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Winnebago Man documentary trailer, you guys. NSFW language, obviously, so headphones UP:
This looks like a completely charming documentary. And it makes sense. Since we’ve got to make documentaries about everything, eventually those documentaries are going to be about Winnebago Man. Besides if there is one thing that documentaries love, it is characters, and Jack Rebney is definitely one of those. But the part where the dude gets super emotional and says “You start to think who is this guy, what happened to him,” made me laugh almost as hard as the original Winnebago Man video. Because, honestly, no offense to Jack Rebney, but no you don’t. You just don’t.
Now if you’ll excuse me, my camera battery is done charging and I am going to go find Grape Stomp Lady so that she can wave to college students or something. (Thanks for the tip, Joel.)
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Hey, cool trailer. One thing though, Winnebago Man looks like a cheap stage rip off The Lion King. Just saying.
I KNOW, right?!
hey, what’s up with Jack Rebney?
Geez, they’ll make documentaries about any Internet meme nowadays. This guy knows what I’m talkin about:
I am going to be so famous after my CopperCab doc premiers.
“Um, 1.7 million hits?! Big deal! WHERE’S MY DOCUMENTARY??!” –The Evolution of Dance guy
What ever happened to David at the Dentist you ask? I’ll tell you what, he became David at the Elementary School, be sure to buy your David at the Elementary School T-Shirts, coffee cups and signed memorabilia at http://www.horribleparents.org/DATD
What i don’t get is why nobody is asking the obvious question:
Why would they make an ad for a Winnebago in the first place? 110 square feet of living space for a family of 4, 3 miles to the gallon (diesel!), 4 channels on the TV, AND you get to use an awesome chemical toilet your whole trip… these things sell themselves!
grandpa is finally making the rest of us in the family proud.
This guy is almost as good a salesman as J.R. Bob Dobbs.
In all honesty, this looks horribly sad. I will be the first to admit that I am an incredible cynic but I really can never enjoy feel good stories such as this (I’m assuming its a feel good story, the trailer seems to imply that the filmmakers help J Man overcome some of the demons or w/e that haunt his profane soul).
I mean, if this guy had such a crisis of character over his memedom what about all the others? We consume information at such an alarming rate and there what seems like hundreds of memes and wacky videos and internet “stars” every week. On this site alone, there are numerous such instances. I’m sure the majority of people who are ostracized on the internet either embrace it, don’t care, or never know about but I can;t help but think there is still a great number of individuals that are deeply affected by it. I realize I’m probably not seeing the molehills through the trees (?) but this is what I think about because I am can’t never enjoy nice things.
In this instance it seems like Rebney is at least mildly amused but largely indifferent. So Win. Plus I get to see my grandfather (or at least an extremely close facsimile) on film, so that’s nice.
You’re probably right, he is just so angry sounding at all times that it skews his emotions.
But that’s how he’s supposed to play it. He’s supposed to be amused, or he’s just an acual miserable old man. On top of that, he’s supposed to play anger to a degree, or he’s just a disappointment.
This shit all just pisses me off. These people, the directors, the “fans” all act like they give a crap about the actual person, as if that’s what they’re doing, but really they are just making his whole life into their amusement, he’s just a character, an image of a person. It’s pathetic and disgusting.
I’m not gonna lie, if this documentary (or the trailer for the documentary, as that is likely all I will see of this, unless more Must See Clippery makes its way aboard the good ship videogum) had not been made I would not have thought much about ‘Winnebago Man’ nor his life. Nor why he became a salesman in awesomely hilarious and off the cuff commercials filled with swears. Nor would I have considered who took the time to compile and upload the videos. I wouldn’t care much at all aside from my laughs.
But having seen this clip, I do feel at least a little for him, because he is a human going through being old and breaking down, and as I mentioned before, soft spot because i-miss my e-gramps.
Maybe that’s some of the humanization you were seeking; not just mockery at his exploits on youtube and the character he has unwillingly had created for him, but a humanizing touch via a look behind the actual story? Idk, this is bummer gum,
how bout
NINE PUPS ON A LINE
Dammit 8
Sorry to get all grad studenty on you, but it’s because we live in the society of the spectacle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_of_the_Spectacle). So: “All that was once directly lived has become mere representation.” and we see “the decline of being into having, and having into merely appearing.” Yea, their admiration for him is fake, because they’re admiring a weird internet sensation, not him, nor do they really care about him at all beyond being the guy in the video.
Huzzuh for Debord. I almost bought that yesterday, but I have a different spectacle book to reread first, and I was feeling even more cynical so I bought Engdame instead (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endgame_(Derrick_Jensen_books) ). To get even more grad studenty (the studenty bit is necessary, as I’m not actually a grad student, just someone who reads too much), for the past few days I’ve been pondering the idea of a Foucaultian Similacrum, i.e., a world of similacrum that functions in the same was as Foucaults concept of power, where every move just cycles one back into it…
Sorry, what’s bummergum + pretentiousgum?
Sorry to be all bummergum. Its Friday, damnit! Enjoy these adorable sloths instead:
http://vimeo.com/11712103
http://bit.ly/cEw8PD
Douglas Rushkoff is in it… I’m pro Douglas Rushkoff.
Signed, The Documentary Nerd
He should stick to his critiques of fiat currency and coercion in mass media. The sociology of internet memes is so boring and trendy.
I actual saw this film at a fest last year and the filmmakers do manage to treat Rebney with respect and humanity. They also explore, although tangentially, the idea that these viral videos contain human beings that have been turned into jokes for the masses to consume. All in all it’s a very solidly made film with some really great moments.
You nailed it. I saw this at SXSW last year, and was the highlight of the festival. Such a great movie.
I’m exploring the idea,although tangerinecalaciously, that this documentary is about human beings doing human things in a world of viral videos that somehow have been “turned into’ jokes by the internet wizard for the masses to consume and thus objectify living and breathing human beings. Oh wait, guys watch porn and objectify women all the time, never-mind.
But how long before he’s petitioned for SNL hosting duties?
We’re all crazy for not coming up with this sooner.