This Video Depicts a White Man Walking Around New York For 10 Hours
Rahul Kalvapalle — October 30, 2014 — Pop Culture
References: funnyordie & independent.ie
A video of a woman experiencing catcalls and unwelcome conversation from strangers over the course of 10 hours of walking around New York City recently went viral. Now, the humor website Funny or Die has created a video that purports to capture what it's like to be a white man walking the streets of NYC.
The video is not intended to make light of street harassment faced by women. Rather, it leverages the original video's buzz and forms an over-the-top mockery of the perceived privileges enjoyed by white males. Unlike the original video, this parody version is staged to depict a man who experiences "100+ instances of verbal street privilege" over the course of 10 hours of walking around NYC.
The look and feel of the video is exactly like the original one, except the street interactions that take place are pretty hilarious. Rather than receiving whistles and creepy stares, the man is offered jobs, burrito and footballs.
The video's geeky protagonist is seen walking the streets as one man approaches and says "Hey Harvard, hey Harvard, you wanna network with me?" before flapping his arms in disappointment at not getting a response. Another 'stranger' then high-fives the protagonist, and continues to do so for a while. This part of the video is reminiscent of the part in the original video where actress Roberts is followed by a man for a few minutes.
Another stranger offers the man a Starbucks gift card, while a woman offers him sunscreen so he can keep his skin "nice and white."
The video is not intended to make light of street harassment faced by women. Rather, it leverages the original video's buzz and forms an over-the-top mockery of the perceived privileges enjoyed by white males. Unlike the original video, this parody version is staged to depict a man who experiences "100+ instances of verbal street privilege" over the course of 10 hours of walking around NYC.
The look and feel of the video is exactly like the original one, except the street interactions that take place are pretty hilarious. Rather than receiving whistles and creepy stares, the man is offered jobs, burrito and footballs.
The video's geeky protagonist is seen walking the streets as one man approaches and says "Hey Harvard, hey Harvard, you wanna network with me?" before flapping his arms in disappointment at not getting a response. Another 'stranger' then high-fives the protagonist, and continues to do so for a while. This part of the video is reminiscent of the part in the original video where actress Roberts is followed by a man for a few minutes.
Another stranger offers the man a Starbucks gift card, while a woman offers him sunscreen so he can keep his skin "nice and white."
Trend Themes
1. Parody Videos - Creating parody videos of serious social issues can bring attention to a topic while also providing a humorous perspective.
2. Privilege Satire - Using humor and satire to highlight privilege can make a social issue more accessible and entertaining to a wider audience.
3. Street Interaction Humor - Adding humor to street interaction scenarios can create engaging content while bringing attention to social issues.
Industry Implications
1. Entertainment - The entertainment industry can utilize parody videos to bring important social issues to a wider audience in a humorous and engaging way.
2. Marketing - Satirical videos can be utilized in marketing campaigns to bring attention to a product or service in a way that is both entertaining and informative.
3. Social Advocacy - Social advocacy groups can use humor and satire to make important issues more relatable and accessible, and to encourage people to take action.
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