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A massively viral YouTube video was just exposed as a total hoax on TV
A massively viral YouTube video was just exposed as a total hoax on TV
Megan WillettNov 19, 2015, 21:42 IST
YouTubeTwo weeks ago, an Australian YouTuber's "social experiment" went viral with over two million views.But this week, it was exposed as a hoax - complete with paid actors - by the Australian show Today Tonight, first spotted on Reddit.The original video was created by YouTube personality Adrian Gee, who describes his previous videos as pranks, street interviews, and "public trolling." His previous titles include Asking Sexy Girls for Sex and Showing My Penis to Strangers. His channel has almost 189,000 subscribers and over 15 million views.YouTubeIn the video, Gee pretended to be blind and asked strangers if they could make change for $5 while holding out a $50. Some people who appeared in the video stole the money from the "blind" man, others gave him change for a $5 and walked away with the $50, while still others were honest and not only told him he was holding out a $50, but gave him change for the $5.You can watch the original video below.As expected, it went viral and Gee started making appearances on television shows explaining that the video was a social experiment and discussing the various reactions of passersby. That is, until he appeared on Australia's Channel Seven program Today Tonight, where the interviewer told him on camera that he knew the people in the video were actors.YouTube"But your whole video is a lie, because everyone in it is an actor," journalist Rodney Lohse said to Gee, after he confronted him with the headshots and acting resumes of all the people in the video from a casting website called Star Now. One of the actors had even listed Gee's video on his resume."Yeah, yeah right," Gee responded at first. "I mean no, that's not right."You can watch the Today Tonight reporter expose Gee's video as a hoax below.Today Tonight even spoke with one of the actors from the video who said Gee reached out to him through Star Now over email and asked him to do the fake social experiment.He said he was shocked to see that Gee presented him as a real thief in the YouTube video. Because of a very distinctive arm scar, he's even had his family members recognize him and ask why he stole the money.YouTubeSince the segment aired, Gee took to Periscope to present his side of the story."If you asked me would I film that video from the start if I knew this was going to happen, I would probably say no," he said in the 30-minute Periscope video. Gee also defended his original video and said what he didn't think it was a "con" and told watchers sarcastically that the "interview was really harsh, I felt like crying."He also said obviously some of his videos were staged, but that he doesn't see it as a bad thing."[I] never asked for money, right?" he said. "In the end, it's just entertainment."
