How Ridiculous
How Ridiculous is an Australian YouTube channel based in Perth, Western Australia. The channel's main personalities are Brett Stanford, Derek Herron and Scott Gaunson.[3] As of September 2023, they have 19.2 million subscribers and more than 10 billion video views.[4] They are mostly known for their trick shots and experiments involving dropping objects onto other objects from a great height, typically 45 metres (148 ft). Objects that have been dropped by the channel include, but are not limited to, bowling balls, basketballs, anvils, lifting stones, custom-made heavy metal objects such as giant darts and a Mjölnir-like hammer,[5] household appliances,[6] cars/motor vehicles,[7] and even a small plane.[8] The group also frequently devises interesting targets to drop said objects onto, such as RC car race tracks, giant axe blades, multiple cans of spray paint or silly string taped/grouped together, bedliner-covered obstacles, a bulletproof glass table, and pools full of oobleck.
How Ridiculous | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Personal information | |||||||||||||
Born | Brett Isaac Stanford 22 April 1988 Derek Douglas Herron 3 March 1988 Scott Steven Gaunson 3 January 1992 | ||||||||||||
Nationality | Australian | ||||||||||||
Website | https://howridiculous.org/ | ||||||||||||
YouTube information | |||||||||||||
Channel | |||||||||||||
Years active | 2009–present | ||||||||||||
Genre | Trickshots | ||||||||||||
Subscribers | 19.3 million[2] | ||||||||||||
Total views | 10.56 billion[2] | ||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Last updated: 8 October 2023 |
How Ridiculous also operates a TikTok page, which had 14.6 million followers and over 300 million likes as of October 2022.[9]
History
The group- whose members met at church[10]- began in 2009, with trick shot videos made for fun in backyards,[11] originally with 4th member Kyle Nebel.[12] Historically, the trio's main stunts have been trick shots, finding creative ways to destroy objects, and throwing or dropping objects from great heights. Many of their videos since 2015 are recorded at the Gravity Discovery Centre at the Leaning Tower of Gingin.[13] Recently, the group has also made several videos testing various objects' ability to be thrown through obstacles, such as weather balloons, panes of glass, and sheets of drywall.
In late 2021, How Ridiculous began releasing a series of shorts on both YouTube and Instagram; some contain clips from longer videos, but most involve multi-step races where competitors must quickly complete challenges such as popping balloons, smashing glass, unlocking doors, and making basketball shots. These shorts, all less than a minute long, became instant viral hits across both websites, garnering hundreds of millions of views and prompting the team to release a few longer-format videos with similar themes.[14] Currently, How Ridiculous' most-viewed full-length YouTube video, uploaded November 2021, is a competition between the three stars at RAC Arena in Perth. Stanford, Gaunson, and Herron used various objects to attempt to pop multiple weather balloons in a row, filming the results on a Phantom camera. The best performing objects were an arrow shot from a recurved bow, and a pile of screws thrown all at once, both of which popped 11 balloons.[15] In January 2022, this balloon video displaced the previous longstanding leader, uploaded October 2018, in which Brett Stanford dropped a bowling ball onto a trampoline from 165 metres (541 ft) at the Luzzone Dam in Switzerland.[16] Besides Switzerland and RAC Arena, the group has filmed special videos in many locations in Australia and around the globe, such as Optus Stadium, Perth Motorplex, Texas, Los Angeles, Turkey, Lesotho, Dubai, Serbia, and the Australian Outback.
On 19 October 2018, the group released another highly popular video, in which they dropped a giant metal dart onto a table of bulletproof glass from 45m up. The dart became embedded almost perfectly halfway through the glass,[17] and the image was considered so artistic/iconic that the group saved the sheet of glass and dart as it was,[18] later making a new table out of it which now sits at the Gravity Discovery Centre as an attraction. They also released a limited edition T-shirt of the visual of the dart stuck in the glass.
In recent years, the trio added a fourth member to the recurring team – Jack Wallace[19] aka "Editor Jack", whose primary job is camerawork and post-production editing. However, he has appeared in person in several videos, most notably a video in which he showed his skills at speedcubing while riding a waterslide at Aquaventure in Dubai.[20] The team have also had several friends, celebrities, and fellow YouTube stars occasionally assist with the videos. The most frequently recurring friends are named Harrison, Michael, and Big Nick, and guest appearances include Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Mark Rober, Shadiversity, Team Edge, Matt Carriker, YBS Youngbloods, and Gabriel Conte.[21] Mark Rober, in his appearance, helped the team build a two ton, Kevlar-and-steel trampoline which was featured afterwards in several videos. The trio also list a Tyrannosaurus rex test dummy that they call "Rexy" as an official team member. The test dummy has featured in many of their videos, mainly those shot at the Gravity Discovery Centre.[22]
On 9 October 2020, How Ridiculous launched a spin-off channel titled HR Gaming, in which the trio, Editor Jack and his brother Toby Wallace competed in various games such as Among Us, Minecraft, Rocket League and Fortnite, often with secondary challenges to make playing the games more difficult.[23] This second channel was not as successful as the main channel, and is currently inactive, with its most recent video having been posted on May 7, 2021.[24] As of March 2023, the How Ridiculous team has not expressed any interest in reviving the HR Gaming channel.
Guinness World Records
In 2017, the trio set the current Guinness World Record for "Longest golf putt (non-tournament)" at 120.6 metres (396 ft).[25] The record was achieved by Stanford, who sunk the putt in question at the Point Walter golf course in Western Australia. The shot was covered in one of their videos, uploaded on 23 February 2017.[26]
On 19 January 2018, How Ridiculous uploaded a video in which their basketball shot from 201.42 metres (660.8 ft) set the previous record for "Greatest height from which a basketball is shot."[27] This took place at the Maletsunyane Falls in Lesotho, Africa, and was achieved by Herron. This marks the fifth time that How Ridiculous has held this particular record, since they first broke it in 2011 with a ball shot from 66.89 metres (219.5 ft) in height.[28]
In a video released 27 August 2021, Stanford also attempted to set the Guinness World Record for "Greatest height from which a ping pong ball is tossed into a red plastic cup". The shot was successfully made from the catwalk of the RAC Arena in Perth, but failed to qualify for the record because the cup in use was 90 millimetres (3.5 in) in diameter instead of the regulation 85 millimetres (3.3 in). How Ridiculous announced that the oversight was completely unintentional, and that they intend to try again at a later date with a correctly sized cup.[29]
References
- "Exercise Ball Magnus Effect from 2000ft!". Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2021 – via YouTube.
- "About whoisjimmy". YouTube.
- "About the Team – How Ridiculous". howridiculous.com.au. Archived from the original on 29 April 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
- Messurier, Danielle (23 June 2015). "Perth stunt group How Ridiculous more than a 'one-trick pony'". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
- "social blade stats". Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- "100KG THOR'S HAMMER Vs. BULLETPROOF Glass". How Ridiculous. 29 March 2019. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- "WE DROPPED A FRIDGE OFF A 45m TOWER!!". How Ridiculous. 17 August 2018. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- "CAR vs. World's Strongest Trampoline – 15 ft (45m) drop". Mark Rober. 2 March 2020. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- "Can We Bounce an AIRPLANE? (not clickbait)". How Ridiculous. 1 May 2020. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- "TikTok". www.tiktok.com. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- "Stunt group more than a 'one-trick pony'". PerthNow.com.au. 23 June 2015. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- "Young alumni stories: How Ridiculous!". Curtin University. 14 July 2017. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
- "How Ridiculous back where it all began". The West Australian. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- "The 'How Ridiculous" team (front from left) Scott Gaunson, Kyle ... | Buy Photos Online". Sunshine Coast Daily. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- Katzowitz, Josh (15 October 2018). "Watch how high a bowling ball bounces when it's dropped off a 540-foot dam". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
- Katzowitz, Josh (18 August 2018). "YouTubers drop a fridge from 150 feet up, and the destruction is delicious". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
- Illuminati, Chris (14 August 2018). "Watch these YouTube bros drop a giant dart on a big ol' tree trunk". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
- "How Ridiculous Uploads Sorted by View Count". YouTube.com. How Ridiculous. 1 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- "How Many Giant Balloons Stops An Arrow?". YouTube.com. How Ridiculous. 19 November 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- How Ridiculous (12 October 2018), BOWLING BALL Vs. TRAMPOLINE from 165m Dam!, retrieved 5 May 2019 – via YouTube
- "GIANT DART vs. BULLETPROOF GLASS from 45m!". How Ridiculous. 19 October 2018. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- "BOWLING BALL Vs. 60 LAYERS of CLING WRAP from 45m!". Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2021 – via YouTube.
- "Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting". Us04web.zoom.us. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- "Can We Solve a Rubik's Cube on a Waterslide?". How Ridiculous. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020 – via YouTube.
- "Golf Challenges Vs. TIGER WOODS & ERNIE ELS!". How Ridiculous. 14 December 2018. Archived from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020 – via YouTube.
- "DODGING VERY HEAVY STUFF with RC CARS! (ROUND 3)". How Ridiculous. 13 September 2019. Archived from the original on 28 February 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020 – via YouTube.
- "FRUIT NINJA in REAL LIFE from 45m!". How Ridiculous. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2020 – via YouTube.
- "Boat Vs. World's Strongest Trampoline from 45m". How Ridiculous. 2 March 2020. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020 – via YouTube.
- "DROPPING 5000 BOUNCY BALLS from WAREHOUSE ROOF!". How Ridiculous. 28 June 2019. Archived from the original on 28 February 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020 – via YouTube.
- "Can Hay Bales STOP a TANK ROUND?". How Ridiculous. 5 July 2019. Archived from the original on 29 February 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020 – via YouTube.
- "Fishing in the MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN On a FLAMINGO FLOATIE!". YouTube.com. How Ridiculous. 26 June 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- "The Team". How Ridiculous. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
- "HR Gaming". How Ridiculous. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020 – via YouTube.
- "Gaming with a Piano Controller!". YouTube.com. How Ridiculous. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- "How Ridiculous star sinks world's longest golf putt with 135 yard shot". Guinness World Records. 23 February 2017. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
- Moulton, Emily (24 February 2017). "Perth's 'How Ridiculous' lads land world's longest putt from 120m". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
- How Ridiculous (23 February 2017), The Longest Golf Putt 120m (395ft) Guinness World Records | How Ridiculous, archived from the original on 29 May 2019, retrieved 5 May 2019 – via YouTube
- Katzowitz, Josh (20 January 2018). "This ridiculous basketball trick shot from a height of 660 feet just set a world record". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
- Hart, Matthew. "World's Highest Basketball Shot is the Ultimate Swish". Nerdist Industries. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
- Thompson, Avery (22 January 2018). "Here Is the World's Highest Basketball Shot". Popular Mechanics. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
- Smith, Chris (23 January 2018). "This 660-foot basketball shot set a world record, and now it will blow your mind". BGR. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
- How Ridiculous (19 January 2018), World Record Basketball Shot 200m (660 feet) Guinness World Records, archived from the original on 12 May 2019, retrieved 5 May 2019 – via YouTube
- Swatman, Rachel (20 November 2016). "Aussie YouTube stars How Ridiculous break Dude Perfect's record for highest basketball shot ever". guinnessworldrecords.com. Guinness Book of World Records. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- "We Dropped 100,000 Ping Pong Balls From ARENA ROOF!". How Ridiculous. 27 August 2021. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2021 – via YouTube.