Memes are all well and good until they start destroying people's lives. For this list, we’ll be looking at the most notable incidents where a piece of viral content badly affected the life of someone involved in one way or another.
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00:00 I just ride my skateboard and just do what I was doing before and it happened by accident.
00:04 Welcome to WatchMojo.
00:05 For this list, we'll be looking at 20 Memes That Ruined People's Lives.
00:15 Hide the Pain Harold
00:16 Birthing into the public consciousness in 2011, memes featuring an older, grey-haired
00:20 man smiling through discomfort took the internet by storm.
00:23 Known as Hide the Pain Harold and Maurice, the man behind the forced smile is Hungarian
00:28 Andras Arato.
00:29 After he uploaded images on social media of his vacation, a photographer got in touch
00:33 and Arato agreed to shoot many stock photos.
00:35 Out of interest, he looked up the images later and he, and especially his wife, wasn't
00:39 happy to see what people had done with them as it had gone beyond what he initially agreed
00:54 to.
00:55 Once Arato took ownership, he could control the narrative more and media work started
00:58 to flow in.
00:59 Drachenlord
01:00 Better known as Drachenlord, German Rainer Winkler came into the YouTube scene in 2012
01:13 with a passion for heavy metal and soon began streaming video games.
01:16 However, during a Q&A video, he gave out his real name.
01:19 This allowed people to find his sister and contact her.
01:21 Angry at this, the streamer released a video with his address and provoked trolls to act.
01:25 While this clip was deleted, the damage was done, Winkler has often had strange occurrences
01:29 at his house, including trespassing.
01:31 He didn't help himself with several controversies over the years involving racism and sexism.
01:35 In 2022, Winkler was banned from YouTube.
01:38 The following year, he announced his retirement from public life.
01:40 However, Winkler continues to post on TikTok.
01:43 Jenny Cam
01:44 In 1996, college student Jennifer Ringley broke the internet mold.
01:55 Regularly, her webcam took a grainy picture and uploaded it on her website JennyCam to
01:59 showcase her day-to-day life in her room, and it became super popular as millions tuned
02:03 in to see what Ringley was up to.
02:05 In the early days, she included more risque moments, and that drew the attention of hackers.
02:09 They took over her website and sent her death threats.
02:11 After setting up her talk show, The Jenny Show, and appearing on mainstream media, by
02:15 2003, Ringley had enough of publicizing her life all the time, especially after her affair
02:20 received criticism.
02:21 So, she turned her site off and became private once again.
02:30 Ashley Van Pevnich
02:31 In 2015, college student Ashley Van Pevnich was struggling with acne.
02:43 Hoping to boost her confidence, her friend, Andrea Vasni, used makeup to hide the condition.
02:48 After uploading the before and after photos on the Instagram account, MakeupByDry, the
02:52 images began to be used elsewhere.
02:54 Eventually, Van Pevnich's photos were used as the punchline in cruel and misogynistic
02:58 jokes.
02:59 Seeing her photo appear on her own social media feed, Van Pevnich released a YouTube
03:10 video criticizing the memes and giving her views on the situation.
03:13 The whole incident caused her to avoid public without full makeup due to the embarrassment
03:17 of her condition.
03:18 Later, she vastly reduced her social media use due to the mocking.
03:32 Mariah Anderson
03:33 In 2015, on social media, Kyra Pringle uploaded a photo of her young daughter, Mariah Anderson,
03:38 who had MEK-P2 duplication syndrome.
03:41 This condition can cause numerous symptoms, including particular facial characteristics
03:45 and delayed development.
03:46 Soon after the photo found its way to the harsher side of the internet, including the
03:49 attention of trolls who used the image for their cruel jokes and insults about Anderson's
03:53 appearance, Pringle appeared on the news soon after the photo was ridiculed to heavily criticize
03:57 those making fun of her daughter, telling them she isn't a monster and that she's
04:01 real.
04:02 Thankfully, some of those who insulted Anderson did apologize for their horrendous words.
04:14 Overly Attached Girlfriend
04:15 In 2012, Lena Morris burst into internet lore with her parody of Justin Bieber's song
04:26 "Boyfriend" for a contest, where she played an intense, unblinking partner.
04:30 From there, the overly attached girlfriend spawned countless memes, giving Morris'
04:34 a sudden surge of celebrity and several job offers.
04:36 However, a couple of years afterwards, the pressure of being a public figure affected
04:40 her mental health, causing her to fall into depression.
04:49 By 2017, Morris' YouTube channel was decreasing its amount of content after a break.
05:01 In 2019, she uploaded an emotional retirement video as a public figure to YouTube due to
05:05 her mental health struggles.
05:07 And beyond a brief anniversary clip in 2022, Morris has remained in retirement.
05:21 Kony 2012
05:22 In 2004, Jason Russell co-founded Invisible Children, a charity that raises awareness
05:31 of the work of the Lord's Resistance Army in Central Africa.
05:35 In 2012, the Russell-directed film Kony 2012 was released.
05:38 It detailed the efforts to capture LRA figurehead Joseph Kony.
05:42 This short documentary was so popular that the film's website crashed, and Russell
05:45 was in high demand as the media flocked to speak with him.
05:48 But there was also a lot of criticism over the project's content.
05:59 Shortly after its release, Russell had a public breakdown where he was naked on the streets
06:02 of San Diego, California, making obscene gestures and vandalizing vehicles.
06:06 He was sectioned in a psychiatric hospital for several weeks while he recovered.
06:09 Now, Russell is doing much better.
06:17 Go Titans Won
06:18 Originally taken in 2004 for an art class at Vanderbilt University, the original photo
06:22 showed Adam Holland, a teen with Down syndrome, proudly showing off his artwork with the words
06:26 "Go Titans Won!"
06:27 But a couple of years later, the photo was used by horrendous people to mock those with
06:31 special needs.
06:32 People altered the piece of paper to state cruel jokes about Holland, often with slurs.
06:40 Even the Florida radio station, WHPTFM, got in on the harassment by using the photo for
06:45 a crass bit.
06:46 Infuriated with the terrible jives at their son, in 2013, the Holland family issued an
06:50 $18 million lawsuit against the host of those responsible.
06:53 In 2015, the Hollands were awarded $150,000 by a jury.
07:09 With just a brief clip taken from an independent skate film, the life of Levi Hawken changed
07:13 into a moment.
07:14 The New Zealander was doing a bit, talking about the broken scooter on the floor.
07:18 As he goes on to say "next minute", it comes out unusual, and it quickly spread online
07:22 in 2011.
07:23 More often, it involved people mocking him for his appearance and speech impediment.
07:34 Hawken has ectodermal dysplasia, which causes abnormalities with skin and hair growth, among
07:39 others.
07:40 When he was out and about, he was often recognized as the person in the video, but soon, Hawken
07:43 realized people were often laughing at him, not with him.
07:46 To escape the mocking, he focuses on his career as a professional skateboarder and artist.
08:00 Miss South Carolina
08:14 Having won 2007's Miss South Carolina Teen USA, the next step was the Miss Teen USA pageant
08:19 for Kaitlyn Upton.
08:20 But after being asked about her thoughts on why US citizens couldn't find their country
08:23 on the map, Upton fumbled the response, which gained plenty of traction online as people
08:27 made gags about it.
08:28 After appearing on news programs afterwards, where Upton gave an eloquent response to the
08:32 same question, people still wouldn't let it drop.
08:40 She secured modeling contracts and appeared in music videos, yet the abuse continued as
08:44 people mocked and harassed her.
08:45 She even received death threats.
08:47 It made Upton consider taking her own life.
08:49 Thankfully, she's doing much better today, as she works as a real estate agent.
09:02 Techno Viking
09:03 In 2007, a video went viral, depicting a jacked guy who looked like a viking dancing to techno
09:08 music.
09:16 People were captivated, and a little intimidated, by the person nicknamed Techno Viking.
09:21 Originally shot by Matthias Fritsch in 2000 at a Berlin music parade, the clip brought
09:25 profits for the filmmaker through ad revenue, and later, sales of t-shirts featuring the
09:30 famous subject.
09:31 However, a couple of years later, Techno Viking's lawyers asked Fritsch to take down the video,
09:36 citing improper use of his personality rights.
09:38 Failure to comply, and he'd be sued for 250,000 euros.
09:43 Both parties eventually reached a compromise in court, that essentially bankrupt Fritsch.
09:47 In 2015, Fritsch released a crowdfunded documentary on Techno Viking, with changes to the clips,
09:53 of course.
09:58 Scumbag Steve
09:59 In 2011, you couldn't go on social media without seeing the infamous image of Scumbag Steve.
10:07 The picture, which showed a guy in a backwards cab in a fake fur coat, went viral after
10:13 people started tagging it with mocking captions.
10:15 But while it was hilarious content for most, this meme soon became a nightmare for the
10:20 guy in the photo, Blake Boston.
10:33 Boston was just 16 years old back in 2006, when his mom took the picture for her photography
10:38 class.
10:39 Shortly after going viral, Boston and his family were harassed with phone calls all
10:43 day, with some even wishing bad for his unborn child.
10:46 Boston later took advantage of his newfound fame, releasing the rap single "Scumbag
10:50 Steve Overture" in 2012.
11:00 Dog Poop Girl
11:01 If you've witnessed someone not clean up after their dog, you know how infuriating
11:08 it can be.
11:09 But that still doesn't make it okay to harass them.
11:19 In 2005, an image spread online showing the aftermath of a woman's pup letting loose
11:24 on the subway in Seoul, South Korea.
11:26 While the lady cleaned up her dog, she refused to sort out the grim mess on the floor before
11:30 getting off at her stop.
11:38 This meant strangers had to step in and wipe it away.
11:41 The internet soon discovered her identity, which is creepy enough, but then sent her
11:44 so much abuse, she reportedly had to quit university.
11:48 The woman even made a public apology, hoping to reduce the backlash.
11:52 Wentworth Miller
11:54 Several actresses have earned near-universal love for their film and TV performances.
11:58 Brendan Fraser, Keanu Reeves, Morgan Freeman, and Wentworth Miller.
12:06 But in 2016, the Prison Break star was maliciously targeted by entertainment website, Ladbible.
12:19 The group posted a side-by-side image of Miller at different points in his life that seemed
12:23 to make a joke of his weight gain.
12:25 Miller responded on social media that the picture was taken back in 2010, when he had
12:29 taken a break from acting and was struggling with depression.
12:42 In a rare moment, he had gone for a walk with a friend and was photographed smiling by the
12:46 press.
12:47 The next day, Ladbible took down the post and issued a public apology to Miller.
12:53 Impossible is Nothing
12:55 In 2006, Alexei Weiner sent a particularly striking video resume to investment bank UBS.
13:10 It showed Weiner responding to a question with a long monologue on complex business
13:14 concepts, all intertwined with clips of him supposedly performing various acts.
13:18 While it was intended as part of a job application, the video spread like wildfire after someone
13:31 at UBS forwarded it to other banks.
13:33 This led to the media examining Weiner's life and poking holes at some of his past
13:37 claims.
13:38 Weiner threatened legal action against UBS and YouTube, but that only seemed to fuel
13:42 parodies of the video, with actor Michael Cera in How I Met Your Mother getting in on
13:59 the fun.
14:04 In 2013, Weiner sadly passed away from a heart attack.
14:08 Alex from Target
14:10 In 2014, then-16-year-old Alex Lee was working the cash register at Target when his life
14:15 turned upside down.
14:22 Apparently, someone had taken a photo of him working and uploaded it online.
14:26 The picture soon got a lot of attention, and the resulting hashtag, #AlexFromTarget, appeared
14:31 on the trending list.
14:33 Lee became an overnight internet sensation, racking up millions of followers and even
14:37 appearing on Ellen to discuss his newfound fame.
14:48 However, the dark side of this popularity soon erupted.
14:53 Lee and his family had their personal information released online, which opened the door to
14:57 a flood of threatening messages.
15:06 Although he capitalized on the fame initially, even once dabbling in a music career, Lee
15:10 has since disappeared from social media.
15:14 Plastic Surgery
15:15 Back in 2012, Taiwanese model Heidi Yeh appeared in an advert for a cosmetic clinic.
15:20 The ad depicted a seemingly attractive couple with three children, who look vastly different
15:24 from them.
15:36 A sort of tongue-in-cheek joke about plastic surgery.
15:38 According to her contract, the picture couldn't be used by another clinic, but the advertising
15:43 agency did just that and it went viral.
15:45 But I was told the photo would only be used in print media and for one company.
15:55 This then sparked a fake story that the husband in the picture sued Yeh for lying about her
15:59 plastic surgery before having children with him.
16:02 Sadly, many people bought into this tale.
16:07 Yeh saw job opportunities dry up as companies believed she'd had cosmetic work done.
16:12 In 2015, she estimated her potential loss at around $123,000 due to this falsehood.
16:19 Star Wars Kid
16:20 At some point, we've all reenacted our favorite film scenes.
16:23 But not many of us have been victims of online attacks as a result.
16:27 In 2002, 15-year-old Canadian Giseline Raza recorded himself doing some Darth Maul-esque
16:32 moves.
16:33 The following year, the video was released without his permission, and Raza was nicknamed
16:37 Star Wars Kid by blogger Andy Baio.
16:52 Soon after, Raza received violent, threatening messages from people online, and also had
16:56 to deal with harassment at school.
17:05 His parents sued the families of those who released the video for $160,000, but eventually
17:10 settled out of court.
17:11 In 2022, Raza appeared in the documentary Star Wars Kid - The Rise of the Digital Shadows
17:16 - and received an apology from Baio for his involvement.
17:31 Pepe the Frog
17:32 This character was first created in 2005 by cartoonist Matt Fury for his comic, Boy's
17:37 Club.
17:38 The humor was generally gross or crude, but was completely non-political in nature.
17:43 Since then, Pepe the Frog has taken the internet by storm, popping up on 4chan and Tumblr with
17:48 his unique and occasionally rare expressions.
17:57 The green creature became somewhat controversial in 2015 when it was unofficially adopted as
18:01 a mascot for the alt-right movement.
18:04 Fury particularly hated this association, and even brought lawsuits against extremist
18:08 organizations that used it.
18:10 Frustrated with this hateful connotation, Fury discontinued the character in 2017, although
18:14 he plans to bring it back at some point.
18:16 His efforts were not in vain, though, as he won a $15,000 settlement against Infowars
18:21 in 2019 for co-opting Pepe in their content.
18:46 Harambe
18:47 In 2016, the world was shocked by what went down at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden.
18:52 A 3-year-old boy had gotten into the gorilla enclosure and was dragged around by one resident,
18:57 Harambe.
18:58 Controversially, the Western lowland gorilla was gunned down over fears for the kid's
19:02 safety.
19:03 This sparked outrage online.
19:09 Many, many memes of Harambe flooded the internet as people took the gorilla's side.
19:13 However, some went way too far and began harassing those involved.
19:17 People accused the boy's mom, Michelle Gregg, of being a bad mother and called for her to
19:21 lose her job.
19:38 Some even made petitions to hold her liable for Harambe's death.
19:42 Gregg ended up deleting social media in a bid to escape it all.
19:45 Do you have any fascinating backstories about memes?
19:47 Let us know below!
19:48 [Outro Music]