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Happy Slappers
The Sun reports that British rowdies have embraced a new hobby: happy slapping. Here's what the Sun says:A VIOLENT craze in which thugs slap strangers across the face and record it on video phone is sweeping Britain. The so-called "happy slappers" attack while an accomplice captures it to post on the internet or send to another mobile. But what started as a schoolkids' prank has escalated into more serious assaults - including fly-kicking strangers' spines - and robberies.
This sounds suspiciously like an urban legend. I can definitely believe the part about random street attacks, but the part about recording it all on video and posting it on the internet sounds dubious. If this is really the latest craze then where, as the Inquirer asks, are all these 'happy slapper' videos? They can't be found. Has anyone ever seen one? Of course, I imagine that some idiot will probably be inspired to go out and create one, now that everybody is talking about the phenomenon. If they do, then the video will serve as perfect evidence for prosecuting them.
Posted By: Alex | Date: Wed Jan 26, 2005 | Permalink |
Total Comments: 29
Category: Law/Police/Crime
Category: Law/Police/Crime
Listed in chronological order. Newest comments at the end.
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this certainly does exist, its been widely reported and the police are taking particular interest. a google search turned up various discussion groups, the one link offered to such films was dead- the host had deleted it because it violated their policy. will keep hunting!
Posted by Nick in Merrie Olde Englande on Wed Jan 26, 2005 at 09:53 AM
Can you find a website where we can see these, Alex?
Posted by Darren on Wed Jan 26, 2005 at 10:04 AM
I'm reminded of a story my friend tells me all about when he was in high school, his friends used to get people to pose for the "school newspaper" and , meanwhile, someone was standing behind them holding up a sign that read "I love the cock." They have hundreds of photographs of this. Of course, this was the days before camera phones.
Posted by Ga on Wed Jan 26, 2005 at 11:27 AM
i love the line "fly-kicking strangers' spines"!
Posted by fernando on Wed Jan 26, 2005 at 11:44 AM
I've seen footage a while back of kids (US, Japan, etc..)going around slapping each other. Most footage is of people who appear to know each other. Some bizzare pastime though.
Posted by sbnature in sb ca on Wed Jan 26, 2005 at 11:45 AM
There's a Tango advert which has been cited as the origin of this- it certainly sparked a craze of 'tangoing' people. A clip can be found at
http://www.absolutelyandy.com/tvadverts/index.htm
scroll about two thirds of the way down, you're looking for 'Tango- Orange Fella'
enjoy is all i can say
Posted by Nick in Merrie Olde Englande on Wed Jan 26, 2005 at 02:30 PM
http://www.absolutelyandy.com/tvadverts/index.htm
scroll about two thirds of the way down, you're looking for 'Tango- Orange Fella'
enjoy is all i can say
It sounds like that game from "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe" where people...hit strangers and then run away.
I tried it once. It wasn't nearly as fun as I wanted it to be, but the look on my boyfriend's face (ok, not exactly a stranger) was probably worth it.
Too bad I don't have a camera phone.
Posted by James D on Wed Jan 26, 2005 at 02:48 PM
I tried it once. It wasn't nearly as fun as I wanted it to be, but the look on my boyfriend's face (ok, not exactly a stranger) was probably worth it.
Too bad I don't have a camera phone.
According to Nick, the fact that there are Internet discussion groups about this proves that it's real. That's an interesting standard of proof.
If people really are posting pictures on the Net of themselves committing assault, all I can say is, where are the police?
Not to mention the personal injury lawyers.
Posted by Big Gary C in Dallas, Texas on Wed Jan 26, 2005 at 04:18 PM
If people really are posting pictures on the Net of themselves committing assault, all I can say is, where are the police?
Not to mention the personal injury lawyers.
>>>fly-kicking strangers' spines<<<
Well, is IS the responsibility of ninjas everywhere to occasionally flip out and kill people...
This kind of reminds me of the clip of the kid that flips off the police officer, goaded on by his friend in the car with a video camera. "Come on, do it, what's he gonna do?" As soon as the kid turns around, the cop takes out his nightstick and wails on him...
Posted by Barghest on Wed Jan 26, 2005 at 07:58 PM
Well, is IS the responsibility of ninjas everywhere to occasionally flip out and kill people...
This kind of reminds me of the clip of the kid that flips off the police officer, goaded on by his friend in the car with a video camera. "Come on, do it, what's he gonna do?" As soon as the kid turns around, the cop takes out his nightstick and wails on him...
This is apparently a real thing. I just watched a 2 minute video of it. Eventually, these jackasses are going to do this to the wrong person and get themselves hurt. It's pretty insane and disgusting.
If you want to see this you have to go through a few steps. The link will take you to a site called RapidShare. Scroll down and click Free download. Then you will get another window...scroll down and you will see a timer counting down. When it reaches zero you will be able to click on the filename to download the video. It's about 10MB.
There are 3 of these videos, but I have only seen the first. RapidShare limits free users to a certain amount of bandwidth per hour. I guess you will only be able to watch one per hour.
http://rapidshare.de/files-en/425199/Zoo1.avi.html
http://rapidshare.de/files-en/425241/Zoo2.avi.html
http://rapidshare.de/files-en/425271/Zoo3.avi.html
Posted by Tamandua on Wed Jan 26, 2005 at 08:00 PM
If you want to see this you have to go through a few steps. The link will take you to a site called RapidShare. Scroll down and click Free download. Then you will get another window...scroll down and you will see a timer counting down. When it reaches zero you will be able to click on the filename to download the video. It's about 10MB.
There are 3 of these videos, but I have only seen the first. RapidShare limits free users to a certain amount of bandwidth per hour. I guess you will only be able to watch one per hour.
http://rapidshare.de/files-en/425199/Zoo1.avi.html
http://rapidshare.de/files-en/425241/Zoo2.avi.html
http://rapidshare.de/files-en/425271/Zoo3.avi.html
Those videos are infuriating. I hope every single one of them gets their ass kicked hard. (Incidentally, that site prevents you from downloading more than one of the videos in an hour. You can get around it by deleting your cookie for rapidshare.de.)
Posted by Andy Baio in Santa Monica, CA on Wed Jan 26, 2005 at 09:24 PM
Tamandua, do we know if those videos were uploaded before or AFTER the story about the alleged face-slapping "craze" ran?
If they were on the 'net before the story ran, it might lend credence to the story. If they were uploaded AFTER the story ran, then they are probably the product of people reading or hearing about the story and copying what was reported in it.
Posted by Cranky Media Guy on Thu Jan 27, 2005 at 01:24 AM
If they were on the 'net before the story ran, it might lend credence to the story. If they were uploaded AFTER the story ran, then they are probably the product of people reading or hearing about the story and copying what was reported in it.
I certainly remember a lot of hoo-ha about the 'Tangoed' ear-clapping thing. Never saw an evidence that it was a real phenomenon but there wer certainly appeals to the ad watchdog to make Tango take the orange genie ad off the air. Not that that is evidence of anything except hysteria...
I'm *way* skeptical of this... Though random assaults are certainly one of the more colourful features of Life in Britain.
Posted by paul in prague on Thu Jan 27, 2005 at 01:34 AM
I'm *way* skeptical of this... Though random assaults are certainly one of the more colourful features of Life in Britain.
Erm, it's in The Sun, which isn't exactly the most reputable of news sources. However after the Sun's brain-dead readership read about it they'll probably think it's cool and start doing it themselves. Eejits!
Posted by alex in London, England on Thu Jan 27, 2005 at 03:03 AM
There was indeed a (successful) lobby to have the Tango ad taken off after some poor kid had both his eardrums burst
Posted by Nick in Merrie Olde Englande on Thu Jan 27, 2005 at 08:35 AM
this happens so often around here that my school has banned 'happy slapping' and are now enforcing the 'no mobile phone' rule. Strange, I thought there was already a rule saying that you 'should not physically another member of the school community'.
A particular favourite of mine is when the teachers themselves run around 'happy slapping' each other - not when the headteachers about of course!
Posted by thunder in England on Thu Jan 27, 2005 at 12:44 PM
A particular favourite of mine is when the teachers themselves run around 'happy slapping' each other - not when the headteachers about of course!
This does exist and it has to STOP! Violence against women and defenceless old people on buses is inexcusable. While it may seem funny now, what will that generation be doing in 15 years time? Beating their wives, slapping their grannies? What will the next lot do? Video clips of drive-by shootings and rape? Come on people, it's just not funny! It's horrific. Report any that you get!
Posted by MarkyH in London on Fri Jan 28, 2005 at 02:39 AM
mama said knock you out, marky.
you're next.
- happy slapper from huntingdonshire
Posted by jeffrey lebowski in la on Sat Jan 29, 2005 at 05:43 AM
you're next.
- happy slapper from huntingdonshire
I THINK THAT HAPPY SLAPPING IS VERY FUNNY. I HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE CLIPS AND FIND THEM WICKED. AT TIMES I THINK THAT ITS A FUN THING TO DO BUT ALSO I THINK ITS A VIOLENT OFFENCE. IF PEOPLE IN MY SCHOOL ARE CAUGHT WITH IT ON THEIR PHONE OR DOING IT THEN IT IS AN ASSUALT AND YOUR PHONE IS CONFESCATED. I THINK THAT IF THIS GOES ON THEN IN ABOUT 20 YEARS TIME PEOPLE WILL BE RECORDING ASSUALTS/MURDERS AND RAPES. THIS WILL BE A BAD INSITE ON OUR GENERATION.
THNAK YOU FOR READING MY MESSAGE. LOVE
LOVER AND HATER OF HAPPY SLAPPERS
Posted by Lover and Hater of Happy Slappers in bristol on Sat Jan 29, 2005 at 12:21 PM
THNAK YOU FOR READING MY MESSAGE. LOVE
LOVER AND HATER OF HAPPY SLAPPERS
Lover and Hater of Happy Slappers,
Please make a note, using all caps is the equivalent to yelling. Please do not yell.
Posted by Myst on Sat Jan 29, 2005 at 12:50 PM
Please make a note, using all caps is the equivalent to yelling. Please do not yell.
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