Please everyone if you’re not using something like Ublock Origin (best in the game imo) you’re doing the internet wrong.
Some say they play ads to support content creators but they make almost nothing from them because Google is so greedy. Best way to support them is direct, $5 on buy me a coffee or a patreon subscription.
Yeah, you are not the only one with that problem...
I don't know wheather this is an option for you, but there is also a way to use YouTube without using it. There is a project called Invidious. Like in the lemmy universe, there are multiple instances. One of them is https://yewtu.be
You can use it as a website, but it's also a progressive webapp. That means, you can go to the website and install it as an app via the browser options. This works on most devices, but I don't you whether your TV is one of them..
Whenever possible, just pay them directly through PayPal or a similar service. Out of the money you pay to someone on Patreon, the creator usually ends up with less than 50% due to VAT, payment processor fees, Patreon fees, and income tax. By skipping Patreon, the creator doesn't lose out to VAT and Patreon fees.
More creators need to start using Liberapay. It's a non-profit organization that funds itself via donations, so the only fees it charges are the ones being passed through from the underlying payment processor. It also avoids VAT by prohibiting creators from offering anything in exchange for payment.