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At first, like many TikTokers, he created clips of himself dancing, watching video games, or doing comedic stunts. Then, earlier this year, he started poking fun at the hacking videos that flood social media platforms – reacting to them with a mute shrug or an exasperated look – and he struck a chord.
And Lame, 21, does it all without saying a word. On TikTok, his silence speaks volumes.
“I got the idea because I saw these videos circulating, and I liked the idea of making it a little simpler,” Lame told CNN in a recent video interview.
“The type of gesture came by chance, but the silence not. I thought of a way to reach as many people as possible. And the best way was not to speak.”
His videos have a unique style
Lame is a slender Senegalese with long limbs and an expressive face. In most of his clips, he pokes fun at videos of people doing overly complicated hacks by responding with a simplified, more logical way of doing the same task.
His reactions personify the term “shake your head”, or SMH for short on the Internet. After his sensible approach to a task, Lame extends his arms with his palms facing upward, as if to say duh. Sometimes he rolls his eyes or nods.
These silent but expressive reactions made him one of the most recognizable digital creators on social media.
“Maybe because my facial expressions are funny and make people laugh, this simplicity makes people laugh and I love it,” Lame said.
A marketer says the popularity of Lame’s videos shows how non-verbal communication can transcend language barriers and make connections between cultures.
It sends a message that life doesn’t have to be complicated
Lame’s tongue-in-cheek humor has drawn fans from all over the world, who regularly send him videos of people doing simple tasks in complicated ways.
“They know I’m the one who solves the problems, so they tag me or mention me and they say ‘Khaby, it’s your turn, solve this problem because we need you’,” he said. declared.
His stoic facial expressions have also made him a memes star – with his face reposted in reaction videos on social media.
Unlike other social media stars, Lame’s videos aren’t overproduced. They appear organic and use simple actions and images to convey humor, which reinforces its authenticity and reinforces its take on making life easier, Ferraz said.
She also believes its content resonates with people because it rose to fame during a time when the world was in quarantine.
“People were scouring social media both to get away from it all and to connect,” Ferraz said. “The lack of verbal communication allows the audience to focus only on their actions, and no other senses can be applied other than what they are literally doing or expressing.”
For her, Lame’s videos reveal “how often we make life more difficult or complicated than necessary”. I think most people prefer to keep it simple. ”
But Lame said that’s not why he started posting videos.
“I don’t care if I’m the first, second, or fourth most popular on TikTok. I started making videos because I wanted to make people laugh during this lockdown period,” he said. declared. “And I keep making videos with the same ideals. I’m happy with my accomplishments, but those aren’t my main things.”
His popularity opened international doors for him
Like its popularity, Lame’s past transcends different continents.
He was born in Senegal and moved to Italy with his parents when he was one year old. He has spent most of his life in social housing, which he attributes to being free from racism and exposure to the world beyond Italy.
“There, we were people of all ethnicities, so we protected ourselves a lot. There was never a problem of racism,” he said.
Although not yet an Italian citizen, he is fluent in Italian and has said he considers the country house. He applied for citizenship and while waiting for the process to complete he said it had been difficult for him to travel to events in the US and other countries with his Senegalese passport.
He said his biggest purchase since he rose to fame is an iPhone 12 so he can shoot better videos. “I don’t buy anything crazy,” he said.
But his life is a long way from his days – just 18 months ago – as an unemployed young man living with his parents. He says his mother and father are proud of his success.
“It was unexpected (for them) as for the rest of the world. So they put themselves in the prospect (that I am famous) quite late. And so am I. You don’t realize what is happening to you,” he said. -he declares. “They had no clear idea of what they wanted me to be like as a kid – the important thing is that I was happy and had a good job.”
Lame now lives with her agent in Milan. Her posts are endorsed by celebrities, including her idol, actor Will Smith.
Meanwhile, he will continue to crush ridiculous life hacks – with his deadpan silence.
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