The so-called "Winnebago Man" whose outtakes taken from a series of promotional videos for the aforementioned company which makes recreational vehicles went viral years ago, is given a chance to show us the man behind the meme in this film. Heck, he was viral before the interet, with VHS tapes of his montage being copied over and over and passed hand to hand.
The film I saw which shares the nickname with Jack does well to outline the history of the tape, and the viral video phenomenon in generally hilarious and thoughtful ways. Two threads which ran throughout the film were the questions of what the effect of these videos had on the lives of the people who were featured, often against their will. And the question of what made the films popular. Were we laughing at the person? Were we laughing at ourselves? What was it about?
No one asks these questions with more vehemence and persistence than Jack Rebney himself. As his best friend tells it, "Jack seeks an audience, but he also wants to live as a hermit." Well, for years he's had the latter, and this film has given him the former.
But he wasn't quick to warm up to the idea. Still, the struggle is both exhausting and entertaining to watch. There's a particularly brilliant moment in front of a local Wal-Mart, and make sure you stay for the outtakes. That's a special sort of ironic twist at the end of this film about a man whose outtakes became a source of laughter and inspiration.
I wanted to know so much more about Jack while this film was running. Jack didn't seem to want to let the audience know much about himself. However, when he finally faces an audience of his fans it seems that he comes to some sort of agreement with himself that this wasn't all bad. It was profound, yet subtle. Jack doesn't usually pair with that word, subtle, but beneath the histrionics, the foul-mouthed rants, and the violent outbursts there shines a glimpse of an introspective Jack Rebney. He becomes a bit less jaded for an instant or two.
I identify with that quote about Jack's duality. I'm a hermit to some, and an egotistical socialite to others. I do like to hear myself talk. But I prefer to spend "cave time" decompressing. It's been something which has led me to feel a bit like a bi-polar diagnosee at times, which does scare me. I fear mental illness as a destination.
Seeing this film, with Jack living with his emotions turned inside-out, speaking with such reckless abandon, was liberating to my mind and heart. I don't need to model myself after Jack. But I ought to live with more courage and less pessimism. Jack learns a powerful lesson that others have thought well of him when he didn't think the same of himself, and was paranoid about their interest in him and his viral self.
There's a wise saying which goes something like, "if you only realized how little of the time people are actually thinking about you, you'd change your life." Why? Because other people are also too busy to worry about your failures and inadequacies due to the fact that they're terrified of how their own are seen. We all suffer under the weight of our foibles and transgressions.
This film gave me hope that even in our public failures, wisdom can be gleaned for all involved. We're all able to find the good within each other if we look to the source of the problems we see. And when we don't see that source, I reckon we ought to think the better of the other person--give them the benefit of the doubt.
I've not laughed so hard at myself while watching a film about another actual person before. It felt really good to be okay with me, anger and all. I hope you feel the same about yourself.
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