urban prankster

June 24, 2008 9:52 AM

Rémi Gaillard leaves a trail of befuddled witnesses and victims in his wake.

(thanks, jason.)

posted by Dave Faris (43 comments total)

That Rocky one is brilliant, thanks.
posted by patricio at 9:57 AM on June 24, 2008

Quel total hoot!

(Insufferable little fucker, isn't he?)
posted by Jody Tresidder at 10:00 AM on June 24, 2008

the great escape one amused the hell out of me. that takes a fair bit of balls.
posted by shmegegge at 10:07 AM on June 24, 2008

It's tough to watch the Rocky one first, because it seems to be the best. Although the soccer one is also quite good, even accounting for editing, he's a good shot.

Nice post.
posted by OmieWise at 10:08 AM on June 24, 2008

LOLWOULDBESHOTINTHEUS
posted by odinsdream at 10:08 AM on June 24, 2008 [4 favorites]

Dickishly funny.
posted by zerobyproxy at 10:12 AM on June 24, 2008 [1 favorite]

brilliant. Totally funny.
posted by arnicae at 10:12 AM on June 24, 2008

Though if I was the guy whose bike got hit with the soccer ball or who had my fishing pole javelined into the lake, I would have kept chasing him.
posted by arnicae at 10:13 AM on June 24, 2008

Le Christ, ce que un trou du cul.
posted by Dr-Baa at 10:17 AM on June 24, 2008 [2 favorites]

LOL! A Frenchman in football gear! (have they given up on soccer?)
posted by Goofyy at 10:20 AM on June 24, 2008

Hilarious. Cheers.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:27 AM on June 24, 2008

Good thing that little fucker is fast, cause he's a right shithead.
posted by BorgLove at 10:38 AM on June 24, 2008 [2 favorites]

The only one I wasn't really amused by was the tennis one. I'm in a library laughing with headphones looking like a fool. Thanks!
posted by Corduroy at 10:39 AM on June 24, 2008

And I can't get enough of the cocky shit head walk he does every time after kicking the football in this one.
posted by Corduroy at 10:42 AM on June 24, 2008 [1 favorite]

Where does this guy get the balls to pull these stunts?
posted by adamrice at 10:42 AM on June 24, 2008

I really liked the bodybuilding one. Good stuff all 'round.
posted by Mister_A at 10:43 AM on June 24, 2008

I'm trying to remember enough high school french to translate that bit at the end. something like "It's an act of no importance that is done by no one of importance?" I feel like that's not it.
posted by shmegegge at 11:00 AM on June 24, 2008

Jacques-Ass!
posted by newmoistness at 11:09 AM on June 24, 2008 [4 favorites]

I really like this! Too funny.
posted by schyler523 at 11:14 AM on June 24, 2008

Where does this guy get the balls to pull these stunts?

Dunno, it's much easier when there's someone with a camera standing there.

In fact, one might even suggest that most of these are staged.
posted by tkolar at 11:22 AM on June 24, 2008

Christ, what an asshole.
posted by sveskemus at 11:24 AM on June 24, 2008

Thanks, I needed a good laugh. The Rocky one is brilliant.
posted by doctor_negative at 11:30 AM on June 24, 2008

I'm trying to remember enough high school french to translate that bit at the end.

"It's by doing anything (i.e., absolutely anything, anything at all) that you become anybody (i.e., whoever you want to be)."

I hope one of those guys whose drinks he stole caught up with him and beat the shit out of him. That said, some of it's pretty funny.
posted by languagehat at 11:33 AM on June 24, 2008 [1 favorite]

Hilarious. I thoroughly enjoyed the rocky one.

I was thinking the same thing languagehat, and they are very funny. I am wondering though how many are staged, if any. In the US they would be staged or he would get shot/arrested, because clearly he is a terrorist stealing McDonald's fountain drinks.
posted by sir_rubixalot at 11:37 AM on June 24, 2008

Hm. Just seems annoying to me.
posted by Outlawyr at 11:51 AM on June 24, 2008

In the soocer football one I love the open-handed posture all the security guys have, like dude, c'mon. Why you making me work?
posted by gottabefunky at 11:58 AM on June 24, 2008 [1 favorite]

My thought is, that camera must be hidden. Because some of those people are so pissed, and he is gone so fast, that they never go after the camera. And the camera often is pretty well set up. It's not following him around...he comes into the frame and does his thing, even when it is at full run (like stealing the soda in front of McDonalds."
posted by oneironaut at 12:15 PM on June 24, 2008

gottabefunky, I agree. Most people seem pretty much bemused more than anything else–even the policeman that comes out of the station that Remi kicked the ball into. And the football americano one, the people are laughing because they know it's just a goof. Way to go French people!
posted by Mister_A at 12:19 PM on June 24, 2008

The first "goal" on the football (sorry.. soccer?) one had me laugh out loud. It's a police car, btw.
posted by vivelame at 12:20 PM on June 24, 2008

In the US they would be staged or he would get shot/arrested

Not really. The element of surprise works wonders in public places, leaving most people just shaking their heads. Most people fantasize about a violent or legal comeuppance afterward (like everyone is doing here) but in the moment, it's just a blip that barely registers before it's over.

After this many pranks, I'm betting he HAS gotten in fights occasionally, but still finds the attention entertaining.
posted by [NOT HERMITOSIS-IST] at 12:23 PM on June 24, 2008

I'll also bet that he's got some cash on hand to smooth over rough patches. Just sayin'.
posted by Mister_A at 12:26 PM on June 24, 2008

Mister_A: i seriously doubt it would do him any good with the police or army (regular victims of his). The last "urban touchdown" is about a cop doing some ticketing for parking violations. His two weapons are speed, surprise, and ruthless efficiency. Nobody expects the oh never mind.
posted by vivelame at 12:31 PM on June 24, 2008

I did feel a little sorry for the woman in the hot dog trailer. A football kicked in there most assuredly caused a bunch of havoc that an innocent bystander just doesn't deserve.
posted by Dave Faris at 12:35 PM on June 24, 2008

I appreciate your meaning, vivelame; I was thinking more of the people like hot dog woman or the fishing pole guy–them you can mollify with cash and the revelation that it's going to be on TV! Sort of. Is it?
posted by Mister_A at 12:43 PM on June 24, 2008

This feels exceedingly un-staged to me. It's kind of in the spirit of Tom Greene or Jackass, but the chest-beating is at least self-aware. As for the innocent bystanders: when I was a "right little shit-head" in college, I used to enjoy doing outlandish things in public places that often greatly offended the sensibilities of the US citizenry. About 90% of people would do absolutely nothing about it, 5-7% might make a little whimper, and remaining group of badasses would chase/trip/scream obscenities. Being female, I never got hit, though people almost certainly thought about it. There's a little vague anecdotal evidence for you scientific types.
posted by nosila at 1:24 PM on June 24, 2008

OMG! I saw the Rocky one a long time ago and I always wondered if that guy had done other stuff!

Thank you thank you thank you!!
posted by redteam at 3:39 PM on June 24, 2008

I'm totally impressed by his ability to get people to physically chase him around (and his ability to escape from them). There's a little more information about him on Wikipedia.
posted by whir at 5:04 PM on June 24, 2008

Okay, the Mr. Universe Body Builder contest was amusing.
posted by five fresh fish at 6:41 PM on June 24, 2008

Excellent.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 7:59 PM on June 24, 2008

I did feel a little sorry for the woman in the hot dog trailer.

Yes, though he is a really good shot. I don't imagine you get to do many re-takes in situations like that.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 8:28 PM on June 24, 2008

That dude has probably stolen hundreds of soccer balls.
posted by Burhanistan at 8:41 PM on June 24, 2008

OmieWise: Although the soccer one is also quite good, even accounting for editing, he's a good shot.

Both the soccer ones- put it where you want it, and foot 2008- are incredible just in terms of some of the shots he makes. The ricochet shots are amazing- bouncing off the doors into the vans, off his head, off the base of the fountain, nothing but splash, the end of Foot 2008 where he "idly" kicks it across the street, bouncing it back to the wall and the ground and into the trash, etc, etc. Yes, we didn't see the 20 times he tried it and it didn't work, but even given the power of editing, he's damn, er, handy, with the football.

I don't think they're staged (that the bystanders are not in on the gag) because like Jackass, Trigger Happy TV, et al, people are often as much befuddled and amused as they are angry.
posted by hincandenza at 9:16 PM on June 24, 2008

This is the sort of thing where the humor seems (to me anyway) to be far outweighed by the assholery. I can maybe see stealing someone's soda or volley ball for a 30-second take if he compensates them somehow immediately afterward. I find it hard to believe that he paid for that huge chunk of meat that he probably rendered unfit for sale*, but there, the funny gives the dickishness a run for its money. However, doing pushups on top of some random girl on the beach is practically sexual molestation, and for me, it completely killed the mood for the whole video.

*Yes, it's probably perfectly safe, but health safety rules can be pretty strict (at least here in the US).
posted by ErWenn at 9:32 PM on June 24, 2008