Streamer Allan Alvarez Is Not Your Average Speedrunner GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO News > Streaming

Streamer Allan Alvarez Is Not Your Average Speedrunner

With a handle like 'Cheese' you just know there's so much more

By Brandon Sams Brandon Sams Tech News Reporter Texas State University Brandon Sams is an experienced perspective journalist and writer with a concentration in digital media through management, copy-editing, writing, and content production. lifewire's editorial guidelines Published on November 19, 2021 03:10PM EST Fact checked by Jerri Ledford Fact checked by Jerri Ledford Western Kentucky University Gulf Coast Community College Jerri L. Ledford has been writing, editing, and fact-checking tech stories since 1994. Her work has appeared in Computerworld, PC Magazine, Information Today, and many others. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Streaming Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming The person behind the humanlike cheese avatar, appropriately named 'Cheese,' and the high octane Super Mario 64 speedrunning is Allan Alvares: a young man hoping to buck the conventions of what it means to be a content creator on Twitch. He rejects the label altogether. Instead, opting for the term' influencer.' It's a title he thinks more appropriately suits his motivations. Allan Alvarez. Allan Alvarez "I call myself an influencer because that's what I like doing. I don't care too much about what kind of content I make. I love influencing," Alvarez said in a phone interview with Lifewire. "I want to do something and show what I can do and, hopefully, make people want to do it as well. And I do get that a lot [from people saying I influenced them], and I love it." Aside from being an inspiration for speedrunners in gaming, Alvarez wants to help educate the gaming world. He wants to teach his audience about the reality of life in developing countries and give them a little perspective. From Venezuela to island life on the archipelago of Trinidad and Tobago to finding respite in the historic city of Madrid, Alvarez has an uncharted point-of-view that he brings to his 230,000 followers on YouTube and Twitch.

Quick Facts

Name: Allan Alvarez Age: 26Located: Madrid, SpainRandom Delight: Alvarez characterizes himself as an exceptionally competitive person. With a history in competitive sports like soccer and volleyball as well as live music with his band Feedback, the 26-year-old streamer adores "high-intensity, stressful disciplines." Motto: "Hard work always pays off."

Life on the Go

Alvarez has learned a lot about the world around him. He described life in Trinidad as particularly difficult due to gang violence, what he deemed "regressive attitudes," and a general lack of resources. "Growing up on a small island that a lot of people don't even know exists, there are a lot of things you have to learn the hard way. I had to learn tough love. There was no safe space," he said. "Add in that the Caribbean is one of the most homophobic places on Earth, and being a gay man growing up trying to accept myself? It was so difficult." The young streamer was lucky to have an accepting family—namely, his father's three gay siblings, who he would eventually connect with in Spain. But while his family fostered his personal side, his gaming ambitions remained untapped. He recalled his parents seldom allowed him to play video games. However, his natural talent was something that could not be denied. He discovered Twitch in its infancy around 2013 and began his storied journey in speedrunning in May 2014. The young Alvarez channeled his discontent into the thrill of competition. The competition aspect had always been the most exciting feature of gaming for him growing up. Allan Alvarez He broke his first world record in 2015. Cheese rang across the community, and a mass of fans flooded his streams and live events to see his fast-acting gameplay. Yet, his personal life was not as glamorous. After his father's family moved from Venezuela to Spain, the budding streamer decided to join them, hoping for a fresh start. "I was depressed for years in Trinidad. The stream was going great, but I didn't want to be home anymore," he said. "The difference between going from a third-world island in the Caribbean to a first-world metropolis in Europe was immediate. I remember crying because I was so happy. I always tell people, my life started once I got to Spain."

The Brie-lliant World of Cheese

Cheese was on the rise. Throughout his seven years on Twitch, Alvarez has broken Super Mario 64 speedrunning world records while maintaining a sizable audience. A relaxed audience that Alvarez says avoids the more “volatile meme culture” of the speedrunning community. A typical cheese stream combines real-life social issues with high-velocity gameplay for an interesting cross-section of disparate worlds—a natural byproduct of his own diversity. “I like to bring up topics that some streamers would call controversial. It’s more fun, honestly. It’s just fun to talk about interesting things. It’s really boring to me to stream and talk about a video game the whole time. I’m already playing the video game. I don’t want to talk about it as well,” he said. I call myself an influencer because that's what I like doing. I don't care too much about what kind of content I make. I love influencing. Alvarez is not afraid to offend people, but he does so with a sense of purpose. Learning how to have difficult conversations with difficult people is what a life of constant change has taught him. The most important lesson, he said, is education. “[That] is how you defeat bigotry. Not just yelling at people.” Controversial topics (which he deems are not controversial at all), live events, and his superb gameplay are the ingredients needed to make this batch of fine cheese. In this instance, Cheese is more than just an appetizer. It’s something special. Something more fulfilling. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Watch the Pirates of the Caribbean Movies in Order The Top 12 Twitch Streamers of 2021 The 504 Best Instagram Captions of 2022 The 16 Funniest Podcasts of 2022 The Best Family Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (October 2022) 8 Best Podcasts for Young Adults of 2022 The 15 Best Inspirational Movies of 2022 Who Is Notch? Minecraft Creator Markus Alexej Persson The Ins and Outs of Facebook Creeping Chris Motley Helps Advance Careers for BIPOC Individuals The Best Shows on Amazon Prime Right Now (March 2021) Kinda Funny’s Andy Cortez Is Carving His Own Comedic Space on Twitch Music Streamer WhoIsFelyce Wants to Create Connections Through Music Sergio Suarez, Jr. Uses AI to Help Businesses Manage Their Data Elix Uses Streaming to Help Others Embrace Radical Self-Confidence Jehron Petty’s Nonprofit Inspires BIPOC Computer Science Students Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies