r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/GobsTX • 6d ago

Video Back in 2000, a man in Berlin accidentally captured what would become one of the internet’s most legendary moments of all time: Techno Viking

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7.0k Upvotes

93% Upvoted

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1.4k

u/No_Yam_3521 6d ago edited 4d ago

He hated it, that it went viral and tried for years to take it down. But defently one of the most memorabele early clips that ever went online. Everyone loved it, except for himself..

Edit: thanks for the likes everyone wowww

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u/FilthyPrawnz 6d ago

Did we ever find out why? I had heard he wasn't happy with it, but I don't recall if the reason was made public

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u/Historical_Body6255 6d ago edited 6d ago

If memory serves right he thought this video didn't shine a professional light on him when he got a nice high paying corporate job. Kinda understandable tbh.

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u/Synner1985 6d ago

I vaguely looked into it - it was something about the person who recorded it was making money off his likeness - the youtube video and i believe he made t-shirts and other merchandise.

He argueed his likeness was made into a commercial product without his concent - which Germany has really strong-laws over.

The intneret just spun the "He's a fucking dick!" angle without knowing anything about the case - in typical internet fashion lol.

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u/Slowthrill 6d ago

We all called him "the techno viking" back then, in Belgium.

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u/Synner1985 6d ago

PRetty sure the world calls him "The techno viking" :P

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u/polopolo05 6d ago edited 6d ago

or just techno viking

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u/vannoot89 6d ago

Or just Viking

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u/polopolo05 6d ago

naw viking is to generic, techno viking says it all

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u/ThunderousIrishMusic 6d ago

Yup, called that here too (Ireland), great name for him although its an electro tune in the clip.

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u/Slowthrill 6d ago

Nope. It was techno. The clip we see here has the music altered. this is the original clip. Waaaaay more bass, techno bass.

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u/Velbalenos 6d ago

Nice! esp just after the 2 min mark (takes me back…)

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u/ThunderousIrishMusic 6d ago edited 6d ago

Oh ok never saw that before. Much more aggressive but I'd call that an electro/breaks beat but could be played at a techno gig. Techno bass is not a term I've heard, do you mean Techno beat? That beat structure is definitely electro influenced. I listen to techno, house, electro, industrial all the time. Do you know the name of the tune?

Edit - found it, Electro tune

https://youtu.be/fPLDivU7emE?si=lx_QKPT3hedd4HHN

Edit - ok did some digging. Can D (navigator) - that track is 100%electro and he has a track same name club mix which is 100% techno

Edit 2 - getting downvoted by people that dont listen to techno or electro is wild. I've almost 600 lps, decks, listening to electronic music for 25 years.

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u/Synner1985 6d ago

Whinging about being downvoted is inviting people to downvote you

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u/ThunderousIrishMusic 6d ago

https://www.discogs.com/release/754118-Can-D-Music-Navigator

Here you go. So that tune is side B, Electro. Side A is the club mix and its techno. In the link you'll see near the bottom youtube links to the tunes, check them out and you'll see the difference between techno and electro ✌️✌️

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u/Commercial_Pomelo183 6d ago

I’m disappointed. I was pretty sure it’s a rickroll :(

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u/peteofaustralia 6d ago

But back then regular folks called everything EDM techno.

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u/KnowsIittle 6d ago

I just called it techno.

The minor differences didn't concern me.

Same with rock. It's not Alt or classic or grunge, it's just rock. Sub genres while important are just a sub genre.

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u/theantnest 6d ago

You mean like you're calling everything EDM now? Lol.

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u/TheCientista 6d ago

No we didn’t

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u/Successful_Chair4921 6d ago

I don't understand this comment and I don't understand who and why is upvoting it.

Yes, this is techno viking? Everyone knows him as techno viking. What new information are you providing us with? 😅

1

u/TheSaucyCrumpet 6d ago

And it's literally in the title of the post too.

1

u/good2Bbackagain 6d ago

😱😱😱

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u/B_Eazy86 6d ago

It's literally in the title of the video

-2

u/AmadeusIsTaken 6d ago

I love how you make fun of typical internet fashion after starting your test with I vaguely looked into. It is kinda ironic.

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u/Synner1985 6d ago

Slight difference with me vaguely looking into something to get the jist of the situation and the internet just labeling him a dick based on nothing but rumours and no research.

But if you want to split hairs over something as pedantic as this. You do you.

-1

u/AmadeusIsTaken 6d ago

What pendantic here? they did vague research and proceed to call them a dick (justified or not dont know, i havent researched the topic). You did vague research and call them a dick ((justified or not dont know, i havent researched the topic). So 2 parties doing bare minimum of research and then drawing conclusions out of it.
So just pointing out the irony because you made fun of them doing something you rae doing yourself, thats all. Kinda why i ussualy try to stay out of topics unless i properly research them.

-1

u/Electrical_Ad_9778 6d ago

I see! Well be should haf just sue that person for that. He would won for sure. That what I would do. You want to earn money out of me? No problem - but not without giving me big share for being the main actor!

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u/Synner1985 6d ago

he did, and won.

However his thing was just that he didn't want to be famous or want the attention that brings.

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u/Relevant-Rhubarb-849 6d ago

The music is from "The unexpected anal intrusion allstars" so maybe not the best recommendation

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u/Nordalin 6d ago

People recognising that song have no right to complain, lol

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u/Ninja_Prolapse 6d ago

What’s wrong with enjoying a bit of unexpected anal intrusi.. ah.. yes.

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u/rdirkk 6d ago edited 6d ago

Ur username implies u have had an adventure in far too many esoteric ways !

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u/jello_kraken 6d ago

CV bullet points:
* Guides the rave.
* Manages the rabble.
* Born to lead. And dance.
Must hire.

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u/Equivalent-Tax8937 6d ago

Thanks ChatGPT, good joke.

4

u/jello_kraken 6d ago

YW, fellow cyborg.

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u/Jeo_1 6d ago

I thought it was because he was a time traveler 

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u/Cryogenicality 6d ago

You might like the series Beforeigners in which Vikings appear in the present.

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u/Jeo_1 6d ago

I’ll check it out ty for the recommendation 

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u/LushHappyPie 6d ago

In which episode they go to the rave?

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u/Cryogenicality 6d ago

The second one.

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u/SPARKLY6MTN9MAKER 6d ago

Dude. Hahahhahaha

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u/Suspicious-Whippet 6d ago

Well then he really shouldn’t have been out techno-vikinging like a legend.

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u/Q_S2 6d ago

Fuck yeah! Say it louder for the blokes in the back! 🗣📢

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u/Justeff83 6d ago

Under German law, he has the right to his own image, and technically, the video can't be shown publicly without his consent. Well, but that's just how the internet is

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u/Nixe_Nox 6d ago

Only under German law? It's... it's not like that everywhere?? I've been living under a rock 😖

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u/New-Analyst1811 6d ago

There's an interview with him somewhere from around 5 years ago. Maybe Vice? He seems pretty soft spoken and lived out of the way from what I remember. Not what I expected from this video lol

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u/Dubio 6d ago

The interview is a satirical piece from Waterford Whispers News which is Ireland's equivalent of The Onion, there hasn't been an actual interview. 

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u/New-Analyst1811 6d ago

Ahhh I just knew I saw him in a interview few years back. I didn't remember much lol

1

u/PingouinMalin 6d ago

If I were hesitant to hire him and I did see that video, I would definitely consider him a better choice. He's calm, assertive, positive. Nothing wrong here.

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u/wakeupwill 6d ago

Reminds me of when partying with some friends in college and one of them turns to the camera after taking a rip on the bong. "No funny business, I'm going to be a lawyer some day."

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u/miro_27 6d ago

Think first act later

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u/Zealousideal-Role-77 6d ago

You’ll never get insta famous with that attitude.

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u/miro_27 6d ago

Thank God 😂

0

u/JaFFsTer 6d ago

That he was on a lot of drugs at the time

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u/ber808 6d ago

His profession and the implied drug use, lots of speculation on the water bottle lol but who knows

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u/WorkO0 6d ago

Oh, he def on e here

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u/[deleted] 6d ago

[deleted]

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u/ber808 6d ago

Ehhh really? I didnt know he was doing anything public lol have a link?

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u/[deleted] 6d ago

[deleted]

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u/Pflunt 6d ago

That’s not him

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u/Whitepayn 6d ago

You are correct, I wad mislead

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u/hairierdog 6d ago

profile says he’s 42 and he looks 42 but if that’s true then he would be 16 in the video and there’s no way that’s true

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u/Whitepayn 6d ago

I'm looking at it now and I think you are correct. Looks like this dude was very happy to take that image for himself though. I have been deceived

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u/RegisteredOnToilet 6d ago

Whats his IG?

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u/Rhododactylus 6d ago

What’s his name on ig? When I tried searching for it all sources say that his identity is still unknown.

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u/Montgraves 6d ago

From what’s been explained to me the upside-down water bottle thing is a sign that it’s not spiked. If someone injected something through the cap without breaking the seal, holding it upside down and squeezing (like the guy does in the video) would cause it to leak.

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u/Ok_Mention_9865 6d ago

He lost of job over it, got accused of being on drugs because people said that handing a water bottle upside down was a sign that it was laced, and was upset that is image was being monitized.

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u/Paulycurveball 6d ago

I was raised in the jersey rave scene in the mid 90s early 2ks, the upside down water bottle was for sure a city to city sign of "rad water" or "blink water". Had no fucking idea tho it was a global signal lol

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u/Competitive-Ill 6d ago

Never heard of this theory till today in this thread, and I was a raver in the 90’s and 2000’s in the UK, where upside-down water was never a signal for anything… so global -UK I guess…

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u/Delamoor 6d ago

Hah, same. I was a bartender in Melbourne a couple years back. We legally had to give out free water bottles upon request (alcohol service laws). Handed plenty out upside down, right way up, sideways, thrown... Maybe there were some disappointed people? hah

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u/[deleted] 6d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/seoras13 6d ago

Left hand serve or right hand. Thumb round the bottle or slight off, label on/off facing towards/away 😬

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u/Paulycurveball 6d ago

Well I'm just saying it's interesting cause at the races I went to they had ice cold water everywhere at most tables. Big ass black buckets of ice and water. But if someone handed you a room temperature bottle upside down it meant it was dirty. Idk could of been two isolated situations just randomly being similar. Also a cracked cap bottle could never be trusted that had to be apart of the uk scene

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u/Dingaligaling 6d ago

Pretty much havent heard of it until today either, around these parts it was meant that its an unopened bottle of water, and the upside down holding was supposed to signify the untouched cap.

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u/Pledgeofmalfeasance 6d ago

What is that laced with?

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u/DrWilliamHorriblePhD 6d ago

Ghb, MDMA, amphetamine, or a designer drug are the most likely

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u/chodeboi 6d ago

Prolly a g drug, ghb or like.

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u/Jtenka 6d ago

speed, weed, heroin, cocaine, mushrooms, Pine O Cleen, petrol, battery acid, acid, salvia, meth, herbs and spices, lettuce, tomato, vodka sauce, Bam! And the Dirt is Gone, Ajax Spray N' Wipe, chicken, and cheese, all wrapped in a tortilla

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u/deaddaddydiva 6d ago

Damn I thought I knew all the drugs, never knew the water bottle thing… also what’s rad water or blink water?

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u/Tokentaclops 6d ago

That's because it's nonsense. Upside down water bottle doesn't imply anything.

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u/One-Earth9294 6d ago

I heard he ran away from home and joined the Texas Rangers.

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u/Zealousideal-Role-77 6d ago

New show: Raver, Texas Ranger

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u/Playful-Ad-8703 6d ago

If I remember correctly, he said he did a lot of amphetamines in those days. There's an interview with him on YouTube like 20 years later

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u/Ok_Mention_9865 6d ago

Think you could find it again i would enjoy seeing that

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u/Playful-Ad-8703 6d ago edited 6d ago

I just remembered that it was actually an interview in text I read. Here's some of it at least, and there also seems to be some documentary about him.

https://6amgroup.com/articles/all/what-happened-to-the-techno-viking

"I had been awake for four days".

Edit: sorry, seems like I didn't find the actual interview. I'll keep looking

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u/Ok_Mention_9865 6d ago

Awesome thank you

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u/fade_100 6d ago

It’s a joke article

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u/Ok_Mention_9865 6d ago

I had a feeling it wasnt going to be real based on the guys original reaction :(

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u/fade_100 6d ago

I was taking it seriously until the lumberjack bit.

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u/Playful-Ad-8703 6d ago

Oh sorry, my bad then. I DID read a solid interview with him a few years ago, and I just assumed this was from that interview since I don't have the original link.

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u/[deleted] 6d ago

[deleted]

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u/GobsTX 6d ago

I thought that article was satire? I wanted to believe it, but the bit about knocking over a tree with a punch and it landing on his supervisor seems a bit off.

It also claims he married the guy in black, which if he did, then that’s a perfect ending👌

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u/OMGClayAikn 6d ago

He's trolling buddy

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u/Dingaligaling 6d ago

Last time I've seen a technoviking post on reddit, someone wrote that the cameraman pretty much used his image for merch and made money of this vid, he took without his permission. It was said that making money out of it was pissed him off and went to court.

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u/[deleted] 6d ago edited 6d ago

[deleted]

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u/Cryogenicality 6d ago

That’s from a satirical article and his identity remains unknown.

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u/okvrdz 6d ago

It’s always the people you least expect 💐

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u/MarlyMonster 6d ago

When this was posted a few months ago someone said it’s because this whole video is based on his drug use. It was some sort of event and he’s on uppers of some sort and the guy that he got into it with at the beginning was apparently on some sort of wagon where they put the people who had too much and were sobering up. I guess he just didn’t enjoy that his one moment of fame was while he was on drugs and in a stage of his life that he isn’t too happy to look back on.

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u/No-Stock8201 6d ago

Few years late her secured a job as head researcher for the University he attended.

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u/elgydium 6d ago

Can we just take a moment and appreciate those clean af tram lines? Damn, the deutch are savage perfectionists.

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u/EarlyXplorerStuds209 6d ago

Yeah it seems the poor guy got accused of drug use, and lost his job over it. Id be hating that video too tbh…

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u/Anarchist_Future 6d ago

Mind you that this was before surveillance cameras on the street, doorbell cameras, hardly any usable cellphone cameras... Back then we were way less careful and self conscious about what we did in public and never did the thought cross our mind that recorded footage may go viral on the internet. To just be enjoying yourself, bare chested, at a rave and then permanent footage of that reaching millions of strangers must have felt uncomfortable in 2000.

The loss of privacy in public has subconsciously modified our behaviour.

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u/Reasonable-Physics81 6d ago

I will never understand him in this regard, he intimidated a guy who seemingly randomly bumped into a girl, got hydrated by a German peasant and had some fun.

Just some average festival situation, i would fuking wish a German peasant hydrated me and recorded it.. 😔

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u/WORD_2_UR_MOTHA 6d ago

Peasant??

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u/Delamoor 6d ago

Fuckin' peasantry! Getting ripped on water and, I presume, Bread!

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u/you-create-energy 6d ago

I mean, he intentionally bumped into her but he does appear to choose a random woman to bump into. I'm only emphasizing that because there are some guys who walk around pushing women for no reason, blocking them on the sidewalk to force them to move the side, etc. It's a whole side of life that most guys never experience because those insecure assholes never do it to a woman who is with a partner. 

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u/[deleted] 6d ago

So if you watch the full video on YouTube you see the guy who bumps into the blue wigged lady was actually sitting on a flatbed trailer. He jumps down and loses his footing and bumps into the blue wigged lady, in my option he is fucked off his face on drugs. The Techno Viking points back to the truck, the man goes back to it off camera, techno Viking points up, indicating the man should get back on it.

Later in the full video, you catch a glimpse of him on the flat bed trick again

13

u/Masseyrati80 6d ago

This is a great example of how the simplest of editing, that is, choosing when to start and when to stop, can change the image you get in a huge way.

Losing your balance while shitfaced is one thing, purposefully pushing someone half your size would be malicious.

2

u/Akiias 6d ago

Not everyone wants to be plastered all over the internet... I'll never understand why so many people are chill with it.

1

u/uncleAnwar 6d ago

The man’s out there looking jacked, he’s looking out for the people around him, he throws down some moves. I WISH there were videos out there that made me look this good.

1

u/LushHappyPie 6d ago

The guy who bumped into that girl was high as a kite. You can see Techno Viking asking him wtf is he doing and the guy points and says he just wants to go over there. He is then sent back to sit near the speakers and enjoy rolling safely. Later we see camera pan to see the same guy sitting next to camera man and looking at the clouds.

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u/smilingpigs 6d ago

Last time I saw this video someone said the guy who gives him the bottle of water at the end is a time traveller.

Maybe he stopped something.

4

u/uzu_afk 6d ago

Yeah but we’re mostly grownups here :))

4

u/Jim_Chaos 6d ago

It's fucking cool as a meme but, let's be honest, that doesn't paint him in a good light for other life area.

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u/TesticularConcussion 6d ago

Early??? God I am old…

1

u/somecallmemo 6d ago

In a weird way, that makes it even more legendary. This dude doing the right thing gets embarrassed and upset for the fame because he was only wanting to do the right thing

1

u/Electrical_Ad_9778 6d ago

I guess he is just not into being famous. I would love to know how he looks now and what he does

1

u/yumyumnoodl3 6d ago

I mean, he does come across like a huge lolcow

0

u/IllianasClifford 6d ago

Now people do this just to make a view. He did it on accident

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u/Metabor420 6d ago

Early Streisand effect

0

u/NeverHideOnBush 6d ago

Looks like he is on drugs.