Hey, bros: What’s the one thing funnier than catcalling or making vulgar gestures at a woman you’re attracted to? Pretending to have sex with them without their consent and posting the video on YouTube, of course!
Remi Gaillard did just that in his latest YouTube video, “Free Sex.” A French comedian, who describes himself on YouTube as “world-famous for his dangerously funny videos,” Gaillard has “air sex” with unsuspecting women on the street.
In the video, Gaillard (who, from the looks of it, is France’s version of Dane Cook, which for some reason actually sounds way worse than Cook himself) sneaks up behind a series of attractive young women, simulating fellatio, cunniligus, and sex with them without their knowledge (emphasis on “without their knowledge”—although he’s pantomiming sex, the joke is that he’s doing so without their consent). When they catch on, he scampers away.
Although “Free Sex” has been on Gaillard’s channel for just a few days, it’s already gone semi-viral, garnering more than 4 million views. Unsurprisingly, it’s also spawned a great deal of controversy, with feminists decrying the video for promoting rape culture.
@EverydaySexism have you seen this video by #RemiGaillard on @YouTube? It’s disgusting and offensive #everydaysexism https://t.co/X5iZykZXzP
— Laurenski (@lauren_frog) March 30, 2014
@nqtv La dernière vidéo de Rémi Gaillard je la trouve pas drôle du tout.. Le harcèlement sexuel et le viol ne me font pas rire désolée
— Bénédicte (@benedictesth) March 28, 2014
“I don’t find Remi Gaillard’s last video funny at all. Sexual harassment and rape do not make me laugh, sorry.”
Cher Rémi Gaillard, entretenir la culture du viol ce n’est pas marrant. C’est affligeant.
— Georgia Biskop (@JuliaDoodley) March 28, 2014
“Dear Remi Gaillard: cultivating rape culture is not funny. It is distressing.”
In response to the backlash against Gaillard’s “Free Sex” video, the comedian’s fans leapt to his defense on Twitter and Facebook, accusing feminists of taking the joke too seriously.
Gaillard has also weighed in on the controversy on Facebook, writing, “Women are not objects, and yet, the media is feasting on this humorous video. If the video doesn’t make everyone laugh, that’s another story.” He also thanked his followers for “voting en masse…for the freedom of expression.”
Does invading a woman’s sense of personal space and pantomiming sex acts with her without her consent really fall under “freedom of expression?” Gaillard doesn’t say.
H/T New York Daily News | Screengrab via Remi Gaillard/YouTube