Freak Out kid exposed by mom as actor

Have you seen the Greatest Freak Out Ever guy on YouTube? His name is Stephen and he’s 16. His brother, Jack, shoots the videos which feature Stephen throwing huge fits of rage. In the first video, he throws a giant fit reacting to his mother cancelling his “World of Warcraft” online gaming account. In the video, he’s in his bedroom thrashing and screeching like a wild animal for several minutes. The video has been watched more than 31 million times on YouTube.

Several videos were posted by the brothers after the first Freak Out video — one features Stephen, furious because he can’t find his Christmas gifts. He takes all his brother’s gifts outside, unplugs the Christmas tree and drags it outside, pours lighter fluid all over the gifts and tree and lights it all on fire.

In another, he’s mad about his birthday gift. It’s a big junky truck. He says his friends are going to think he’s a “poor kid” and he grabs a baseball bat and starts beating the truck.

These videos are both hilarious and deeply disturbing. That is, until you find out that they’re not real tantrums. According to the brothers’ mother, Jennifer, the videos are all staged.

“Since he was a small, small child, he’s been the funniest person I know. He’s just an amazing comic writer,” his mom, Jennifer said in an internet radio show interview. “He’s got a mind that’s just amazing.”

Well, that’s a relief. I was sure I’d be seeing this kid on the news any day now arrested for some heinous crime of rage. Turns out, he’s just a pretty darn good actor.