EXCLUSIVE: We asked the ‘Hey Baby Girl’ guy for his romantic, Valentine’s Day advice

In 10,000 years, historians will look back at the canon of Western literature and say it had three great works – Hamlet by Shakespeare, The Odyssey by Homer and that "Hey Baby Girl" video by a shirtless New York teen called Dominick Romano.

You'll remember him as the eyebrow-flexing dude who made a heartfelt YouTube video for his girlfriend, Briona, on their seven month anniversary.

We just spoke to him to ask for his Valentine's Day advice, and how he remembers becoming a viral sensation six years ago.

Take a brief moment to remember what he said:

"I just wanted to wish you happy seven month anniversary, babe. I love you, you know that, right? I do! I love you so much. I love you more than there are all the hairs on every cat that Mr. McHugh owns. You know if I had even an eighth of a penny for every time that you were on my mind I’d be richer than everyone in the world all combined into one. I love you more than there are all the snowflakes in Russia."

So did Briona like the video?

Yep. She liked them both very much. It worked out quite well.

It was always weird for me in a way because people would always ask me, "Oh aren’t you embarrassed?" or "How could you do that?" Well, no. I don’t find any of that embarrassing. It’s silly. Wouldn’t you want people to know you love whoever you’re with?

How long were you guys together in the end?

We started going together around September 2011, and broke up in about June or July 2012. It was around 10 or 11 months.

So after your seven-month anniversary video, you were together for another three or four months?

Yeah. Yeah.

Was she the one who got away?

No, I wouldn’t say so.

So you’ve had girlfriends since?

Yeah.

Anyone special?

Hmm. Not really. At the time perhaps I thought so, but I don’t know. Looking back on it now, they were decent just not for me.

So Briona has been the biggest relationship you’ve had to date?

Yeah. I would say so. Definitely the longest and obviously the most well known haha.

What was the beginning of the end?

Things turned south. We started fighting and things weren’t going so well. We were unintentionally doing things to get under the other’s skin. So it was like, ok, what are we doing. First of all, we’re 14 or 15, we don’t have to be doing this. At the same time, like why are we doing this. There’s no point. In the end we decided, hey let’s not do this. Things weren't good.

It was a mutual thing?

Yeah.

Did that make it any less painful?

It wasn’t really very painful. It sort of helped by that point I had sort of gotten over it in a way. It sounds awful, but it’s what happened.

When your relationship was going on, what made her so special you were inspired to do that video?

Yeah. It was also our first real relationship. So it’s all the new, and sparkles and the luster. The honeymoon phase and stuff. Everything was amazing and I was like in a trance. Everything was so great. She wasn’t feeling so good one day so I was like, 'hey I’m going to cheer you up.’ Everything fell into place after that.

Were you guys serious? Can I ask if you guys went all the way?

Yeah, you can ask. No, we didn’t.

So what are you up to now?

As of right now, I’m working away at that restaurant. I’m doing pretty big amounts of work, lots of hours a week. I’d like to go to school this upcoming semester. I want to get out into the world a little bit, because since school I’ve been working.

What’s the dream?

I like speaking and doing things for people. Teaching could be a thing. The whole YouTube thing is something that appeals to me. Making content for people to watch, something like that probably.

What advice do you have on how to have a good Valentine’s Day?

I would say good advice is always: put yourself out there, if you can be put out there. It’s really one of the best things you can do. People will say things because you’re making yourself more vulnerable and easier to be the subject of ridicule or laughter or whatever. But if you just do that.

Just put yourself out there. If there’s someone you’d like to take out, just see what’s up. The worst that can happen is they say no.

And any tips on if you were to make a video message?

Less eyebrow action. Probably put on a shirt. Other than that, be concise and don’t drag it out for too long.

Any big plans for Valentine's Day today?

Nah, probably not. Just gonna play a couple battles of Pokémon with my sister. Stay inside and stay relaxed, away from all the chaos.

@hshukman