Buzz
Have you ever clicked on an old viral video or revisited an article from 2012 and thought, 'What ever happened to that person?' Usually, the answer is 'nothing much.' But every once in a while, a story takes on new life after the cameras are gone. Sometimes, it even makes you reconsider everything you thought you knew.
10. The Woman Behind 'Monkey Jesus' Is Now a Renowned (and Wealthy) Artist
Do you remember the infamous 'Monkey Jesus'? It was the botched restoration project by Spanish pensioner Cecilia Gimenez that turned into an internet sensation, spreading from Saturday Night Live to the New York Times. In fact, the artwork even led to authorities in Borja considering legal action against the artist due to the lack of skill involved.
Thanks to all the media attention, Monkey Jesus quickly became a popular tourist spot, drawing over 57,000 visitors in its first year. The church where the painting was housed charged €1 per entry, splitting the proceeds with Gimenez. The pensioner also reaped substantial profits from merchandising, turning her initially disastrous artwork into a financial success.
More impressively, Gimenez used the newfound fame of Monkey Jesus to launch a moderately successful art career. In 2013, her exhibition of twenty-four paintings was flooded with visitors, and in 2014, she even starred in her own music video. The authorities of Borja now credit her with rescuing the town’s economy. As for the painting, the New York Times has even dubbed it a 'profound pop art icon.'
9. The Bed Intruder Guy Entered the Boxing Ring (With His Accused Attacker)
The year 2010 was unforgettable for many reasons—devastating earthquakes and the near-collapse of Greece, just to name a few. But for many, it’s mostly remembered for Antoine Dodson, the Alabama man who became a viral sensation after delivering a bizarre news interview following his sister’s near-assault. Parodies of his interview spread widely, turning Dodson into a cult celebrity. But the story took an even stranger turn when Dodson arranged a celebrity boxing match with the alleged rapist.
By 2014, Antoine Dodson had turned his newfound fame into a lucrative career, making appearances on various talk shows. But he seemingly transcended the legal system’s bounds when the actual Bed Intruder came forward, seeking attention. Instead of turning the man in, Dodson arranged a boxing match with him. The fight took place in November 2014, and Dodson triumphed after just one round. In an even stranger twist, the Intruder later claimed that he wasn’t an intruder at all, but was actually dating Dodson’s sister during the alleged rape attempt.
8. The Chilean Miners Were Defrauded By Their Insurance Company
The most heartening moment of 2010 may have been the rescue of the Chilean miners, who had been trapped for two months underground after a mine collapse in Copiapo. When they finally emerged into the light, they were met with jubilant cries of 'Viva Chile!' The rescue became such a touching global event that Hollywood quickly secured the rights to tell their story. The world collectively shared in the joyous aftermath of this unexpected miracle.
Tragically, the story of the Chilean miners has taken a dark turn. Most of the men are now unemployed, battling depression, and struggling with resentment from people who once celebrated their survival. To make matters worse, the mine’s insurance company gave them all a 'clean bill of health,' even though some were so severely traumatized that they could hardly leave their homes. One miner was so deeply affected that he couldn’t stop crying, while others found themselves abandoned by former friends.
The mine owners have yet to provide any compensation for the miners. A lawsuit is slowly making its way through the legal system, but its resolution could take years.
7. The 'One Pound Fish' Man Became a Fugitive on the Run
In 2012, Shahid Nazir, a trader from Pakistan living in London, was filmed promoting his fish stall with a catchy, self-written song called 'One Pound Fish.' The video quickly went viral, amassing millions of views and landing Nazir a spot on the X-Factor. This viral success earned him a recording deal to produce a polished music video. It was a true rags-to-riches story in the digital age—until Pakistan issued an arrest warrant against Nazir for fraud.
The ‘One Pound Fish’ Man had taken out a loan of 6.6 million rupees in Pakistan but refused to repay it. When the court ordered him to appear, Nazir ignored the summons for three months, prompting the police to issue an arrest warrant. After evading Pakistani authorities for a while, he was formally charged in March 2014 and forced to appear in a Lahore court.
6. The Ebola Nurse Took Legal Action Against Her Hospital
In the fall of 2014, Nina Pham became internationally known, though not in a way anyone would want. As a nurse at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, she was the first person to contract Ebola on U.S. soil. Although Pham made a miraculous recovery and was reunited with her cherished dog in an emotional moment broadcast around the globe, the aftermath of her near-death experience still haunts her. She has since filed a lawsuit against the hospital, accusing them of poor safety measures and exploiting her image for publicity.
Pham's lawsuit claims that Texas Health Presbyterian didn’t ask for volunteers to treat Ebola patients but instead ordered her to take on the task with no more information than what she’d seen on the news. When she fell ill, the hospital reportedly used her image and name for positive media attention without her consent. This included filming her while in quarantine and having her make statements that cleared the hospital of any responsibility. Her legal action contradicts the hospital’s claims that they followed all CDC protocols.
5. The Woman With Three Breasts Became an Internet Sensation
In September 2014, 21-year-old Jasmine Tridevil shocked the world by claiming to have undergone surgery to implant a third breast. The bizarre story went viral, with media outlets worldwide covering it—until it was later revealed to be a hoax. But this wasn't the end of her quest for attention; Tridevil had more viral tricks up her sleeve.
In 2013, a Florida woman allegedly decided not to involve the police in her attacker's fate, instead making him stand by the roadside with a sign that read 'I beat women, honk if I’m a scumbag.' This bizarre form of public shaming went viral, thanks to Tridevil’s alter-ego, Alisha Jasmine Hessler. Hessler seems to have a knack for these outrageous stunts. After the triple-breast hoax went public, her business listings in Florida were updated to label her as a 'provider of Internet hoaxes.'
By March 2015, it appeared that Hessler was continuing to feed her thirst for attention by giving interviews to tabloid newspapers, discussing her notoriety as a hoax artist.
4. Viktor Yanukovych Collaborated With Oliver Stone
In February 2014, Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych fled the country. He had been accused of ordering the killing of around 100 protesters by his security forces, among other corruption-related crimes. It seemed inevitable that Yanukovych would either face charges at the ICC or end up alongside Vladimir Putin. But instead, the former president disappeared. While it was widely believed he had fled to Russia, no one knew exactly what he was doing in his self-imposed exile.
On December 30, 2014, director Oliver Stone shared a photo of himself with the exiled president, chilling together in Moscow. Stone revealed that he was interviewing Yanukovych for a documentary and had become convinced that the Ukrainian revolution had been a CIA-backed plot designed to empower neo-Nazis in Kiev.
At the time, this was the most public appearance Yanukovych had made in nearly a year. A few months later, he reappeared in the media once more, this time declaring that he planned to return to Ukraine in the near future.
3. Lee Rigby’s Murderers Were Linked to MI6
The murder of British Army fusilier Lee Rigby on May 22, 2013, was as shocking as the Charlie Hebdo massacre. On a busy London street, two Nigerian extremists ran Rigby over before attempting to decapitate him with a cleaver in broad daylight. After their arrest, it was revealed that Britain's security services had known about the killers and had planned to monitor them, but their failure to act was written off as mere bad luck.
In 2014, however, it was revealed that MI6's involvement with the killers was more extensive than previously thought. According to The Independent, the spy agency had attempted to recruit one of Rigby’s killers, Michael Adebolajo, as a double agent. After tracking him to Kenya, MI6 had him arrested, tortured, and groomed to be a homegrown asset. When this approach failed, MI6 denied having any close knowledge of Adebolajo, despite also attempting to recruit his brother.
As of March 2015, Prime Minister David Cameron initiated a new inquiry into the torture of Adebolajo in Kenya.
2. Charlie Hebdo Fell Out Over Money
The tragic January 7th assault on Charlie Hebdo’s Paris headquarters shocked the world. However, amidst the devastation, there was an unexpected silver lining. People from all over the globe united in support of the victims, and Charlie Hebdo saw an incredible rise in sales. What was once a struggling publication with a circulation of just 60,000 copies, soon blossomed into a powerful brand with a circulation nearing eight million.
A few months later, tensions erupted within the editorial team over financial issues and the direction of the magazine. The dispute stems from the fact that the company now has only two surviving shareholders, who stand to benefit greatly from the magazine’s newfound success. Many of the remaining writers and columnists are pushing for the company to transition into a cooperative model, allowing everyone to receive a fair share, but the new editor (who is also a shareholder) is resisting such a change.
There’s also lingering resentment from Charlie Hebdo's last major financial success in 2006 when the magazine published its controversial Muhammad cartoons. The four original shareholders pocketed all the profits without sharing any with the creative team, which led to feelings of betrayal among the staff, many of whom still remember this as a moment of disillusionment. The staff now fears that the same scenario could happen again, as the shareholders remain steadfast in their refusal to compromise.
1. Robin Thicke Was Sued For Plagiarism
In 2013, Robin Thicke's track “Blurred Lines” became a massive hit. For a brief period, Thicke was everywhere, dominating the charts and pop culture. However, his career took a sharp turn when he released a new album that sold as few as 54 copies in certain markets, seemingly disappearing from the spotlight. Now, he’s back in the news, but not for his music—he's facing a lawsuit for plagiarism.
In September 2014, music experts hired by the estate of Marvin Gaye discovered that eight elements of “Blurred Lines” were directly lifted from Gaye’s 1977 classic “Got to Give it Up.” A month later, a judge ruled that the case could go to trial, and Thicke, alongside Pharrell Williams, found themselves defending their song in court. The trial dragged on, with Thicke's defense essentially being: “I was high, blame Pharrell.” That defense didn’t hold up in court; just yesterday, the Gaye estate won its case and was awarded over $7 million. Given that much of that sum comes from album and song sales ($16 million worth), Thicke’s finances may soon mirror the decline of his career.
