I'll show ya tough

September 24, 2006 10:18 AM

What is the origin of the Tough Guys video?

Any info on why this was filmed or where the tough guys were found is welcome. Was this a commercial for a Rex-Kwon-Do dojo? A setup for a late-night comedy show? I simply must know the genesis of this epic comedy.

posted by Operation Afterglow to Media & Arts (6 answers total)

Best answer: I hadn't seen that video, but that nunchuck guy in the middle was a quite popular video by itself for a while. He was seriously trying to show off his skillz. Since the rest of the videos use the same backdrop and equipment, but are obviously not serious, I'd guess some folks got together to make a some parodies of that video.
posted by team lowkey at 10:47 AM on September 24, 2006

Response by poster: Good catch- the background draping does appear to have a different pattern for nunchuck guy than it does for the others...
posted by Operation Afterglow at 11:31 AM on September 24, 2006

It kinda looked like a parody of that Star Wars Kid video from a while back - similar backdrop, goofy wanna-be badass moves, etc.
posted by wandering steve at 1:02 PM on September 24, 2006

Best answer: The nunchuck guy does indeed look different, and here's more on him.
posted by duende at 3:25 PM on September 24, 2006

Response by poster: Thanks duende! So it would seem that team lowkey's theory would be correct- some japesters decided to coast on the popularity of nunchucker, and sandwiched his stunt mishap with their own, similar-looking production.
posted by Operation Afterglow at 4:49 PM on September 24, 2006

Best answer: This clip is strung together from a series of viral videos created to promote the game Tekken. I'm not sure exactly which version of the game it was, but I posted a couple of these to iFilm in February of 2005 (1, 2) after getting them from Namco (or their online ad agency, I can't recall exactly).

They were directly inspired by the Nunchuk guy ("Afro Ninja" is what I like to call him). If you're curious, that footage was slipped by someone at the Warner Bros. casting department.

There, I've said too much.
posted by dhammond at 6:08 PM on September 24, 2006