- Phantom Planet: "♪ California... (-california...) ♪"
- Ian: "Shut Up!"
- — Shut Up! opening
"The California Stereotype Experiment" is a Smosh video released on June 7, 2006.
Description[]
Ian sets off to prove the "everyone in California surfs/lives next to a movie star" stereotype wrong.
Credits[]
Cast[]
- Ian Hecox — Himself
- Anthony Padilla — Himself
Interviewees[]
- An unidentified man with a British accent
- Steve
- Clay
- Pale
- Paul
- Michelle
- Nick
- Josh
- Dan
- Ryan
- Tyler
Crew[]
- Cameraman: Anthony Padilla
Synopsis[]
Ian and Anthony are at Santa Monica State Beach, where Ian explains that Californians such as himself are often asked if they surf or live near a celebrity. Ian is going to conduct an experiment by going out and asking random people at the beach if they actually surf or live near a movie star. Ian is confident that the experiment will prove the stereotype wrong.
Name | Image | Interview |
---|---|---|
Unknown | Ian and Anthony walk up to someone they believe does not surf. The man, whose name is not given and speaks in a British accent, confirms that he does indeed surf. Ian, a bit disappointed, suggests that he and Anthony find someone else. | |
Steve | Ian introduces Steve, who surfs, again to Ian's disappointment. | |
Clay | Clay is introduced and asked if lives next to a movie star. Clay states that he does, and the movie star he lives next to is Kiefer Sutherland. Ian, seemingly a bit deterred, continues on with the experiment. | |
Paul | Paul is a surfer and surfs "all the time". Ian only shakes his head at the camera. | |
Paul | Ian mentions that Paul does not look like someone who would live next to a celebrity. Paul confirms otherwise, and that the celebrity he lives next to is Ian himself. | |
Michelle | Michelle is introduced and asked if she lives near a movie star. Michelle states that she lives next to George Clooney. At the mention of the popular actor, Ian yells "F*ck!". |
During a brief intermission, Ian is surprised at how everyone they have interviewed either surf or lives next to a celebrity. Anthony points out the number of people at the beach with them and how at least one of them does not surf or live next to a celebrity, and encourages him to continue the experiment.
Name | Image | Interview |
---|---|---|
Nick & Josh | Nick and Josh both surf, and Nick mentions that he went surfing with Owen Wilson the other day, to which Ian replies "Goddammit!" | |
Dan | Ian and Anthony head over to a cluster of tents and people parked near a small cliffside closer to the city. Dan surfs. In frustration, Ian bangs his fists in the sand. | |
Ryan & Tyler | Ryan and Tyler are the last to be interviewed. Ian guesses that neither of them surf, but they both confirm that they do. When Ryan says "Surf's up," Ian just yells "F*ck!" in frustration. |
Ian is greatly frustrated by their inability to find anyone who either does not surf or lives near anyone famous. Anthony tries to encourage him to continue, but Ian starts to run off. Anthony tries to chase after him but eventually gives up and films Ian as he runs across the beach.
Trivia[]
- This is the first video to use the iconic Shut Up! opening.
- The opening of the video is an excerpt from "California" by the rock band Phantom Planet. It is the only song used in the Shut Up! opening that one of the Smoshers does not sing.
- As of June 2020, the first three seconds of the opening is muted, likely for copyright-related reasons.
- When Ian is interviewing Clay, a squirrel can be seen running in the background.
- Ian and Anthony clarified in the Lunchtime with Smosh episode WATCHING OUR OLD VIDEOS that this entire video was scripted. However, the people they interviewed were not actors, rather simply folks they ran into at Santa Monica Beach were instructed them what to say.
- In the same video, it is also mentioned that the wind was bad the day it was filmed, Paul is potentially Australian, and it was shot the day before Smosh Short 2: Stranded.
Script[]
Gallery[]
- Main article: The California Stereotype Experiment/Gallery