Justice

'Damn Daniel' Is Already Backfiring Because the Internet Ruins Everything

February 23rd 2016

The internet meme Damn Daniel has taken a negative life of its own. Josh Holz, the teenager who filmed the viral video, reportedly fell victim to an unsettling swatting prank at his home early Tuesday morning, ABC7 reports.

Swatting is when someone reports a false serious crime to the police so authorities will swarm that individual's residence. After Riverside Police Department received a call that someone had been shot inside Holz's home, authorities showed up to Holz's place at about 1 a.m. and searched the house, which they determined was safe.

Damn Daniel swatting prankKABC - abc7.com

"A person called Riverside Police Department dispatch center and used some kind of a voice modification device and reported that he had shot his mother," Riverside police Lt. Kevin Townsend told local news station KABC, adding that he suspects the prank was tied to the popularity of Damn Daniel.

"We believe and the family believes that since their video went viral, it's somehow connected," Townsend said. "Ever since their video has gone out there, they've received a number of what they call strange phone calls and emails, and a lot of strange things happening so tonight was just another incident for their family."

So what is Damn Daniel?

The Damn Daniel meme (commonly referred to as #DamnDaniel or "daaaaammmnn Daniel") went viral earlier this month after Holz shared a 30-second video on social media of him repeatedly saying "Damn Daniel" and "back at it again with the white Vans" in a silly voice to his friend Daniel Lara. What started out as a clip about two pals goofing around swiftly went viral. It has been retweeted more than 300,000 times and racked up nearly 400,000 favorites, and even celebrities such as model Emily Ratajkowski and Lakers basketball player Jordan Clarkson have paid homage to the joke.

Β 

Where things got a little weird.

Damn Daniel prompted a lot of #DamnDanielle female parodies on social media, and Vine star Melvin Gregg made such a parody himself. Gregg uploaded a video skit on Monday showing him filming a girl's breasts and butt as he says, "Damn, Danielle. Back at it with them titties out" on the sidewalk. When she yells at him, he tells her to "shut the fuck up." Gregg confirmed to ATTN: that it was a skit as his followers stated and not a random incident.

FacebookFacebook - facebook.com

Though the parody video is meant to be funny, some have criticized it for objectifying women:

How the meme mastermind has been negatively impacted by Damn Daniel.

Josh HolzJosh Holz - twitter.com

Meme creator Josh Holz may have nearly 115,000 Twitter followers as a result of his newfound fame, but his increased visibility has apparently disrupted his life and the lives of his family members.

The future of Damn Daniel.

The lifespan of social media trends is fleeting because there is always something funnier, more outrageous, or crazier to discuss on the internet. Many are already tired of Damn Daniel, and if more people continue to harass Holz and beat the joke to death, perhaps he'll get sick of it too. That said, it's crazy to think that an inside joke between two high school besties took hold of adults and teens alike for as long as it did.

RELATED: People Whose Lives Were Ruined By The Internet

Share your opinion

Do you think Damn Daniel is funny?

No 48%Yes 52%