Ace of Spades HQ

May 12, 2010

Amazing: "Flying Blue Angel" Yo-Yo Trick Defies Any Plausible Scientific Explanation
— Ace

Here's the backstory. He's showing up on local newscasts around the Midwest, and I think you can see why.

(PS -- More videos at that link!)

Thanks to MattM.

Don't hate me for the headline... had to sell it.

It's really hard to fake out the professionals in the news gathering business, isn't it? They really work so damn hard on getting the story nailed down, tight as a tick before broadcast, eh?

More: K-Strass' explanation for his poor performances:

"We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience, Kenny is growing through some rough times and we wish him well in the future."

The MFM digs into the truth behind "K-Strass."

Posted by: Ace at 01:15 PM | Comments (83)
Post contains 131 words, total size 1 kb.

1 That deceptive headline caused me, and society, great harm. Off to the gulag with you!

Posted by: Allahpundit at May 12, 2010 01:16 PM (VmtE9)

2 That is a tasty bit of AWESOMENESS right there. How does he do it.... I am still trying to figure it out.

Posted by: Truck Monkey at May 12, 2010 01:18 PM (yQWNf)

3 Layers and layers of factchecking, you blogging infidels! Layers!!

Posted by: Monty at May 12, 2010 01:18 PM (4Pleu)

4 He's no fun, he fell right over.

Posted by: joncelli at May 12, 2010 01:19 PM (RD7QR)

5 I just peed a little.

Posted by: Haywood at May 12, 2010 01:19 PM (eoYse)

6 And they are probably all J-School grads.

Posted by: DrewM. at May 12, 2010 01:20 PM (9B5OK)

7 Don't hate me because I'm a buxom goddess.

Yo-yo epic fail. Cute shorts and suspenders, too.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at May 12, 2010 01:20 PM (UOM48)

8 Oh my...I feel very very bad for him!

Posted by: Nice Deb at May 12, 2010 01:21 PM (zT8vM)

9 Idiots were too stupid to even ask for a demo first before running the story. Great work, MFM.

Posted by: Kratos (missing from the side of Mt Olympus) at May 12, 2010 01:21 PM (c0A3e)

10 So much for "muscle memory"

Posted by: Neo at May 12, 2010 01:21 PM (tE8FB)

8 Oh my...I feel very very bad for him!

Ummmm. Who?

Posted by: Truck Monkey at May 12, 2010 01:22 PM (yQWNf)

12 "Oh my...I feel very very bad for him!"

I hope you feel bad for the newscaster because the yo-yo guy was punking the various news stations. It was f'ing great. I love his rap song that ends with some sort of jazz be bap do diddly wop bit. It's exactly how I rap.

Posted by: Vanilla Killa at May 12, 2010 01:23 PM (xYLUt)

13
That right there was a 3-d demonstration of how magnets work.

Posted by: Atomic Roach at May 12, 2010 01:23 PM (Oxen1)

14 K-Strass?

Lightweight.

Posted by: O-Bamm at May 12, 2010 01:23 PM (Mmw0q)

15
"Non-profit"

No shit.

Posted by: Dang at May 12, 2010 01:23 PM (UA4gE)

16 Oh my...I feel very very bad for him!

That yo-yo he lost probably represents a weeks wages.

Posted by: Neo at May 12, 2010 01:23 PM (tE8FB)

17
What a fucking ass hole.

Posted by: Yo-yo number 8 at May 12, 2010 01:24 PM (UA4gE)

18 #16 No shit.

No kidding. The guy must go through yo-yos like Steven Seagal goes through all-you-can-get buffees.

Posted by: Kratos (missing from the side of Mt Olympus) at May 12, 2010 01:25 PM (c0A3e)

19 They really need to bring back the old giant Sheppard's hook for removing bombing performers from the stage.

Posted by: Kristopher at May 12, 2010 01:25 PM (kCEOg)

20 Was that a performance for the Gong Show?

Posted by: conscious and asking if Bork is still available at May 12, 2010 01:27 PM (YVZlY)

21 Where is YoYo Man ( Tommy Smothers) when you need him!!

Posted by: Say What? at May 12, 2010 01:27 PM (vwh8M)

22 Oh, and...

Fail! (on the TV hosts part).

Posted by: Kratos (missing from the side of Mt Olympus) at May 12, 2010 01:28 PM (c0A3e)

23 I figured this was one of the morons having some fun until I realized that an AOSHQ moron would've had the yo-yos made up to look like testicles.

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at May 12, 2010 01:28 PM (P33XN)

I got a little dizzy?

a little?

Posted by: Say What? at May 12, 2010 01:28 PM (vwh8M)

25 Andy Bernard?

LOL, this is amazingly funny shit.

Posted by: Lex Luthor, Ruler of Australia at May 12, 2010 01:28 PM (dUOK+)

26 I was really hoping the world's greatest yo-yo artist would be a Muslim.

Posted by: Contessa Brewer, More Confused Than Usual at May 12, 2010 01:29 PM (c7UMz)

27 The article linked here shows him doing same thing at another station with the station doing an after the fact "investigation" of the guy.

News Clip

Posted by: Vanilla Killa at May 12, 2010 01:29 PM (xYLUt)

28 the last, final and sure sign of the Apocalypse

Posted by: OhioDude at May 12, 2010 01:30 PM (N0QKr)

29 That was painful to watch.

Posted by: Emily M. at May 12, 2010 01:30 PM (BuL+A)

I love how he keeps rubbing him knee till the end.

poor bastard

Posted by: Say What? at May 12, 2010 01:30 PM (vwh8M)

"Oh my...I feel very very bad for him!"

At some point, it is possible to be too nice, Deb.

K-Strass : yo-yos :: AoSHQ : Stuff Jefferson Said, Vol. II

Posted by: reason at May 12, 2010 01:30 PM (V40IZ)

32 I remember this one time the newscasters told the incredulous nation that a senator from Illinois was elected to be the US Precedent.

Posted by: Gerbil Malodor at May 12, 2010 01:30 PM (dP6Ky)

33 Yo-yo fail? Lightweight.

Posted by: Barry's B-Ball Skilz at May 12, 2010 01:30 PM (UOM48)

34 Hit the link and watch the other videos. General discomfort to be had.

Posted by: Haywood at May 12, 2010 01:30 PM (eoYse)

35 Since it's already been linked here:

GONG!

Posted by: logprof at May 12, 2010 01:30 PM (Mmw0q)

36 I used to be really good at this until that one night I got drunk and rushed the field at a Phillies exhibition.

Posted by: K-Strass at May 12, 2010 01:33 PM (V40IZ)

"I remember this one time the newscasters told the incredulous nation that a senator from Illinois was elected to be the US Precedent. "

Remember when they told us that John McCain was a leaky old geezer who was unlikely to survive another month, let alone the next four years?

Posted by: reason at May 12, 2010 01:35 PM (V40IZ)

38 Yo-yo dude's mom: facepalm (and a tumbler of Scotch).

Posted by: Jane D'oh at May 12, 2010 01:35 PM (UOM48)

39 That little piece of bastard stole my act!!!

Posted by: Joy to the Whirled at May 12, 2010 01:35 PM (EZCyM)

40 My Mom and Dad went to the hungry i in San Francisco many, many years ago to see a folksinging trio. My mother says that she recalls in the middle of the first song that she felt so sorry for them -- here they were on stage, trying to make it, and they were BAD. Their timing was off, they'd mess up the lyrics -- and the one with the bass would constantly yell at the one with the guitar, berating him for screwing up.

Except... my Dad started laughing. Mom kept elbowing him, trying to get him to at least be polite and quiet, but my Dad just guffawed. And the one with the guitar turned to him and said, "That's not very nice, Mister! We're trying our best and you're just laughing at us!"

And soon everybody was laughing, especially when the one with the guitar -- Tommy, it was -- whined to his brother Dick on bass, "Mom always liked you best!"

Somewhere along the way, the third guy left the act, leaving just the two Smothers Brothers.

Posted by: stuiec at May 12, 2010 01:36 PM (W+GYq)

41
Anyone else see some Leonardo DiCaprio from What's Eating Gilbert Grape under that guy's hat?

Posted by: Dang at May 12, 2010 01:37 PM (UA4gE)

42 I just saw the Smothers Bros last Fri. They are retiring this month. 51 yr stint for what started out as a summer job... not bad

Posted by: Say What? at May 12, 2010 01:42 PM (vwh8M)

43 I just saw the Smothers Bros last Fri. They are retiring this month. 51 yr stint for what started out as a summer job... not bad

Posted by: Say What? at May 12, 2010 05:42 PM (vwh8M)

And to close the loop, Tommy used to work as a Duncan Yo-Yo man, and he has REAL mad yo-yo skillz.

Posted by: stuiec at May 12, 2010 01:47 PM (W+GYq)

44 Dude's yo-yo skills are a solid B+

Posted by: Barack Obama at May 12, 2010 01:50 PM (saRwI)

45 Oh, when Ace says to read the backstory, you should totally read the backstory. Heh!

I still feel bad...for somebody!

Posted by: Nice Deb at May 12, 2010 01:53 PM (zT8vM)

46 Those shorts looked like sweat pants. Sweat-pant shorts with suspenders.

Posted by: RushBabe at May 12, 2010 02:01 PM (W8m8i)

47 Boy! I'm impressed. Ole Kenny has sucking down to a fine art.

Posted by: maddogg at May 12, 2010 02:02 PM (OlN4e)

"What should I do?"

So many answers, so little time...

Posted by: MostlyRight at May 12, 2010 02:11 PM (0aCXd)

LOFL.

ROFLOFL.

Posted by: Entropy at May 12, 2010 02:23 PM (eL+YD)

50 Stoned Yankees, er mid westerners, ugly.

I caught a little frog accent in there, eah?

So Ace, Where the Fuck to you find this shit?

Ewok intergalactic network?

Or Fark?

Posted by: Kemp at May 12, 2010 02:23 PM (2+9Yx)

51 Everybody has a little Andy Kaufman in them...I was waiting for the Elvis thing at the ending.

Posted by: Rob in Katy, TX (Illegal Alley) at May 12, 2010 02:28 PM (YHfWs)

This guy is fricken awesome.

Posted by: Entropy at May 12, 2010 02:30 PM (eL+YD)

53 Fuckin yo-yo's man, how do they work?

Posted by: Entropy at May 12, 2010 02:36 PM (eL+YD)

54 ^{*whsipers* ...what do I do...?}

Posted by: K-Strass at May 12, 2010 02:42 PM (XiVKO)

55 That was great! Kaufman's ghost lives. Best. Punking. Ever. 'Cept for the 52%-ers who got punked in Nov. of '08.

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at May 12, 2010 02:47 PM (swuwV)

56 Really funny. Looks to me like Kenny was partially aroused. I'm thinking those shorts are ultra-comfortable.

Posted by: Birdbath at May 12, 2010 02:47 PM (/DOcw)

57 I believe the alternate title for this should be GOP during the Naughts...

Posted by: Horatius at May 12, 2010 02:50 PM (oRBKv)

58 He should have loaded up on vodka before he started. Sure, he still would have failed and fallen on his knee; but it would have hurt less.

Posted by: Zimriel at May 12, 2010 02:52 PM (leK0F)

59 To be fair, the news producers must be getting fooled by Strauss' attire. It screams "legitimacy." I mean, I see that and I think, "Yep, Yo-Yo Master right there." Remember, he forgot his Blue Angel helmet, but he probably had it during pre-interviews.

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at May 12, 2010 02:55 PM (swuwV)

60 I'm kind of amazed at people like him, and the Borat guy, Sasha Baron Cohen. People like me (and I think a lot of people) are so mortified at the idea of social embarrassment we could never, ever in a million years do this. I'd fricken spazz out right there with a seizure. Seriously, I'd be shaking. When I see guys like this and Borat who seem to have no social-shame whatsoever, they seem like they have low-level superpowers to me. It's a kind of fearlessness. Not heroic combat fearlessness, but they do lack a typical fear that most have, or don't have much of it and have learned to control what little they do have.

Posted by: ace at May 12, 2010 02:59 PM (i6ROy)

61 It's even better than that, listen to him tell inane stories and stuff just to keep it going before he starts "the show". One of em went three minutes, absolute nothing drivel but he does it to play it out.

Posted by: Dave in Texas at May 12, 2010 03:12 PM (Wh0W+)

62 ace@62,

Yeah, I'm a bit in awe of these guys, too, in a weird way. I don't always like what they do, but sometimes they pull off the unimaginable. They have a perverse gift.

I had a childhood friend who did stuff like this all through our formative school years. Pretty sharp dude and could be very serious; but his outlet was pulling stuff in this vein. Just a harmless prankster.

As an example, we had class elections our junior year in high-school. Another friend of ours was a very quiet, subdued guy who no one could see as running for Student Council. On a lark they decided to run our "quiet leader" for President after our urging (because he was actually a smart, decent person) but do so in a goofball manner... the goofier the better. I've forgotten the more silly stuff of the campaign, but the "prankster" friend was campaign manager. He had some shame, but not that much. Anyhoo, he made up stick-figure posters and idiotic slogans. Peers mocked him because he seemed so inept at the job. It was essentially an anti-campaign with the competition spending all kinds of money, time, and effort to put on a big show. If the campaign cost more than $15.00, I'd be surprised.

Stick-figures and goofy slogans won. We elected what some here could appreciate... a moron. It was great.

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at May 12, 2010 03:22 PM (swuwV)

63 So if K-Strass is Obama, hope is the Yo-yo and the people are the television stations I can see how this is not funny.

Why do you have to rub it in Ace???...WHY?

Posted by: JavaJoe at May 12, 2010 03:34 PM (e9JZd)

64 Back years ago, when Bob Newhart guest hosted for Johnny Carson, he got a volunteer from the audience, and put him in front of a chalkboard.

He then proceeded to do one of those mathematical magic tricks. By the time he was done, the poor volunteer had the board looking like a 2-hour Glenn Beck special, with some seven or eight digit number as his final answer, and Bob says something like:

"Your answer should be 4. It's not? Well, well, then something must have gone wrong somewhere.... Anyway, the answer should be 4."

Only Newhart could make it funny -- and he did....

This guy? I got a kick out of it; but then, I'm pretty easily entertained.

Posted by: notropis at May 12, 2010 03:36 PM (FgcdM)

65 As a reference, here's a poster I remember:

JimBob = Pres

(Hand printed, black marker on white posterboard; *name changed to protect the innocent)

Another? Think of a single, hand-drawn stick figure wearing a Lincolnesque tophat. Again, black-on-white posterboard. That's it.

It was pathetically brilliant. Now this is certainly no Yo-Yo trick on live TV, but the Yo-Yo guy wasn't running for president, either; sort of peas in a pod type public expression as I remember it.

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at May 12, 2010 03:39 PM (swuwV)

People like me (and I think a lot of people) are so mortified at the idea of social embarrassment we could never, ever in a million years do this.

It's not that hard.

Posted by: Joe Biden at May 12, 2010 03:43 PM (+2Gjy)

As an example, we had class elections our junior year in high-school. Another friend of ours was a very quiet, subdued guy who no one could see as running for Student Council.

I remember that campaign! Vote for Pedro!

Posted by: RushBabe at May 12, 2010 03:46 PM (W8m8i)

68 After reading the backstory, I wonder how long before someone registers WaltGreenbergAward.com

Posted by: Craig McCarthy at May 12, 2010 03:47 PM (Ir8C5)

69 "I remember that campaign! Vote for Pedro!"

Hey, that's right! My friend should sue for copyright infringement. Or get a consulting fee. Either way, he was screwed!

But I think we can see a pattern here. As Kos said, "money doesn't matter anymore." Turns out, it's the moronesque posters for the quiet guy.

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at May 12, 2010 03:58 PM (swuwV)

70 I ran a campaign to get Steve Ramsey elected homecoming king at my high school, and he made it to the last round with the second highest number of votes.

Then the administration realized that there was no Steve Ramsey enrolled at the school. We were this close.

Posted by: Craig McCarthy at May 12, 2010 04:07 PM (Ir8C5)

71 I can't get those 3 1/2 minutes back dude.
That's just wrong.

Posted by: 1idvet at May 12, 2010 04:12 PM (iMyIW)

72 wait...so AnonymousDrivel went to school with David Axelrod?

Posted by: GGE, Hall of Fame Moron at May 12, 2010 04:25 PM (6/nr7)

73 Uh...Don't get all wee weed up now.

Posted by: B+rry Ob+mao at May 12, 2010 04:26 PM (tekDi)

74 "He then proceeded to do one of those mathematical magic tricks." You mean there's a whole genre of mathematical magic tricks?

Posted by: sauropod at May 12, 2010 05:10 PM (GPm6P)

75 GGE, Hall of Fame Moron: "wait...so AnonymousDrivel went to school with David Axelrod?"

We helped elect a moron, not a moron-moron, so our paths never crossed. I'm pretty sure we'd have taped Axelrod to a flagpole and he'd never have been heard from again.

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at May 12, 2010 05:29 PM (swuwV)

76 That was hilarious.

Posted by: rdbrewer at May 12, 2010 05:54 PM (YP09x)

77 Someone was definitely fired for that and odds are it was not that person's fault.

Posted by: Aaron at May 12, 2010 06:02 PM (XUIJ5)

78 dees is vat happins ven ye smoke vay too much mary wanar. Dees man ees stil a deepsheet even abter he gets hep from udder deepsheet. maybe dey hab dee same fodder.

Posted by: Lunatic, What Comes From the Fringe at May 12, 2010 07:24 PM (uFdnM)

79 It was essentially an anti-campaign with the competition spending all kinds of money, time, and effort to put on a big show.

Posted by: online deals at February 21, 2011 02:20 AM (ac9Wm)

80 I had a childhood friend who did stuff like this all through our formative school years. Pretty sharp dude and could be very serious; but his outlet was pulling stuff in this vein. Just a harmless prankster.

Posted by: Toyota Parts at March 04, 2011 11:25 PM (JD/1m)

81 I'm a bit in awe of these guys, too, in a weird way. I don't always like what they do, but sometimes they pull off the unimaginable. They have a perverse gift.

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82 We have been the leading online retailer of quality Replica Rolex Watches, the luxury timepieces.

Posted by: Capital Gold Group at March 17, 2011 10:05 AM (d67si)

83 Great blog. And the good news is that the good news is that he got a job holding a steady-cam while women in high heels crush bugs.

Posted by: lady gaga tickets at March 18, 2011 01:29 AM (uY6F8)

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