We've all seen that pub TikTok now.
You know what I'm talking about. The one featuring the guys with mullets and moustaches, a pint of Guinness, and definitely very candid moments caught on camera.
The video was filmed and posted by Max Lepage-Keefe, outside The Blue Posts in Soho, with Dusty Springfield's 'Spooky', playing in the background. The text overlay reads "Pints, chit chat and good people >".
What could have simply been an innocent, albeit staged, TikTok of friends at the pub, has managed to rile up most of the UK.
Comments under the TikTok include: "One of the hardest watches this year", "Rah bro ignore my iPhone 15 pro max propped on the ledge bro we're having a pint", "it's the look at the camera while he's laughing for me."
While many have been making parody videos of the clip.
@maxlepagekeefeGrateful for the friends I have
But what does Max think about the backlash?
Speaking to The Tab, Max said "I've had people commenting saying that I've got a trust fund. I wish I did. I'm not a Tory, I work two jobs... I didn't say a word in this video and it's rattled so many people. I love the pub and I like dressing how I want to dress. So, just combine the two with a pint and it's all right!"
Max also pushed back on claims that the video was all pretend and that he and his friends kept glancing into the camera.
"One of my other friends was already filming so I thought I may as well set up my phone too," he said. "You feel it's there for maybe the first 30 seconds... I was filming for about 10 minutes altogether. Then I just edited it down."
"I think it is a toxic masculinity thing," Max said of the internet hating on him and his friends.
"If one singular video with no words said annoys you that much it's pretty sad... Everyone's got an opinion and they're free to say what they want to say... It's spurring me on."
For VICE, Eloise Hendy spoke to Dr Niki Cheong, a lecturer in Digital Culture and Society at King's College London about the video to find out why the Internet had the reaction it did towards the video.
"The reaction to this video, particularly the negative aspects, are commonplace now on social media: Everyone has an opinion and they want to share it," she said.
"I think influencers are an easy target for online attacks and mockery because they generally function on the basis of authenticity, when so much of their content is staged."
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