Charles Curle, a North Carolina high schooler, tricked millions of people online into thinking that he actually sold his house to go and see Travis Scott in Egypt. Discover the intriguing story and how he made everyone believe him.
How Charles Tricked the Media
Everything started with a meme. When Scott announced that his show would be live-streamed in Egypt, TikTok was filled with parodies of people cleaning out their bank accounts or mimicking the rapper unleashing the curse of the pharaohs. Curle’s idea was to see if people still had a sense of reality. He filmed himself in front of his house, edited the video, added music, and created the viral TikTok. It shows him standing next to a For Sale sign with the text “I actually did it” across the screen.
The Public’s Reactions
The video received millions of views and tricked everyone. The reactions were mixed, from amusement to indignation. There were some humorous ones as well as skeptical and distressed reactions. Surprisingly, Charles isn’t even a fan of Travis, and it was all for entertainment. He shares, “No one else is really doing that. So I think that’s what really catches people’s attention and gets so much traction on the platform.”
You can take a look at Curle’s TikTok @cjcvfx and check out his creations, showcasing his gig as a visual effects editor. He has been editing since he was 10 but started editing TikTok videos two years ago. He is determined to start learning CGI and work with big-name companies. He also dreams of starting an editing agency.
Curle’s Future Plans and Dreams
Curle’s upcoming project with Falana (a well-known creator on TikTok), Imagine Mayhem, will debut on Snapchat soon, and it’s about to be an interpretation of TV hits like Star Wars and Harry Potter. Falana says he hopes they will become producers and directors for movies. Matthew Spiegel, who manages Falana and other young TikTok creators, says Curle’s video is challenging the media. He thinks that it’s fascinating how a teenager can produce a high-quality product that big movie production studios with big budgets usually work on.
It’s impressive that Charles can do it on his own, release the video the next day, and receive millions of people’s attention. Curle shares that he didn’t think people would fall for his tricks but also didn’t expect them to get upset over something that didn’t affect them. However, he still finds it funny and awesome.