THOUGHTS | DUMBASS NUISANCE VLOGGERS

No offense to the good Americans out there, but what is up with some of your people?

If you’re visiting an Asian country, don’t come here just to piss off the locals!

I was in BGC last week, and I saw both locals and tourists enjoying themselves—some were jogging, some were shopping, some were eating, and others were just out with their pets. People are free to enjoy a place however they like, but that doesn’t mean everything is for everyone.

When I eat pancit canton, I like to spam it with gochujang. A lot of people would probably enjoy it, but I’m not going to force anyone to do the same.

That’s the problem here—some people, meaning foreign nuisance streamers, just don’t get that. And whoever encouraged this vlogger to come here needs to join him in whatever prison cell he’s about to stay in. That girl explaining to the guard that "it's just a prank" should have been stopping him, not asking for a free pass.

Back in the ‘90s and early 2000s, the Philippines had Wow Mali, a gag show known for its pranks. Bitoy’s Funniest Videos had similar concepts, and even Victim—hosted by the unfairly muscular Carlos Agassi—was the local version of Ashton Kutcher’s Punk’d. The difference? Those shows made sure their pranks were actually funny, that the people involved were in on it afterward, and that they weren’t just antagonizing random folks. More importantly, the pranks were done by locals, for locals. They understood the culture and knew what was acceptable.

Some people will still get angry—that’s just the nature of the beast. But I don’t know what’s worse: hidden cameras that can provoke unplanned violent reactions or even medical episodes, or nuisance streamers who harass people while shoving a camera in their faces.

At least with hidden cameras, the reactions are spontaneous (even if risky). Nuisance streamers, on the other hand, often go live, meaning their unsuspecting targets are humiliated in real time—whether they consent to being on camera or not.

Foreign pranksters often don’t have that awareness. There’s a reason why Just for Laughs works—it’s wholesome, lighthearted, and doesn’t aim to get people angry. Meanwhile, this Russian-American vlogger and Johnny Somali? Completely different story. The key to a good prank is the reaction—if a person freaks out, the producers usually step in, explain the prank, and even compensate them. But these nuisance streamers? They travel to other countries, pull off stunts without proper consideration, and deliberately seek out angry reactions.

The reason shows like Wow Mali, Bitoy’s Funniest, and Just for Laughs worked is because their pranks were absurd, not mean-spirited. One of the most popular Wow Mali segments was the “Question Lady,” where a woman would approach strangers, ask if she could ask a question, and when they said yes, she’d just say “thank you” and leave. It was harmless and left people confused rather than enraged. She ran that prank for months until people started recognizing her. Even today, “na-Wow Mali ka na ba?” is still used whenever someone gets played.

These nuisance streamers, on the other hand, don’t seem to realize what they’re getting into until reality hits them. Acting entitled might work in the U.S., but in many Asian countries, things can turn 180 real quick. Unlike in America, where someone like this wouldn’t even get a 30-second news segment, a foreigner pulling dumb stunts here gets nationwide coverage. And once they end up in prison, no amount of money can protect them from a gang of hotheads.

Worse, their actions make things harder for other foreigners. One troublemaker can create problems for an entire community. I remember when a streamer complained about people using coffee shops as makeshift offices and study halls, and he got massive backlash. If you’re visiting another country, you need to respect its customs. If you break the law, your embassy might have to step in—but at that point, they’re left begging for your release. And let’s be real—do you think Donald Trump (or any U.S. leader) would beg for someone who thought it was a great idea to bring rotten fish on a bus, try to steal a gun from a security guard, and “accidentally” press a tsunami warning?

Some people really don’t think things through.