Jerma985

Jerma was born Jeremy Harrington on September 22, 1985, in Boston, Massachusetts, to an Irish-American father and a Polish-American mother. After completing his secondary education, he pursued higher education and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in communication studies.

Following his college graduation, he worked as a freelance wedding videographer before transitioning into online video production and gaming content creation.

Jerma launched his YouTube channel, Jerma985, on June 11, 2011, uploading his debut commentary video, "TF2- Spy: Goldrush (First Commentary)," that same day. His early catalog centered primarily on gameplay commentary for Team Fortress 2 and Grand Theft Auto, frequently featuring collaborative videos alongside fellow creator STAR_. Around 2012, he was temporarily partnered with the gaming network Machinima.

In March 2014, he introduced the "Jerma Rumble", an annual tradition that used the creation suites of WWE 2K video games to pit eccentric and absurd custom characters against one another in simulated wrestling matches. In August 2016, he adapted the concept into a live-action wrestling sketch.

Beyond gameplay videos, he produced short animated films using the 1994 software Microsoft 3D Movie Maker, creating Rat Movie: Mystery of the Mayan Treasure and Rat Movie 2: The Movie. He also contributed voice acting to independent video games, portraying the Horse Lord in Apotheon and the Engineer in Cryptark.

In 2016, Jerma transitioned his primary focus to live streaming on Twitch, leaving his original YouTube channel as an archive while distributing edited broadcast highlights through a secondary channel, 2ndJerma. His live broadcasts became known for unconventional formats, green-screen skits, and physical comedy that involved the audience.

In September 2019, he staged a real-life robot carnival stream in which chat viewers remotely controlled physical robots to play carnival games such as ring toss and a dunk tank. In March 2021, he teamed with a paleontologist from the Nevada Science Center for a mock archaeological dig stream where he "unearthed" Grotto Beasts!, a fictitious 1990s trading card game created in collaboration with multiple artists.

In August 2021, he broadcast The Jerma985 Dollhouse, a three-part interactive production inspired by The Sims. Built on a custom set, the show allowed viewers to vote on his actions, hygiene, and household events in real time. The project won Best Streamed Event at the 2021 Streamer Awards. In August 2022, he hosted the Jerma Baseball Association exhibition at CarShield Field, serving as the umpire in a comedic baseball game between semi-professional players and circus performers.

On June 12, 2023, Jerma joined Offbrand, a creative production company co-founded by streamer Ludwig Ahgren, serving as its chief creative officer. During this period, he announced plans to shift toward a "soft retirement" from full-time regular streaming to focus on collaborative productions.

He stepped down from his executive role at Offbrand in June 2024 for personal reasons and formally moved away from full-time streaming, while continuing to make occasional appearances and broadcasts.