62-year-old man with disabilities in China unknowingly stars in viral livestreams, ‘Truman Show’-style

62-year-old man in China becomes real-life ‘Truman Show’ star without knowing

A 62-year-old man in China with mental disabilities has unknowingly become the star of a 24/7 livestream — much like Jim Carrey’s character in the 1998 film ‘The Truman Show’.

In ‘The Truman Show’, Carrey’s character lives his entire life on a reality TV show, unaware that every moment is being broadcast to the world as part of an elaborate set-up.

Local villager exploits internet fascination with Feng

According to the South China Morning Post, Feng Dianwu first gained attention in 2022 after a video showing him scavenging for cabbage went viral.

The video, filmed by a local villager named Erfeng, shows Mr Feng, also known as “Brother Min”, looking confused as he carries two cabbages he had taken from a neighbour.

His strange behaviour quickly captivated viewers, earning the video over a million likes.

Source: Douyin

Mr Feng, who has mental disabilities and difficulty speaking due to injuries sustained while trying to save a friend in his youth, lives alone in a dilapidated house following the death of his parents.

He survives largely by scavenging for food, as the small government welfare he receives is often stolen by local delinquents.

Seeing an opportunity, Erfeng and his friends began recording Mr Feng regularly, taking advantage of his vulnerability for entertainment.

Source: 虎嗅网

What began as simple pranks soon escalated.

Erfeng would sneak up behind Mr Feng and suddenly shout his name, startling him.

Source: Douyin

In retaliation, Mr Feng would sometimes chase Erfeng away with a brick.

However, despite his sometimes violent reactions, the elderly man never harmed anyone, aside from one accidental incident where he hit himself.

Scaling up the operation

The pranks became more elaborate over time, with villagers sometimes pretending to be law enforcement and scaring Mr Feng with threats of arrest.

Eventually, Erfeng installed cameras around Mr Feng’s home to capture his daily routine, even extending the surveillance to a local shop he regularly visited.

Every aspect of his day-to-day life was filmed and shared on social media, from feeding his chickens to counting money in bed.

Source: Douyin

Many viewers believe Mr Feng was unaware that he was constantly being watched, leading to comparisons with ‘The Truman Show’.

While Erfeng and his friends claim that most of the money made from the viral content goes into improving Mr Feng’s living conditions, many observers have questioned their ethics.

“Have you ever asked if he is okay with being filmed?” one commenter asked.

A lawyer voiced similar concerns: “As a disabled person, the harassment and surveillance could lead to cyberbullying. Local authorities need to consider whether they have neglected their regulatory duties.”

Today, the social media accounts sharing Mr Feng’s life have been shut down.

Source: South China Morning Post

Although unconfirmed, a villager mentioned that Mr Feng’s family has since taken him in and moved him away from his crumbling home.

Also read: Nurses in M’sia allegedly livestream babies on TikTok, raising patient confidentiality concerns

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Featured image adapted from 虎嗅网.