There isn’t anything that’s more American than our local television stations. Every city in this country has its own wacky weatherman or eccentric car salesman. Local news is powered by the ridiculous dumb shit that happens in our communities on a daily basis and the guests on our morning talk shows can often be so bizarre that you couldn’t possibly make it up. Or could you?
Over the course of the past two years, Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher, the VHS wizards behind the Found Footage Festival, have been appearing on local TV as the exercise duo “Chop and Steele.” Having realized how easy it is to book themselves interviews on local television, the FFF founders have turned their appearances on breakfast shows into one big elaborate prank.
You see, Chop and Steele are not your average exercise team. They are a strongman duo, and they utilize ordinary everyday objects such as tools for their exercise routines. The two have appeared on several morning talk shows, performing snippets of their workout routine “Give Thanks 4 Strengths.” According to their press release, which falsely claims they’ve appeared on America’s Got Talent, the duo promotes “using their muscles to entertain and educate, promote unity and address the subject of bullying and ways to prevent it through humor, courage and self-respect.” As demonstrated, the mission statement is achieved by stomping straw baskets, karate chopping tree branches, hitting a tire with baseball bats, lifting milk jugs of brown liquid, and a rather uncomfortable see-saw weightlifting technique.
The workout hoax is a continuation of previous morning show gimmicks conspired by the comedians, which include a fake chef with tips on how to reuse Thanksgiving leftovers and the yo-yo master K-Strass performed by actor, Mark Proksch. This one also comes strikingly close to the brilliant Nathan for You caper, “The Movement.” Our heroes face what could be a legitimate lawsuit, as Wisconsin television station WEAU Eau Claire is looking to sue.
The newest Found Footage Festival Vol. 8 is now available on DVD and digital download. Equally as exciting as an extended cut of Chop and Steele, the compilation also features local news bloopers, the Hollywood “Welcome Home” Desert Storm parade, a video titled “Urine,” and the worst moments from workout videos, car salesman ads, sexual instruction tapes, anti-Satan Christian propaganda, and more. Watch “Chop and Steele” in action below.
Previously on Dangerous Minds:
‘Memorial Day 2000’: Disgusting ‘found footage’ classic of drunken hillbilly white trash insanity
Two kids in 1993 remade ‘Jurassic Park’ with toys and a VHS video camera—and it rules
VHS fan builds a functional video rental store in his basement: ‘It’s like the 80s threw up’
Everything is Terrible: Colby the Christian Robot