One of my Twitter followers, friend of the blog @Walruswhisperer (Phil Demers) WON the first running of the course on the Canadian version of Wipeout which aired in Canada last night! Big bucks and serious bragging rights!
Here’s where this post is going to get kind of long… First of all, Phil had contacted me on Twitter (@walrusweb) to make me aware of his incredible walrus story (details below and in a future post), so I was extra-amused when he tweeted that he’d be on Wipeout – since aside from Walruses, Wipeout is one of my favorite things-that-no-one-understands-my-love-of. I can NOT get enough of people doing amazing faceplants and flying through the air while trying to get through that course. Don’t get me started.
This is not the only time in my recent life that walruses and Wipeout have come together. Since it’s my blog, I’ll tell this brief story. But first I have to make a confession. I’m a TV talker. I cannot watch a TV show such as Wipeout without talking to the screen, or in the case of Wipeout, loudly saying “OOOOF!” or “Right in the FACE!” while watching the show. I can’t help it, it’s reflex. I am the laughing stock of the house, and certain of the family will not watch TV with me because of this. So anyway, my girlfriend and I recently got involved in a contest (as in the Seinfeld episode, but not related to, well… you know) with the various kids of the house. The contest went like this: each person would have one thing selected for them that they would have to give up. Things like Justin Beiber, texting, or talking during TV shows. All the kids assumed I’d be the first one out, and they came up with a plan to break me immediately. Yes – I got home to find YouTube via the PS3 hooked up to the big TV with Wipeout’s funniest wipeouts and other clips cued up. They though they had me, but I was strong. I managed to watch several clips without uttering an OOF or so much as an “oh MAN!” when someone got clocked in the FACE by that one obstacle, or flew off of the red balls flailing into the water… I was cold as ice. Nothing. I had won. Then I mentioned that there was this one walrus video they should check out and we ended up watch random Youtube walrus videos. There was with one video where this guy was talking about the HUGE walrus! Wow! Look at that WALRUS! and I immediately broke down. “That’s a sea lion you idiot!” I yelled at the screen. And just like that I was out. Like Phil – I had survived Wipeout, only to be brought down by some hodad who doesn’t know his pinnipeds.
Congrats Phil! Especially if you held on long enough to read this entire post!
Here’s a link to the brief piece about Phil’s win in the Niagra Falls Review.
Here’s Phil’s Wipeout audition tape from YouTube:
Here’s a link to Wipeout Canada’s website, but be warned – I don’t think anyone outside Canada can see this video. I can’t anyway – I’ve tried on a few browsers, so I suspect it’s Canada only..
I will be posting more about Phil shortly – if you think his story sounds familiar, it’s likely you’ve heard of his unusual relationship with Smooshi the Walrus! If you haven’t – watch this next vid and prepare to be amazed.