American YouTuber Darren Jason Watkins Jr., known as IShowSpeed, experienced a baffling encounter in Thailand involving fans of Tamil actor Thalapathy Vijay. The incident, which occurred during one of IShowSpeed's live streams, quickly went viral due to the streamer's visible confusion and reaction.
While traveling in a car, IShowSpeed was approached by a group of fans on a motorcycle who began shouting "TVK" and "Thalapathy Vijay" at him. IShowSpeed, clearly caught off guard, repeatedly asked what they were saying, but remained clueless. The situation escalated when the fans jokingly referred to Vijay as the "Chief Minister of India". This further perplexed IShowSpeed, who seemed to wonder if Vijay had any connection to cricketer Virat Kohli.
The YouTuber's bewildered reaction, including expletives, was captured on both his live stream and the fans' cameras. The clip quickly spread across social media platforms, amusing viewers with IShowSpeed's genuine confusion. In the video, IShowSpeed can be heard saying, "What? What the f**k are they saying?". He even attempted to repeat the actor's name, but it didn't seem to clarify the situation for him. Despite the fans explaining that Vijay is a "South Indian actor," IShowSpeed remained visibly puzzled. The fans also offered IShowSpeed a ride on their bike, which he politely declined.
The online reaction to the video has been mixed. Some users found the incident humorous, making light of the fans' mischaracterization of Vijay as the Chief Minister of India. Others criticized the fans' behavior, especially considering it occurred in a foreign country and was shared online. Some fans pointed out that IShowSpeed had previously praised Vijay after watching the film Leo, even comparing him to John Wick.
IShowSpeed, born on January 21, 2005, is known for his energetic live streams and viral content. He has amassed a large following on YouTube, with over 45 million subscribers and more than 5.8 billion views. Besides streaming, he has also released music and was named Rolling Stone's "Most Influential Creator" in 2025.
Thalapathy Vijay is a highly popular actor in Tamil cinema. He is set to appear in Venkat Prabhu's The GOAT and H Vinoth's Jana Nayagan. Jana Nayagan is rumored to be his last film before entering politics with his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.
The incident highlights the widespread popularity of Thalapathy Vijay and the passionate nature of his fanbase, while also showcasing the occasional cultural misunderstandings that can occur in the age of global internet content.
