Once You're In the Weird Part of YouTube, There's No Way Out

YouTube is hilarious until someone thinks you're making fun of deformities. How a video of a shirtless man with a distorted face became a viral hit and a PR nightmare all rolled into one.

Rob Shap (not his real name) never thought “Bird Face” would go viral. He was just testing the camera on his new Macbook Pro when he recorded himself, shirtless, in his Brooklyn apartment and added some special effects.   But something happened when the video made its way to that weird corner of YouTube from which there is no return. Three years later, the “Bird Face” video has been viewed more than 1.2 million times.

The Rise of Bird Face

Even Rob will tell you there’s nothing special about “Bird Face.” 

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