So i've been meaning to write about a real life example I know about. Although I have to step outside "the illusion" to talk about it. I'm somewhat loath to break "character" on it, but it's became a much larger thing now so i guess it makes no difference.
OK the area it takes place is in Brazilian Ju-Jitsu(BJJ) specifically and combat sports in general. There is a guy called Eddie Bravo who rose to fame when he managed to defeat in competition Royce Gracie (A decorated BJJ fighter from the Gracie Family who were instrumental in creating the art of BJJ.)
Eddie Bravo is an innovator in BJJ and off the back of his success created his own Gyms specializing in his techniques of BJJ. One of his students is called Rhassam Orange (An actor who was in days of our lives, i don't know it but it's an American show). Also with the popularity of BJJ in Europe and America Waxing a lot of Brazilian champs and experts moved abroad and set up schools to teach the art.
At some point Rhassam Orange developed, for humours sake, an alter ego called Renato Laranja (Laranja being Portuguese for Orange) Who was a hyped exaggeration of a Brazilian "Master". Just packing in every little idiosyncrasy. His accent is amazing, going over the top in the troubles Brazilian Portuguese has with English. For example "R" is never pronounced it's always an "h". Total disdain for anyone who doesn't train in a Gi. Wears his Gi at all times and dispensing advice like "eat fruit and vegetables".
He's also 27 time world champion (the champs only been every year since 1996) hates cannabis with a passion (loads of BJJ players smoke cannabis as it helps their creativity in moves) basically every single in-joke in the BJJ world is encapsulated in some way into his psyche, every negative stereotype. Hates white belts, only trains with folk worthy, always talking about how many woman he gets to sleep with. Calling out other fighters etc.
Now all this is really funny to folk inside the BJJ world, what makes it even funnier is everyone just started acting like this guy was real. He turned up at tournaments got interviewed (all in character) Real masters deferred to him. No one would break the character. He was doing videos where he was showing 7th dan black-belts "moves" the real pioneers of BJJ were just embracing him. Renzo Gracie (who competed in MMA and has students who became world champs etc) was wearing his T-shirt and proclaiming in videos Renato was going to tighten up his game. Videos all over youtube of him teaching everywhere.
Now the funny thing, BJJ has some crossover with UFC or Mixed martial arts in general. So lot's of UFC fans would be looking at Youtube and see, for example ,Chris Weidman (the UFC Middleweight champion) "arguing" with Renato because Renato interrupted his interview. (a common theme some star is getting interviewed and he comes over interrupts it and shit talks them) So Weidman picks him up and suplex's Renato, but, Renato is obviously 27 time world champ so he reverses the position and "wins".
This created much confusion because folk were asking "who is this guy", they could google and Rhassam Orange would come up, but that was countered and eventually for some people Renato was the real person and Rhassan Orange was the part played, or they were not even the same guy. All through this all the BJJ guys just kept acting like he was a 27 time world champion. So any one trying to find out would see a couple of folk saying "he's not real guys, it's a troll"but there would be literallt hundreds of videos on youtube of basically every single person who has some prestige in BJJ acting like he was the greatest BJJ practitioner of all time.
Some examples that gave him even more credibility to people just trying to find out who he was. There is a massive grappling tournament called metamoris and Andre Galvao was competing he is a multiple time world champion and Renato was in his corner for his match. He even snubbed the guy who Andre defeated who tried to shake his hand, the BJJ press were reporting it as "Renato Laranja snubbed". He had a "fight" with Vinny Magahles (another multiple world champion) at an expo, top UFC fighters with BJJ backgrounds like BJ Penn call him master etc.
I'm so devoted to the Viramsata this is the first time i've even acknowledged in writing it's not true.
I think the game is up now though he did some videos of him "charming" Ronda Rousey and she is such a big star now. So the videos have become swamped with folk saying it's fake.
Right i probably rambled a lot in there and didn't explain it well, but it's hilarious in-joke , in which no one breaks character till now.
