Do Not Try This At Home: An intrepid Mario fan has created and posted a real-life Mario Kart video, complete with tossed bananas and, apparently, getting busted by the cops.
That last bit may not have actually been in the game, but it was in the cards for Remi Gaillard, who tricked out a kart, dressed up like the world’s most famous Italian plumber and went bombing around the streets, weaving in and out of traffic and tossing bananas under the wheels of passing cars. None of the cars went spinning out of control and lost several spots in traffic, sad to say, or even seemed to notice.
The gag is apparently part of a French “hidden camera show” that features stunts described as “surreal and very visual.” Gaillard began making his videos after losing his job at a shoe store, and first came to national prominence when he was able to insert himself into the celebrations of the French soccer cup finals, dressed as a player, and even received personal congratulations from then-President Jacques Chirac.
Remi Kart can be seen on YouTube or at Gaillard’s own site, nimportequi.com, where he’s posted over 100 other videos as well. (Check out L’Astronaute while you’re there, it’s pretty good.)