A few years back, a delightfully weird video popped up featuring Russian singer Eduard Khil, nicknamed probably by 4Chan "Mr. Trolololo", performing his song "I Am So Happy To Be Back Home", inexplicably, without lyrics.
This song could be about anything from learning to pitch a tent with your dad
to finding the double-jump boots in Metroid Prime. We'll never know.
The video became an internet sensation here in the States, because why wouldn't it? Mr. Trololo is the perfect viral video storm—a cocktail of silliness and earnestness, and thanks to the clumsy, robotic gestures, just a hint of nightmare.
If he notices you, it's too late.
(source)
Unfortunately, it's now being reported that Khil has suffered a stroke and is now in a coma. There are surgical options that might save his life, but the best case scenario is that he comes out of it with irreversible brain damage. I'll be honest, this is the weirdest intersection for me—pure comedy mashing up against human mortality.
Also known as every fourth episode of Scrubs.
(source)
This is kind of what it's like when a comedic actor dies, we're blindsided by it because we've only thought of them in a jovial, happy sense. Actually, this is even worse because when actors play multiple roles we know that, on some level, they're a human being who is removed from his characters, and we understand that human beings die. In the case of Eduard Khil, in most of the internet's mind, is nothing more than Mr. Trololo. From all that we've experienced of him, this is his life, ordering breakfast at Denny's with a "lolololololo, oh hohohoho!"
"So, I'm just going to put you down for a Moons Over My Hammy."
(source)
I guess the real weird part of all this is that I'm reacting emotionally to an internet meme. Were we making fun of him? Maybe we were. Is that okay? I guess I'd say it was, but now that he's dying, I'm not so sure. I don't know, it seems like I shouldn't have such conflicting feelings about a guy whose video I watched two years ago on Reddit. The thing I keep thinking about is this: Khil spent his career as an entertainer and towards the end of his life, he brought a smile to the face of a massive amount of people in a brand new way. I hope that's enough.
How has Mr. Trolololo affected your life? Let me know on Twitter or leave a comment below!
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