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Video: White guy mistaken for Michael Phelps

August 21st, 2008 by James

If you’re a non-Asian foreigner living in Japan, chances are you’ve been compared to a foreign celebrity at least once, and that celebrity probably looks nothing like you.

But have any of you experienced something like this:

[Via Brian in Jeollanam-do]



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27 Comments »

Comment by BS
2008-08-21 16:11:17

They just don’t stop believin’ and welcome him with open arms. I guess they think they can have it anyway they want it.

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Comment by Cliff J
2008-08-21 16:20:59

Hilarious video, but admittedly there is some resemblance.

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Comment by bkzk7188
2008-08-21 16:58:16

Well, he did carry a life-sized doll of Phelps with him.

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Comment by Dielle Saga
2008-08-21 18:02:26

He is very corajous in making this

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Comment by Not Micheal Phelps Either
2008-08-21 18:04:54

Yeah Steve, of course, since you don’t speak Chinese and you are walking around saying the equivalent of “blah blah blah Michael Phelps blah blah”. And carrying a life-sized photo cutout. And with a BBC camera crew in tow. What a maroon.
Is this really news?

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Comment by Sen
2008-08-22 19:59:21

haha..too funny

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Comment by edwardhasnewgoggles
2008-08-21 19:11:50

haha…that’s funny. I buzzed my head one time and everyone said I looked like Brad Pitt…it was pretty awesome. I got “david beckham” one time a few years back when my hair was dyed blonde haha…oh, it never got old!

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Comment by brian
2008-08-21 19:23:07

had me curious. if you do indeed have any semblance to brad pitt or beckham, then you are one lucky guy.

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Comment by edwardhasnewgoggles
2008-08-21 22:27:52

If you were born in the states, no…not really at all. Just a buzzed head, stubble, and straight teeth haha

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Comment by brian
2008-08-21 19:21:04

that is really hilarious. had me laughing the whole time i was watching it. what a great sport, steve is.

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Comment by Level3
2008-08-21 19:57:01

That’s in China, right?

How can we tell?
The building in the background (what’s it called?)
OR
The way that the people are rude and pushy-
and this is when they’re being nice!

Just feel the need to get another dig at China. ;)
Let’s see what happens.

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Comment by tentaro
2008-08-21 21:15:50

I was gonna say the same thing. Definitely China and not Japan but still funny as hell.

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Comment by Random
2008-08-21 22:12:58

Steve: “My name is Steve Perry from Great Britain”
Crowd: “Oooooooohhhhhhhh!”

Hahahahahaha.

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Comment by Random Filipino
2008-08-21 22:21:49

@1:01

Dude: My name is Steve Parry (Barry?) from great Britain. Steve Parry from Great Britain?

Crowd of curious onlookers: Ohhhhhhhhh…..

Dude: You don’t care do you, I’m not Phelps!

Maybe he should speak louder (or in Chinese). Haha. Who’s the person carrying the cut-out with the faux Gold medals anyway? Anyway, pretty funny.

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Comment by Ryry
2008-08-21 23:24:10

Maybe, just *maybe* it has something to do with the fact that he is talking to a camera? That would get you attention anywhere.
And also, Asian people very frequently assume that if you are white, you are from the US.

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Comment by Josh
2008-08-22 00:10:30

In 2005 I was in Tienimen Square (too lazy to spell check, close enough) and I had Chinese people taking pictures with me. I recall how not one of them ask first. You should of seen this African American with dreads at the Great Wall – they treated her like a circus freak.

Anyway, this guy in the video was speaking with a British accent and while most Chinese can’t speak English (as much as Americans can’t speak Spanish), you would like they would understand “…not Michael Phelps.”

If I was Steve Barry, I would shag the Chinese beach volleyball girls in those red bikinis dancing on the side-lines.

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Comment by cortana
2008-08-22 11:41:01

He’s a BBC sports commentator.

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Comment by Colin
2008-08-22 18:28:28

The BBC has been using that cut out as a “Phelps-O-Meter” to track his haul of Gold Medals – adding a medal to the cut out everytime he won one (as they guessed he’d never come to the BBC studio). THe idea had been for Parry (who’s a swimming commentator for the Beeb) to do a Vox Pops feature asking people on the streets what they thought of Phelps and using the cut out as a prop. I guess all white people look the same.

Incidently the fact that Parry got mistaken for Phelps was covered by NBCs morning show wear Parry was given a Team USA hat/sweatshirt to improve the likeness.

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Comment by marinaliteyears
2008-08-23 01:46:17

He kinda does look like him^.^; he’s got the ears that stick out,and his nose.

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