Hilarious truth behind viral 'Bigfoot sighting'
by Samantha Rutt For Dailymail.Com · Mail OnlineA viral sighting of Bigfoot, a mythical sasquatch-like creature, in the Oklahoma woods sent the internet into a meltdown this week, with viewers calling it the 'best proof yet' that the elusive creature exists.
But the truth behind the footage - that was viewed more than 7 million times - will leave many disappointed.
The footage, it turns out, captured an employee of Bigfoot Head Shop dressed in a costume for a promotional stunt for its store.
The nearly ten-second clip shows the hairy, human-like creature propped up against a tree in the Parallel Forest in Lawton, munching on a leafy branch, before noticing an onlooker peering through the tree lines.
The onlooker fearfully and hurriedly fled the scene before posting the 'once-in-a-lifetime' encounter on TikTok captioning the video: 'Scariest moment of my life and I really think I caught a f*****g Bigfoot on camera in Parallel Forest.'
'I was just doing some sight seeing and enjoying the day and saw something in the distance. I'm still shaking as I type this,' the user added.
The unbelievable sighting has since been declared a hoax by a paid advertiser looking to capitalize on the ongoing fascination with the yeti-resembling icon.
Another video, taken by the same teaser, but this time posted on Facebook, shows a different angle of the large, hairy beast emerging from the trees into song and dance to DJ Snake's 'Turn Down for What.'
The second clip is headlined with 'FULL BIGFOOT VIDEO,' and ends with graphic for Bigfoot Head Shop - seemingly an advertisement for the Oklahoma-based business.
Blake Younger, 37, the man underneath the costume, also an employee of the shop, declined the DailyMail.com's request for comment.
The viral clip was originally meant as a teaser to get locals 'amped for the shop's upcoming commercial,' but has since sent the internet on a hunt to debunk the seemingly realistic depiction of the made-up creature.
Bigfoot Head Shop's co-owner, Tasha Keeble-McKee, told the DailyMail.com she wasn't expecting the video spread like wildfire.
'The teaser has turned into a massive influx of people reposting our content. It is great for the community as it is humorous news, different from all the bad news we see all the time,' Keeble-McKee said.
The store has yet to see a tangible increase in business but hopes their viral stunt will not only uplift the community but her business as well.
Many have taken to social media to share their thoughts on the far-fetched sighting.
'It can’t be him, the REAL Bigfoot is blurry, haven’t y'all seen the pics,' a user on TikTok commented.
Another user said: 'I watched this over and over. Looks very real to me.'
'Waiting for someone to debunk this cause I’m convinced,' another user added.
Though the real Bigfoot wasn't quite caught yet, the elusive creature born from a combination of Indigenous legends, European folklore and modern American reporting remains a cultural icon and mystery waiting to be solved.