Is This 'Hi Stranger' Viral Video Creepy Or Soothing?
Hmm...
getty One night in 2017, I was scrolling through Facebook stalking my... uhh, I mean just browsing the good old Facebook when I received a notification that I had a new message.
I love new messages, so I clicked into Messenger and there was a video. Okay, I’m game.
At first, I was very creeped out, yet I continued to watch. There was something soothing about this man’s voice.
However, the visual was... interesting, to say the least. What we (my friends and I) have now dubbed as the “butt guy” video quickly went viral and I can see why.
The first thing I noticed was that his butt cheeks reminded me of Pillsbury doughboy biscuits. Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks that?
Comments on message boards ranged with everything from, “WTF am I watching?” to “Wow, that was totally rad and kind of gave me chills.”
People also compared it to ASMR (Autonomous sensory meridian response) videos, which people seem to either love or hate — passionately. The video's intent is to give the viewer a tingly sensation, relieve anxiety and help with insomnia.
Normally, I'm not a fan, but this particular video mesmerized me. This clay animation man looked into my soul. He drew me in like I was Kate Winslet in the movie Titanic. He spoke to me softly, gently, like a real man seducing my senses.
The video currently has almost 3 million views on Vimeo and Twitter was quick to weigh in with some reactions to it.
The video even got some celebrity love. Debra Messing simply wrote on Twitter, "This is mesmerizing," with a link to the video.
However, some others just weren't feeling it. One Twitter user wrote, "Who else has been scarred for life by this video?"
You might be wondering just who made this either relaxing or creepy (depends on how you see it) video. That would be Kristen Lepore.
Lepore is a stop-motion animator and over two years after the release of her infamous viral video, she revealed the impact that it made on her life.
She said, "Oh man, 'Hi Stranger' was such an unexpected boon. I really never could have predicted it would have been so popular. It certainly got me tons of meetings at lots of different places. Sometimes I worry that I squandered that time immediately following the release since most of those meetings were like, 'Okay, so where’s the show you want to pitch?' and I just didn’t have one, nor the desire to do a whole show, honestly.
The best thing that came from it, though, was getting representation at the production company Prettybird. They’ve opened so many doors for me and are just amazing people. I’ve already gotten to do so many fun projects with them that otherwise would have never made their way to me."
Lepore also revealed that some of her clients have pushed her for more Hi Stranger content.
"I’ve had a few clients and studios want me to do a Hi Stranger remake or spinoff, but that just never sat well with me, so I just didn’t work with those people. Luckily, I don’t think anyone has asked to directly remake something. I’ve generally been lucky to have clients (or, I guess, accept clients) that are excited about me creating something new for them."
So, in other words, don't hold your breath for a sequel starring the 'Hi Stranger' butt guy. Regardless, I'm giving this video a thumbs up, and can't wait to see more content from Lepore.
Editor's Note: This article was originally posted on March 24, 2017 and was updated with the latest information.
Liza Walters is a writer who covers astrology, pop culture, and relationship topics.