With viral culture blazing on social media, where fast, instantly gratifying (and easily forgettable) content is rewarded, it is increasingly rare to come across videos of real human beings, flesh-and-blood people who don't pretend for the camera.
I like genuine people, those who use all the communicative tools at their disposal to show off their craziness and favorite hobbies, always using their own skills, personalities, and creativity, instead of copying the classic structures used by most YouTubers. I found a bit of that in Tor Eckhoff's videos, and here I share it.
Here at NeoTeo we've always championed creators like Steve1989 MREinfo and Primitive Technology, among others, each one perfect in their own way, people who narrate with quality and warmth what they focus on, without demanding daily content just to generate more views and money. People who use YouTube to show the part of themselves they feel most comfortable with, sharing their passions with passion and their madness with madness, who don't use the video platforms (only) to show off. Genuine people.
And if you want something genuine, well-made, and completely crazy, here's this crazy Norwegian, who made news back in 2012 for a series of reckless videos where he can be seen swimming in frozen water, ice skating almost naked, and drinking vodka, lots and lots of vodka!
"My name is Tor Eckhoff, I am 51 years old," he clarifies on the "About" tab of his channel. "I live in Vestfold county, in Norway. I work in a paint factory in Sandefjord. What I drink in the videos is real vodka," he concludes. Today Tor is back in the spotlight, because he recently uploaded a video, after a period of inactivity, enjoying the cold and snow like only he can.
This madman is a certified daredevil. He defies sub-zero temperatures, yes, that's his forte: he dives into frozen lakes, rolls in the snow after stepping out of a freezing bath, and those are his most-watched videos. But he also shows his strength when he rubs 'poison ivy' on his arms, when he eats poisonous mushrooms he finds lying around, and when he walks barefoot through the forest, among other crazy things he does on his weekend outings. And that's the crux of the matter: Tor is not a mere exhibitionist; he proudly flaunts his vigor and willpower, great virtues to highlight if you ask me.
As he himself explained in a 2013 interview, when asked "How can you tolerate such extreme temperatures?: " "I'm not doing anything special, you just have to be prepared, willing to feel cold. Humans are humans, we weren't made to exist in frozen water; we're not seals or whales. That means it feels very, very cold, and you have to endure it."
Pure endurance! The rest of his videos are pure theater, circus, and antics, craziness that must occur to him on the spot (where he often uses chainsaws) and that he later edits with iMovie (as he himself confesses in the description of his videos).
Or maybe Tor is none of what we've said about him here; maybe he's just a bold clown who likes to parade around naked and have people cheer him on, who knows? The thing is, Tor is fun, and both his videos and his strength are remarkable, and that's what we're doing here: highlighting him. Don't miss his videos on Apetor!
Sadly, Tor left us on November 27, 2021, after falling into a frozen lake the day before. Assisted by neighbors who heard his cries for help, Apetor died in the hospital the next day. Thank you for so many laughs, Tor! Rest in peace.
