In 2010, a Kansas City comic put a snake hat on his head, looked into a webcam and announced he was a slithery little sneaky snake. That video now has more than 35 million YouTube views, and the guy in the hat went on to write many of the roasts on Wendy’s Twitter.

Quick answer

Matt Keck is a Kansas City stand-up comedian, the creator of the 2010 viral video “I’m a Snake,” which Daniel Tosh showed on Tosh.0. He spent about a decade on the team behind Wendy’s Twitter roasts at the agency VML, released the special The Dirty Kid from Kansas City on YouTube in 2024, and hosts the web series KC Streetcar Takes.

Key takeaways

  • He uploaded “I’m a Snake” on August 22, 2010. It has more than 35 million views on YouTube.
  • Tosh.0 featured the clip in its season three premiere on January 11, 2011.
  • He worked on the Wendy’s social accounts at VML for about 10 years and left as a creative director.
  • His first recorded special, The Dirty Kid from Kansas City, is free on his YouTube channel.
  • Since early 2026 he has hosted KC Streetcar Takes, filmed on board the Kansas City streetcar.

The snake hat that never went away

The original video is about as low-budget as the internet gets. A young man sits in front of a dark curtain with an orange and yellow snake hat perched on his head, fangs dangling over his forehead. He stares into the camera and says, flatly, “I’m a snake.” Then he keeps going for close to two minutes.

Matt Keck posted it to YouTube on August 22, 2010, according to Know Your Meme. Within months it landed in the “Viewer Video” segment of Comedy Central’s Tosh.0, in the season three premiere that aired January 11, 2011. Keck’s own website says the clip also turned up on Web Soup, Rude Tube and Ridiculousness. As of October 17, 2026, the original upload shows more than 35.1 million views.

Years later, he still brings the hat on stage. In a set filmed in front of a Burbank Comedy Festival backdrop and posted to his Instagram on October 13, 2026, he pulls it on during the set: “So I ruined my life 15 years ago by putting a video on the internet called ‘I’m a Snake,'” he tells the crowd in the clip. It had 1.7 million plays within four days.

Who is Matt Keck?

Matt Keck is a stand-up comedian, writer and host from the Kansas City area. Plenty of people know his work without knowing his name. He is the “I’m a Snake” guy, and he is also one of the people behind the sarcastic replies that made the Wendy’s Twitter account famous.

He describes the special he released in 2024 as being about “what it’s like living life as an ancient YouTube meme.” On his website, he says he simply likes to make things that make people smile or think.

A March 2026 Kansas City Magazine profile said he calls Independence home and works for Maximum Effort, the production company of actor Ryan Reynolds. His website lists him as a creative director there.

How did Matt Keck get started in comedy?

Keck was already doing stand-up when he made the snake video. He told The Pitch in 2024 that he hoped the clip would lead viewers to his stand-up. Instead, it led to an unusual day job.

A man who knew him through stand-up worked at the ad agency VML, which had just taken over Wendy’s social media. “They had me write some jokes and see if it worked for social media,” Keck told The Pitch. He worked hourly for about four months before he was hired. He had no advertising or copywriting background, and by the time he left VML about 10 years later, he was a creative director.

During those years he helped create Feast of Legends, a Wendy’s-branded tabletop role-playing game that was played on the podcast Critical Role, and the Wendy’s mixtape We Beefin?, according to The Pitch. His website says the Wendy’s work won at Cannes Lions eight years in a row.

He kept performing. A clip on his YouTube channel comes from a 2013 show at the Kansas City Improv, where he was opening for Doug Stanhope.

What is Matt Keck known for on stage?

The sets he posts lean on stories and a lot of self-deprecation. The snake video is a running thread, especially the strange requests he gets on Cameo, where fans can still pay him for a personalized “I’m a Snake” greeting. He turned those requests into a full bit.

One of his most-played stand-up clips on Instagram is a story about a drunk friend, a stash of nickels and a late-night Taco Bell run. Posted in February 2025, it had 9.8 million plays as of October 17, 2026. A January 2024 post revisiting the original snake video, pinned to his profile, sits at 13.8 million plays.

In June 2026 he did a one-night guest set at the Kansas City Funny Bone, opening for Steve Byrne, and posted the full set to YouTube.

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Have you seen Matt Keck do stand-up live?

What is The Dirty Kid from Kansas City?

The Dirty Kid from Kansas City is Keck’s stand-up special, which he released for free on his YouTube channel in May 2024. The video description calls it his first stand-up recording. It runs about 52 minutes and covers the snake video, Cameo, his time running the Wendy’s Twitter account, marriage and family. It is not a clean set.

Matt Keck’s full special, The Dirty Kid from Kansas City (2024), from his YouTube channel. Contains explicit language.

What is KC Streetcar Takes?

KC Streetcar Takes is a weekly comedy interview series that borrows its format from New York’s Subway Takes. Keck rides the KC Streetcar with a microphone, asks guests and riders for their hottest opinion, then agrees or disagrees. Axios Kansas City reported in February 2026 that producer David Henderson of Fountain City Productions picked Keck to host, leaning on his improv background and his local internet fame. The show is filmed through an official partnership with the streetcar, and the only rule is no politics.

Keck told Axios his job is to make the guests look good. “The reason I’m there is so they can look cool,” he said. “This is a Midwest conversation. We’re gonna have fun, and we’re gonna surprise people.”

He told Kansas City Magazine he doesn’t review the topics ahead of time. “This is the realest project you’ll get from me,” he said. The show’s first live event, Streetcar Takes Live, was scheduled for October 16, 2026, at The Rino in Kansas City, according to his Instagram.

Where can you watch Matt Keck?

What Type Where
I’m a Snake (2010) Viral video YouTube
The Dirty Kid from Kansas City (2024) Stand-up special YouTube
Burbank Comedy Festival set (2024) Stand-up set YouTube
KC Streetcar Takes (2026) Comedy interview series Instagram, TikTok, YouTube
The Bottom Boys Cast Podcast with Paul Shields Apple Podcasts
Master Traitors The Traitors watch-along podcast with Paul Shields YouTube

His YouTube channel also carries Magic School Dropout, a series he lists among his shows. In 2024 he launched #RoastME, a short podcast series about the history of the Wendy’s Twitter account, The Pitch reported.

Is Matt Keck on tour?

As of October 2026, neither his website nor his Linktree lists tour dates. He announces shows on Instagram, where he goes by @arsonclubkc. For bookings, his Instagram bio lists hiremattkeck@gmail.com.

How many followers does Matt Keck have?

As of October 17, 2026, @arsonclubkc has 127.8K followers on Instagram. His YouTube channel has 82.5K subscribers, and the Arson Club TikTok has 54.1K followers. Arson Club is also the name he uses for projects with fellow comedian Paul Shields.

Where to follow Matt Keck

Frequently asked questions

Who is the “I’m a Snake” guy?

Matt Keck, a Kansas City stand-up comedian. He uploaded “I’m a Snake” to YouTube on August 22, 2010. Comedy Central’s Tosh.0 featured it in January 2011, and the original upload now has more than 35 million views.

Did Matt Keck run the Wendy’s Twitter account?

Yes. He joined the Wendy’s social team at the agency VML after a contact who knew him through stand-up brought him in. He worked there about 10 years, writing many of the brand’s roasts, and left as a creative director.

Where is Matt Keck from?

He is from the Kansas City area. Kansas City Magazine reported in March 2026 that he calls Independence home, and his special is titled The Dirty Kid from Kansas City.

Where can I watch Matt Keck’s stand-up special?

The Dirty Kid from Kansas City, his first recorded special, is free on his YouTube channel. He released it in May 2024. It runs about 52 minutes and contains explicit language.

What show does Matt Keck host?

He hosts KC Streetcar Takes, a weekly series filmed on the KC Streetcar in which guests share their hottest opinion. It launched in early 2026, and episodes post on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Is Matt Keck on Cameo?

Yes. Fans can book a personalized video from him at cameo.com/imasnake, including a custom “I’m a Snake” greeting. He has turned some of the odder requests into a stand-up bit.

Image credits

  • Featured image: A KC Streetcar in Kansas City, Missouri. Matt Keck films his interview series Streetcar Takes on the city’s streetcar line. Photo: Jason Doss from Kansas City, MO, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped.

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