Under Pressure, performed by homeless man with double Kermits

Video Link. I should add that this fellow is presumably performing the role of a homeless man with two children to raise, but the message, poignancy, and timeliness is all the same. (thanks, Richard Metzger).

Boing Boing editor/partner and tech culture journalist Xeni Jardin hosts and produces Boing Boing's in-flight TV channel on Virgin America airlines (#10 on the dial), and writes about living with breast cancer. Diagnosed in 2011. @xeni on Twitter. email: xeni@boingboing.net.

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Anonymous

brilliant.

it says donate here:

http://homelessness.change.org/nonprofits

-FF
bardfinn

*applause*
Anonymous

stumble needs an “i fucking love it” button
2k

m0ar!
Zombie Gonzo sings Erasure sings Abba

now!
Anonymous

I love it…would love to donate to him…purely for making my two year giggle…pricesless…i wish him the best of luck and hope things improve for him and his family as soon as xx
mr-obvious

Amazing performance.

Impossible to even speculate on the man’s financial condition.

At a macro level, our political and financial system grossly mis-allocates capital (our collective savings). Politically connected enterprises gain tremendous advantages at the expense of the individual.

For the longest time, it seemed that if the “system” at least helped those that were well educated and responsible. The financial crisis of 2008 laid the truth for everyone to see when a decade of stock-market gains evaporated, our biggest banks teetered towards failure and trillions had to be borrowed and pumped into to “rescue” the system.

Wall St. bonuses got rescued. 2009 was a brilliant year to be a banker.

Main St. still suffers from a prolong bout of joblessness.
Anonymous

that made me cry so much passion in this man, life is certainly hard, this man does something that is so unique that it must be shared thank you the message is very clear, the pressure of life gets to all of us
ethancoop

The whole thing is choreographed down to the camera moves so the video has obviously been planned out whatever the guy’s situation.
Apreche

I watch a lot of Internets.

That is the best Internets I’ve seen maybe all year.
- Art
  
  Me thinks perhaps you may not have viewed a sufficient quantity of Internets.
- Xeni Jardin
  
  It is a moving and beautiful piece.
  - gorckat
    
    The first couple minutes I thought it was cute and clever- amusing.
    
    I’ve always loved the song and the raw emotion it always pulls from me.
    
    At about the 3rd minute, even if the guy is acting, it yanked on my heart and made me wonder how we let people get so far down they lose it all when they did nothing to deserve it.
    
    One of my coworkers and best friends lost his job due to his employer hitting bad times several years ago. He lost everything and was out on the streets with mad mechanical skills and while homeless developed an addiction that nearly ruined his whole life.
    
    He got into a housing program and started to get straight, got a job working as a groundskeeper and this week finishes busting his ass in class 4-5 nights a week, while doing the on-call shifts every weekend at work, for the last year at a technical school to get certified as an HVAC tech. It’s taken a couple years, but he’s doing great.
    
    All we need to do is reach out a little. There are some real good people that just need those of us who are not wrecked to lend a little hand.
Anonymous

Wow,Simply wow.Regardless of his situation this is a very well done performance as well as a great camera man….

I was amazed at how much this made me miss Freddy…

And how pissed it makes me feel towards our corporations ( wall street )and our supposed leaders in Washington that there are people ( even if it turns out this guy isn’t ) put in the position this video represents….

You want to help this guy? ( or that which he speaks for )….
Go out and vote in Nov.Vote out each and everyone of those SOB’s that have forced so many to this point.You all want a change? Then be that change!
Anonymous

“Let’s help this guy!”. (Again, he who may or may not be homeless in actuality.) What does that mean? “Yeah, screw that schizophrenic/addicted guy over there with no puppetry skills!” Let’s give love, give love. Try to find the courage to get involved with (and educated about) the homeless and impoverished in your community – not just on the internet.
Anonymous

Do we have info on who this guy is/how to help him out? That an amazing show: performer down on his luck, David Bowie and Freddie Mercury, and not one, but TWO Kermits! It has everything!
Pantograph

It really isn’t easy being green.
emmany

An amazing performance by what appears to be a truly gifted puppeteer. He is the Kermits.
Greg323

Outstanding…and well timed too, considering the gap between Wall Street and Main Street. I’ve always liked that song. If he’s for real, how can we help him? If he’s a performer, where else can I find more of his material?
Grey Devil

The guy’s performance is very intense, genuine, and heartfelt. Regardless if this man really is homeless or not i wish him luck in his endeavors, hopefully something good will turn out for him because of this video.
aaronlyon

I know he is talented because he did not move his mouth to the words of the song. That’s nearly impossible to accomplish when rocking to Bowie and Freddie.

Seriously, I got a tear.
devophill

Fantastic. An excellent performance.
Anonymous

Music Industry is gonna cap his ass for supplying free music to an unpaying audience.
Anonymous

Maybe this comment from the link here at Boing Boing will clarify a thing or two.

This is a performance meant to entertain and inspire.

If you want to help…

http://www.squidoo.com/help-the-homel…

As I said this is a performance. I don’t want there to be any doubts about my situation. I am a performer. I have a roof over my head and I have yet to start my own family. But this video isn’t about me. This is for the men, women and children on our streets who don’t have bright green puppets on their hands. The people who aren’t always as easy to see. This is for you.

Awesome performance. This reminded me of some core beliefs I have been questioning lately.
grimatongueworm

I’m still diggin Frank the “Funkasaurus Rex” more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNXwicxlsvI
tedrock

Does anyone else Kermit clear his throat at 2:15?
Or is that Freddie clearing his throat?
Weird…
- Anonymous
  
  Yes, I heard it too!
kaiza

WHOA, DOUBLE KERMIT, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Major Variola (ret)

Thank you so much. Met with headhunters today, that really helped. Its not easy being whatever color I am today. As I think Eno wrote, it changes daily.

That being said, I now realize that Kermit needed Prozac. I have nothing against miscegenation but I think he could have done better than that Palin clone.

I also appreciate Bowie more, thanks.
Fang Xianfu

That is an amazing performance, and certainly worth throwing in some cash for – if I’d seen a performance that impressive in person, there’s no way I wouldn’t have given him something. Please, get a link up where we can give something back.
Anonymous

Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous.

Bowiefrog trying to encourage Freddiefrog when he’s on the ground?

CMON! perfect!
MajorMattMason

Y’know, if he really needs the money, I’d like to help. And if he doesn’t, that performance is still worth something.
Drowse

Did I ever mention that I love BoingBoing for its love of Queen?
Anonymous

If you jump to the YouTube page and read the comments it’s quite clear that he’s a performer doing this to call attention to people who are often invisible. The suggested link for those who care is this: http://www.squidoo.com/help-the-homeless-for-free