How a parody video in the style of 1990s Europop turned its creators into viral stars — and their joke into a hit song

The TikTokers were invited to perform in front of thousands of fans after their parody track went hugely viral.TikTok: @jonasbrothers, @kylegordonisgreat, Kyle Gordon, @squidbender

• Comedian Kyle Gordon created the character DJ Crazy Times back in 2013.
• A decade later he released "Planet of the Bass," a parody song by the fictional musician

Comedy actor Kyle Gordon has over 3.1 million followers on TikTok, where he regularly posts sketches featuring a host of popular personas, including a gang member from the 1950s, an old-timey baseball player, and a progressive pastor.

He's been posting on the app since 2020, often incorporating music elements into his skits, and created a recurring personality he named DJ Crazy Times, a European disc jockey from 1999 with a loose grasp of English grammar and an overwhelming enthusiasm for fist-pumping music.

Gordon wrote in a 2020 video caption that DJ Crazy Times was a character he'd been playing since 2013.

A decade after its creation, the fictitious musician has skyrocketed to internet fame thanks to his latest song, racking up well over 200 million views across social media, and ultimately performing live in front of thousands of fans.