15 Minutes
Who would have thought? Using the Pandemic for your 15 minutes of fame has become a ‘thing.’
Is it the thrill? Is it the need to complete acts of defiance against authority? Is it because doing the exact opposite of what you are asked to do is the primary outcome? Is it (as I’ve mentioned plenty of times before) that some believe their poo smells sweeter than everyone else’s? Or is it, as I’ve come to believe this week, there’s an opportunity to get your face on TV after going viral by social media?
We saw the lady getting ready to cross the border – she turned her camera phone around to herself, saying to the camera that she had full intentions to give the officers at the checkpoint a hard time. She defied their orders, antagonising them and refusing to cooperate, all so she could post the video on her social media page to get people following her.
We saw the 200-strong dance party out in the bush in snow country. Defying all requests (well, orders) not to have a large gathering. Then, if risking lives wasn’t enough, they decided posting videos of their fun to taunt those in charge was the next step to take. Hope you’re proud of yourselves.
How about the lady who was challenged by the police for not wearing a mask in public in Vic? Defiant, objectionable, threatening and nasty… yes, lady, you got your 15 minutes as you featured on the Sunday news bulletins. I bet your family and friends are cringing, not to mention your employer.
Just like the guy who stuffed himself into the boot of a car to get across the QLD border. They found him of course. He laughed as the police questioned him, and we all saw the footage as he got his 15 minutes. Your kids and grandkids are gonna be real pleased with you mate … what a way to make your mark on the world. I honestly hope it haunts you forever, you don’t deserve any forgiveness.
The guy at the AFL takes the cake in my book, though. In Perth to complete a work contract, his statement that he’d ‘always wanted to streak’ at a footy game beggars belief at the best of times, let alone when we’re trying to curb the number of deaths in a pandemic. So, in a different state to where he lives, with a few beers under his belt, knowing he’ll get his 15 minutes on tele, he interrupts the game and jumps the fence for no real reason. No need for all the people in the socially-distant crowd to record his moment on their phones, the national TV camera’s made sure this guy would feature on tele that night. Just what he wanted. Of course, the next day he’s full of remorse, ‘sorry for his reckless actions’. He’s ended up only being hit with an $8000 fine instead of the $50k and a stint in the clink that they initially threatened him with. As a sign of the absurd times we live in, his mate then started up a ‘Go Fund Me’ page to allow the public to give him cash and bail him out of the fine. I was of the belief that you couldn’t profit from criminal activity… and I’m not sure where this fits in, but surely this won’t pass muster, will it? At the time of writing this, 20 idiots have made small donations, believe it or not, for a paltry total of $425.
Happy with yourselves? You went viral. You got on tele. I know there’s a very small percentage of people who think you have ‘rights’ to do what you did – but the rest of us are just astonished. Dumbfounded. Flabbergasted. Staggered. There’ll be more, for sure.