Filipino Prisoners Crankin’ Dat
Let me preface this post with a caveat: I don’t know much about the Filipino prison system. I don’t know how Filipino culture approaches corrections and rehabilitation, I don’t know who these prisoners are or what crimes they committed, and I certainly don’t know why there’s a large crowd of spectators gathered to watch them perform. Come to think of it, I’ve never even heard of the Philippines. What is it? All I know about it is that they have a prison, orange jumpsuits and a high degree of familiarity with American pop music.
Anyway, when that video of Filipino prisoners performing “Thriller” hit the internet a while back (and received over 12 million views), I figured it was a weird one-off phenomenon. Little did I know that it was actually the first in a series of videos designed to, what? Teach the prisoners some discipline and rack up tons of views on YouTube in the process? I’m no marketing guru or anything, but it seems like the Filipino prison system is trying really hard to go viral, doesn’t it? Does viral internet fame aid in the rehabilitation process, or are they trying to lure bloggers and web nerds to their country to see the KUH-RAZY dancing prisoners?
If that’s their plan, I have bad news for them: This video is kind of boring. Things get stale fast on the internet, and at this point the sight of hundreds of Filipino prisoners in orange jumpsuits dancing in unison to Western pop music is kind of old hat. The Filipino prison system is great at keeping criminals incarcerated (I assume), but when it comes to keeping the net entertained they’re kind of a one-trick pony.
If you’re reading this, Filipino prison system, I have some advice for you: Don’t quit your day job. You know - keeping criminals incarcerated. And in shape.
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March 5th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
If you don’t like it then stop watching it. Stop, pause or click back after a five seconds roll. This became a hit because people can’t stop watching and finds it amusing rather than boring.
March 4th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Also, “bu” slips right through Firefox’s spell check, and I am incapable of proofreading.
March 4th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
I’m a little embarrassed here. America is supposed to be on the cutting edge, but where are OUR dancing prisoner viral videos? We as a nation can endorse Hannah Montana, bu not make our rapists groove to “My Humps?” For shame, America. For shame.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:49 am
that should have been “of weaponry”.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:46 am
I saw a documentary about this on channel 4 a while ago (in the UK). Basically, the guy in charge of the prison was put there by the Governor or something (who happens to be his sister) and he’s decided that this is how to stop fights, drugs, and corruption in the prison. He also owns a giant arsenal or weaponry and has a group of inmates covered in tattoos of his face who beat up anyone who refuses to dance.
As for who gets to dance in the middle, they do pretty much have american idol style auditions for it, and the winners get to see their families.
March 4th, 2008 at 3:33 am
Pharaoh Mustafa, depending on how long the guys have been in prison I’m guessing that a lot more then 10 are into sodomy…
March 3rd, 2008 at 11:11 pm
m, that gives me an idea. A meticulously choreographed prison riot dance video. That would be awesome.
March 3rd, 2008 at 8:31 pm
“but when it comes to keeping the net entertained they’re kind of a one-trick pony.”
Dancing vids are better than riots video if u ask me
March 3rd, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Was it too much to expect at least the couple dozen dancers in the middle to pull off a synchronized Hammer Shuffle? Philippines, I’m disappointed in you. You’re letting the brand down.
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:33 pm
If I were one of those convicts, I’d murder the cameramen, with wonderfully choreographed strangling and evisceration via my teeth.
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:04 pm
There should have been a guy in drag like last time
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Yes Pharaoh, you are right on the excess of Hammer. However, you can’t touch the happiness that those felons brought to the grateful spectators. It was like a mixture of “You got served” and “Oz”.
March 3rd, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Actually, poison, I’m thinking that even if there was a man teaching, there would still be some lewd sexual behavior occurring as well. Remember, there looks to be about 1000 dudes dancing, so I’m assuming at least ten of them are into the sodomy. And a male dance choreographer is pretty high on the “Occupations that may be considered homosexual” chart.
And I think that there was plenty more Hammer than Soulja boy in that video
March 3rd, 2008 at 1:01 pm
I think the real story is deciding who gets to dance in the middle… Is there a Filipino warden who rates all the convicts? A cross between Simon Cowell and that dude from Shawshank?
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Their crime was willingly buying tickets to a Hannah Montana concert.
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:23 pm
whose job is it in the prison to teach the inmates choreography? what title does he have? I’m guessing it’s a he because I don’t think they would concentrate on dance moves if they had a woman in front of them…
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:15 pm
What did they do that was so horrible that this was the only punishment befitting their sentence?
The horror… the horror…