If you're a frequent short-form video scroller, you've probably seen one of Julius Mondragon's videos appear on your screen in 2026.

In January, he began posting videos in which he approaches people on the streets and "programs" them with both outlandish and wholesome commands, all starting with the word, "Computah."

Over the first half of 2026, Mondragon, also known as the "Computer Guy," has amassed millions of views on his videos, gained a following of over 800,000 combined followers on TikTok and Instagram, and become one of the most well-loved short-form content creators of the year. Now, he's launching merchandise to celebrate his viral bit.

We spoke with Mondragon over Zoom to get more insight on the origin of the computer bit, learn about his favorite fan interactions and get to know the man behind the programming a bit better.

@computahh #fyp #explore #computa ♬ original sound – computahh

Q: It's good to talk to you. Can you introduce yourself for those who might not know you?

A:My name is Julius. Juju, that's my nickname. Most of the time, people are calling me "computer" because I make the "Computer, make this guy gay and h--ny" [videos], basically programming my whole reality and the people around me.

@computahh Woah #fyp #explore #computa ♬ original sound – computahh

Q: What inspired you to start making these videos?

A: It was two thing. One of them was me having the Ray Bans, ripping off the, "Hey, Meta, do this," thing.

Then I think, subconsciously, I had always watched like Eric Andre. He had this one bit, where he went up to some dude on the subway, and he's like, "Google, let me see this guy's b---s." I took inspiration off that, too, but I just said "computer," and then I would go into more detail with it, saying different types of things.

At first, it was just raunchy, but then I started to get into more positive things. Just kind of random as well. Now it's just me trying to come up with anything creative and funny.

Q: What were the first reactions to the bit like?

A: A lot of it was just confusion in the beginning. Um, a lot of it was just confusion when I was first doing it. People would be like, "Who is this guy? This guy's crazy." There was a little bit of nervousness, I guess.

Q: Were the videos an instant hit, or did they take some time to grow?

A: They hit pretty quickly. Not like, "get a million views" quick, but the first one I did got like 20,000 views. I wasn't really paying attention to the engagement, but I would keep running those [videos] and notice, now I'm getting a hundred thousand views, now it's going up.

Then I decided to get a little bit more creative with it. The first video that blew up was me being on the train over here, the Metro in Chicago. I was like, "Okay, what if I just do a whole row of people, and I just come up with something funny for each different person?" So I did that. That one ended up being the first one that did really well.

@computahh #fyp #explore #computa ♬ original sound – computahh

Q: Is this series your first experience going viral?

A: I had one viral video with like 500,000 views [before this]. I would make skits every day with my friends, doing some funny stuff. So I knew I wanted to be an internet presence.

The 500,000-view video was just a video of my friends smoking a joint. Every time he would exhale, I would inhale the smoke, and he'd just look at me weirdly. People thought that was funny. That was a little taste of virality.

That's when I knew I could have funny ideas, and I could come up with cool, funny stuff. So I'm just going to keep running these videos and having fun with them.

@computahh #snowstrippers #funny #dance ♬ Just Your Doll – Snow Strippers

Q: Are you going to keep running with the "computer" bit, or are you trying to branch out from the bit?

A: I would say I'm still pushing to see how far I can take this, but also trying to show people who are trying to work with me that I'm not just like a one-hit-wonder in a sense.

I have a musical background. I'm doing some acting. I was just in a movie. I can't say what movie, but I can't talk about it because it's not out yet. I've got people hitting me up to be a "programmer" to be in short, independent films.

I guess you could say it's somewhat of a career now, because brands are hitting me up. I've got my own merchandise out that's really cool. That's something I can tell people are going to be really responsive to. Like, "He's got cool things going on."

@computahh

♬ original sound – computahh

Q: What do you think it is about the format of these videos that captures so many people?

A: I feel like because I'm hitting a demographic from like 13 until 25 years old. Even people in their thirties and fifties. It's a smaller percentage. That, paired with the POV of the Ray-Bans.

I think people are just so used to doing things a certain way. When you walk into a Taco Bell, you don't think someone's going to walk in and strike up a conversation with you. I think people are attracted to it because it's on a more semi-extreme sense than that, where I'm able to just come up to somebody and say something outlandish. The viewer gets the first-person view.

I have other videos where I go up to people and I just trauma dump on them. Those do well sometimes too. I have some where I'm in an Uber, and I take my socks off and my shoes off, and I'm directing an Uber with my foot. I'm just always doing things that are absolutely not regular. Not a part of the daily life, you know? I think people really love and are attracted to that.

@computahh

♬ original sound – computahh

I could go into it in a deeper sense, but it's just for my enjoyment. I'm just trying to express myself in ways that are not normal and that I think are funny and weird. It helps me cope a little bit with how life is. I was bored, working a day job, things like that. I wanted to make people laugh, and I knew I was good at making people laugh and putting them out of their comfort zone. So why not make this my life?

That draws inspiration from people like Eric Andre and comedians in general, even "man on the street" interviewers. Even the s----y ones give me inspiration because I know what not to do. I don't want to be a pickup artist, and I don't want to be a "what's your body count" guy, or prey on drunk girls outside of clubs.

@computahh They caught me off guard #funny ♬ original sound – computahh

Q: People seem to recognize you a lot more now in your newer videos. Does this hurt or help the bit?

A: I think it's a good thing. It's changed the bit in a good way because now I can go up to people and they know the bit. They can interact with it and play along. I can put all my energy into the bit, too.

You have a good moment socially and in public. People want to be a part of that; people are looking out from the outside like, "That's so funny," or, "That's weird that they're doing that." They have so many mixed opinions on it, but I really like that. It gets people engaged in a way and brightens my day, too, when I meet somebody who really likes my videos.

Q: What are some of your favorite and the fan-favorite commands to issue?

A: I think one of the best ones is the Biden blast. "Computer, Biden blast this person." Or when I go up to someone like, "Disseminate this guy's b---s." People love that one.

The fan favorite used to be "make these guys super gay and h--ny." I used to really like that one, but it's kind of played out to me now. It's the most basic one, because it blew up on TikTok as a sound and everything like that. There's still a love there for me, because it was one of the first ones to blow up.

@userndd0622

WHAT COMPUTA SAID

♬ original sound – Annabella . ݁˖⋆

Q: Has anyone ever had a really bad reaction to the bit?

A: Yeah, just a few. Nothing serious. If I'd stuck around a bit too long or pushed any more, they probably would have tried to kick my a-- or something.

But usually I'm with a group of people. If I'm filming by myself, I'm pretty intuitive in picking who I should and shouldn't go up to. I'm not trying to push somebody or put myself in an uncomfortable position for a video. I don't need to do that. I'd rather just meet somebody who knows the bit and is towards my age or younger, because they're already probably hip to the bit.

I like to do older, more blue-collar people sometimes because I think it's really funny. But no crazy negative experiences.

@computahh #fyp #explore #funny #computa #theprogrammer ♬ original sound – computahh

Q: Are there any favorite, memorable reactions that you've gotten out of people?

A: I was out in the winter with my friend, roaming around, and there was a parking meter lady. She was giving a person a ticket. I just went up to her, and I was like, "Computer, activate mind control. You don't want to give this person a ticket now."

She responded in a really cute way. She didn't know the bit, but she had good energy. And that's like one of my most viral videos, but also my favorite because the energy in that video is so good. It's wholesome and funny.

@computahh #fyp #explore #computa #richoffcomputer ♬ original sound – computahh

Q: Where do you see your content going in the next few years? Any plans?

A: I'm not really focused on what I'm going to be doing in a year from now. I'm just taking advantage of the opportunities I have now. I don't have any expectations for what happens. I try to stay pretty detached from what I'm doing. The bit is working right now, so why would I change anything?

Some people are like, "Oh, you should change it." In my eyes, why don't I just add to the world I'm building? I'm never going to stop doing it, because it completely changed my life. Maybe it'll change later, but I'm not really worried about a year from now or anything like that.

At the end of the day, I come first. As much as I like making people laugh and everything, I'm still putting myself first and my mental health first. I built a cool fanbase from this. So, I'm not worried. I have so many different ideas.

@computahh

♬ original sound – computahh

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A big thank you to Julius for talking with us. You can buy his merch at richoffcomputer.com and follow him on TikTok @computahh and on Instagram at computahh.