Veteran newsreader Riaan Cruywagen has become a YouTube sensation, with a series of videos teaching South Africans how to be “awesome” going viral.
Cruywagen says he has no clue who is behind the videos or who wrote the script.
His agent asked him last year to read a scripted sketch and to shoot a few funny scenes.
“People have been asking me about them (videos) but I haven't seen any of them…I have no clue what the final product looks like or what am I'm doing in them. What I know is they’re supposed to be funny,” he said.
In the videos Cruywagen shares signature party tricks, how to be a “cool cat” and how to be “awesome”.
In one video titled “Lesson 1: Be Awesome Instead with Riaan Cruywagen”, he begins by saying “Don't be a moaning marshmallow, be awesome.” The video posted a week ago already has 13 134 views.
Over the years Cruywagen has shown his humorous side outside the serious newsroom. Last year he appeared in the 33rd annual Loeries awards promotional advert, where he was in a Jacuzzi surrounded by bikini-clad women.
“I have a very good sense of humour. When you are in the serious business of news you need some laughter in your life. I enjoy doing things that are totally different from news reading so people can see the other side of me… that I am not just a serious mechanical news reader.”
The bilingual Cruywagen recently published his autobiography named Wat's Nuus, where he reveals what actually happens behind the scenes at the national broadcaster, among other things.
“What I do remember is I had great fun shooting the videos. I do hope people enjoy the tongue-in-cheek humour in them,” he added.
Cape Argus