Fake Seizure Guy

Update: Saturday October 26

I asked for “further information” around this piece, and got an email I thought was important to share:

I know the 'fake seizure guy' really well. I've spent a lot of time with him over the past few years. He has really severe autism. He is completely harmless. He would never sexually assault anyone. He simply does not know that his behaviour is unacceptable to people like us.

The reason he asks people to 'sit' on him and restrain him is that he is 'stimming'. He's trying to get what is called 'Deep Pressure Stimulation', which is a common symptom of those who have severe autism (e.g., enjoying weighted blankets or hugs). I've attached a link where you can get more information:

https://www.appliedbehavioranalysisedu.org/what-is-deep-pressure-stimulation/

He is disabled and I assure you that he is harmless.

I have asked for further information about all of this — including if I can talk directly to a carer or someone who knows more. It’s been a few days and I have heard nothing back. I’d like to verify things a little more, but in the meantime I thought I should still post this update.

I have also passed it on to Victoria Police, who indicated they were seeking more information.

Regardless of whether this person is autistic or not — or if that is combined with a mental health isssue/s — this behaviour does strike me as unsafe. The public are being misled into a physical interaction that involves close body contact, and it also puts the man at risk if behaviour is misinterpreted.

Note: If you want to get in touch with further information about this story, I am: davidfarrier@protonmail.com. I will also be in Melbourne and Sydney in Nov/Dec to present my 2016 documentary Tickled.

Hi,

When you make a documentary about Competitive Endurance Tickling, people tend to contact you about their strange encounters — which is how, eight months ago, I came upon Fake Seizure Guy.

“So we’re standing there and I just notice this very thin, sort of gaunt looking younger gentleman who was clearly having a medical episode. He’s sort of shaking, and having almost no medical experience I was like, ‘I think he’s having a seizure’.”

It was a cold dark Melbourne night when Christian Hull had an encounter he’s still trying to make sense of nearly five years later. He’d just been at a show, and he was standing with two of his friends near the casino. 

“I was like, ‘Are you okay? What’s happening?’ And he’s like, ‘No, I'm not good. I need help. I’m having a seizure’. So I was like, ‘Shit. What? What do I need to do to help you?”

He got to his knees, convulsing, before laying facedown on the ground — where he started issuing instructions on how to help him. First he asked Christian to hold his arms, and then place them behind his back.

“It was all these small instructions where I was like, ‘Yep, I’m just going to help this guy through his seizure and everything will be fine. I’ll just listen to him. He knows his body.’ He’s shaking his whole time. His body is convulsing. And then he’s like, ‘Can you sit on me now?’”

Christian’s friends told him not to do it, but Christian simply saw a man in need.