested either. Enjoy doing what you want, when you want, without having to answer to anyone for it. I’m glad I’m not the only one out there that feels that way. Great channel! I’m subscribing.

Thanks Fran, I for one have always appreciated your channel for it's fantastic content on the miriad of rare topics you cover so well. Please, keep it up!

Fran I love you for your content, my wife always shouts 'it's Fran' when she hears you. Keep positive please we all love you as you are.

I'm here for the content. Keep the projects and displays coming.

“ Please play guitar more often Fran, I think you are a nice person.”

Love what you do Fran. Keep up the amazing work!

Keep doing what you do. The content is always interesting and personally I like your style of delivery of your topics. You are one of life's interesting people. Ignore the oversexed nutters who still live in their mother's back bedroom....

You're a saint for dealing with all of this without constantly yelling at those bozos. You keep doing you, Fran, much love!

Fran, just be you. I appreciate your honesty and insight, and have learned a lot from your videos. Thanks!

Your channel is amazing. I'm sorry you are having this experience. Thank you for all the content you create.

There might be thousand reasons why people´s voice sound different, but didn´t thought much about it. It was a bit suprising when I officially hear this. It´s fine by me. I´m here for content, not to poke around who was who etc. Please continue your content, it might get overwhelming and enjoy the bit between start and end of the mortal journey. It´s called life.

Consider Hedy Lamar’s 1969 interview (on RU-vid) with Merv Griffin and Woody Allen. Hedy was a beautiful, successful, actress but was also a very successful inventor (spread spectrum transmission technology) . Merv and Woody were way out of their league for being able to relate to Hedy respectfully. They never did ask her about her inventions and their questions and comments were so shallow and directed at her appearance. It’s worth a watch, she was a remarkable inventor at heart but the way men related to her must have been a burden for her. Stay you Fran!

One of reasons I really like your content is because it allows me to think about things in a completely new perspective I would never find by myself. Gracias.

Love you Fran. Thanks for being there and doing your thing.

Sad that this video is necessary. Keep on making great content!

You do a great job Fran. Your content speaks for yourself. Keep the obscure component videos coming.

I'm sorry that you have to deal with all those unwanted comments.. I'm glad you haven't given up youtube though, I watch you cos you make me think, and I can understand what you are saying (most of the time). Cheers from Australia.

Your authenticity is gold. It's ok to just tell those who annoy you to f-off. You give me emotional calm, so does Big Clive. Because you both just be yourselves. Watching your vids is easy company and I learn stuff. Like hanging out with a great neighbour.

looking forward to the future of franlab! you're a huge inspiration to a lot of people, and i hope that is some comfort against the creeps. your videos helped inspire my passion for diy electronics, and maybe see a future for myself in a space that's not always been the most diverse or accepting

Pay it no mind. You’re awesome. Just keep being awesome!

I love your content and I love that you keep it real. Keep on keeping on.

Fran, you ROCK, I really dig all your content- you are real and interesting and a great personality. There are sure ups and downs with lonely folks that cone with the territory. Glad you posted the "Not Interested" thing. You do not need my approval at all, but you do have it. Keep on kicking ass as a real and awesome person.

I watch for the novelty of your content first, the truly awesome historical reviews and rarely seen and even more rare info. Thank you so much for your contribution to human knowledge and understanding. Living off my retirement unfortunately curtailed my spending. Every dollar counts these days.

As to the female vs male youtube creator thing. It's basic statistics and human nature really, probably no avoiding it regardless of what you say. The RU-vid platform itself is already something like 80% male dominated, and engineeing channels are around 95% male audience, and >90% are going to be attracted to girls. And X% of those watching are going to be lonely and desperate/weird enough to comment like that. So you'd expect at least an order of magnitude difference in such comments between male and female creator channels, maybe two orders. Proportionally more on either side I'd imagine based on how generically attractive the creator is. I'm sure if you talked to a male creator who's primary audience is girls (I assume they exist?) they'd likely have a similar problem. But you might have to go off RU-vid to find a lot of that.

If I was attracted to some celebrity... I certainly wouldn't tell them.

Fran, I enjoy FRAN, . . . continue being true to-and-for yourself.

I am 53. You and I are much alike, except you are a scientist (I wish!) and I am an artist. Don't whittle yourself away to make them go away! People are horrid and no matter what or who you appear to be, they will try to impose their own fetishistic crap on you. Don't let the bastards grind you down! FranLab is awesome!

Thanks Fran. Now let's move onto a project, teardown or vintage tech review.

I absolutely love your channel for the content you put out and the way you do it. I think it wouldn’t be the same for me if I didn’t see you nerd out about pretty cool stuff and explaining things I wouldn’t have ever come across otherwise. I like your channel because it has you in it. As the wonderful person you apparently are. I’d be very glad to see you in future videos. I am a ham, I have a call sign but i will keep it to myself :). Sending some virtual spare spoons to help dealing with this. 💜

Fran, my friend and I many, many, many years ago (2000?) got on an Amtrak from Toledo to Chicago to buy our Pink Creme Puffs in Chicago, then saw DressyBessy & Scrabbel. You’re a pioneer of sound. We LOVE what you’ve done and what you do. Carry on Fran. ❤️

Maybe you can make a video about making a sign "NOT INTERESTED" from very rare display units. Put it in the background, just like the one-digit-franlab and the +692 7-segment test unit. I like you just the way you are. Please continue being YOU!! And yes: the content of the videos should be leading.

Must just be the dynamic of the Internet, I hear about it so often I imagine every female content creator goes through it no matter what they do

I’m so sorry this is such an issue Fran. I appreciate your willingness to speak out about this and make sure people are aware when what they’re doing is problematic. Love your work and hopefully society continues growing steadily, and hopefully less slowly.

I'm sorry you've had to deal with that. Thank you for sharing. I hope things get better over time.

Love your channel Fran! That’s why I’m here. You keep doing what you do best!

I watch this channel for the nerdiness that Fran brings to the table. Keep up the good work Fran!

Well 'm 70, ham radio operator, computer repair, 35 years in the electronics industry. Never ever thought about it. So please don't generalize.

I'm so sorry that you have to deal with this. I truly appreciate your expertise and your willingness to share your knowledge with us via RU-vid. Some of the subject matter that you explore, I have never heard of or been exposed to.

Fran I have so much respect for you. :). Love the channel and what you share with us ♥️

Fran, I am interested, in your content. I see youtube as a place for learning and for entertainment NOT that other thing. Please keep on being awesome.

I subbed to this channel coz I like your hard-core geek content. For me, nothing's more fun to watch than a person who is expert in what they do, and enthused to present it. You're that by the bucketful, Fran. Thanks for that.

Cool T shirt. I remember a few early Japanese Anime which aired on New Zealand television in the 60s. Gigantor and Speed Racer were hugely popular, and I remember a sort of Kurosawa-esque live action show called "The Samurai" which was the first TV show I ever saw when I was about 5 in around 1966. Go Speed Racer! Go!

Can't we all just be FRIENDS? People, don't muck up a beautiful friendship with Fran. Just be friends and cut the crap!

Love your channel and we love you, Fran! Just the way you are! Your content is awesome and it never fails to enlighten and educate. Thanks for all you do. Keep being you!

I hope these issues don't discourage you. Your content is great! Keep it coming.

I have no idea how to improve your content for a broader audience, since I like almost every topic you cover. And I enjoy the calm, friendly atmosphere your videos produce, while going into the nerdy details of a fun topic. So I just hope more people come to enjoy it, too

Fran, you’re great. Don’t let the fools get you down. Your work is very important!

The way you said “ASMR” is my favorite thing ever!

Fran lab forever!!!!! Love your videos keep them coming!!!!!

Fran! Mould Effect experiment in Zero G! Let’s make it happen, guaranteed to bring in more viewers and patrons!!

My favorite content is teardown of vintage electronics and long-form projects that might cover 2 or more episodes.

Well bang goes that idea! 😂 Love the content! Keep it up, I’ve learned a load over the years!

Sorry to hear this - I just watch your vids because they are entertaining - heck, I even bought an 8” plasma ball the other week because of you !! Keep it up - I think your channel is fab , ignore the weirdos - there aren’t many really but the connectivity of RU-vid just magnifies them :)

There will always be trolls. Pretty sure Dave gets hassiled for his voice. Either way you are who you and Pretty sure most people don't care what you look like and are just here for the content. They likely don't comment about it. The algorithm is likely to choose these videos due to the higher comment to view ratio suggesting it to more people than usual. Hope you weren't affected by the flooding in Philli. Regards from NZ

Your interesting content and your self-confidence stand on their own. Keep doing you Fran.

You rock Fran, don't change a thing!

Thanks for taking the time to discuss your knowledge of Electronics which is considerable. You have to set boundaries thanks for enlightening us all. You remind me of my grade 8 science teacher who was my favorite public school teacher, very wise knew how to generate interest in a subject.

Came for the aliens, stayed for the weird. Keep on rockin Fran.