If you have not watched the original “Winnebago Man” video on YouTube, please watch it right now (warning: lots and lots of cursing are contained in the video).
It’s a simple story, really. But it’s one that had to be made. Jack Rebney is Winnebago Man. All he wanted to do was film a promotional video for RVs, but his short patience and dirty mouth got in the way. The outtakes from the video were compiled into one, and “Winnebago Man” became a hugely popular YouTube video. As of right now the video has over 1.8 million views. Filmmaker Ben Steinbauer found the video so facinating that he decided to search for Rebney and capture on video the legend that is Winnebago Man. Here’s the synopsis:
Jack Rebney is the most famous man you’ve never heard of — a Winnebago salesman whose hilarious, foul-mouthed outbursts circulated on VHS tapes in the 90s before turning into a full-blown Internet phenomenon in 2005. Filmmaker Ben Steinbauer goes in search of Rebney — and finds him living alone on a mountain top, unaware of his fame. WINNEBAGO MAN is a laugh-out-loud look at viral culture and an unexpectedly poignant tale of one man’s response to unintended celebrity.
The documentary received rave reviews at last year’s SXSW. Kino International will release the film nationwide on July 9. And if you happen to live in Chicago, the movie will be previewed at The Gene Siskel Film Center on June 16 with Steinbauer on hand to answer questions.
[Via AintItCool]