GoFundMe for Red Baron worker pranked in viral video tops $100,000
A GoFundMe for a Red Baron-linked worker known online as "Walt Z", who was targeted by a streamer's fake-theft prank, has raised well over $100,000. Newsweek reported more than $100,000; Just the News reported $137,003.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 1A fundraiser for a Red Baron employee who was accosted by an online prankster at work has raised more than $100,000, according to Newsweek. NewsweekN “A fundraiser for a Red Baron employee who was accosted by an online prankster while at work has raised more than $100,000.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Right · 1Just the News, in a later report, said the fundraiser had passed $130,000 in two days and, at press time, had 4,100 donations totalling $137,003. Just the NewsRC “As of press time, the fundraiser had attracted 4,100 donations and raised $137,003.”“has surpassed $130,000 in only two days” Read at Just the News ↗ Mixed · 2In the viral video, the man, named online only as Walt Z, is approached by a person who asks the time, holds a phone to his and plays an Apple Pay sound, pretending to have taken money from him. NewsweekN “the Apple Pay transaction sound played” Read at Newsweek ↗ Just the NewsRC “ask for the time, before pushing his phone near him and claiming to have stolen money from him” Read at Just the News ↗
Centre · 1Newsweek says the sound was clearly pre-recorded from the viewer's perspective but that this was not obvious to the employee, who did not take it as a joke. NewsweekN “it’s clear a pre-recorded sound was being played, but this wasn’t obvious to the employee” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1He responded calmly at first but lost his temper by the end, telling the streamer "It’s not a joke to me, okay" and "My life is hard enough as it is." NewsweekN ““My life is hard enough as it is,” he said.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Right · 1Just the News adds that he asked the streamer to leave him alone, that the streamer did not, and that he said he already had a mortgage to pay and a large family to feed. It describes him as a grocery stocker for Red Baron Pizza from Michigan. Just the NewsRC “asserting that he did not need the added stress of his harassment, since he already had to pay off a mortgage and feed a large family”“"Walt Z" of Michigan” Read at Just the News ↗
Centre · 1The streamer has not been identified. Some copies carry an Instagram watermark for @thea.ctiveworld, but that account appears to have been deleted, and Newsweek says it is unclear whether the video was first posted there. NewsweekN “It's not clear if these accounts are where the original video was posted.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1The GoFundMe was set up by Luke Oakenshield, who said in its description that he did not know the employee and that it was about standing up for a working person who "should not have to fear losing stability because someone wanted content and clicks." NewsweekN “set up by a man named Luke Oakenshield. He clarified in the fundraiser description that he did not know the impacted employee.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Right · 1Just the News says the video gained traction after Russian-state-aligned outlet RT amplified it, and that right-wing political influencers helped spread the fundraiser. Newsweek does not mention either point. Just the NewsRC “after Russian-state-aligned outlet RT amplified it”“a number of right-wing political influencers working to amplify i” Read at Just the News ↗
Centre · 1Newsweek said it had contacted Oakenshield and Red Baron's parent company, CJ Schwan's, for comment outside normal working hours; no responses were reported. NewsweekN “Newsweek has contacted Oakenshield for comment via GoFundMe, and CJ Schwan's, Red Baron's parent company, outside of normal working hours.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Straight news report on the fundraiser and the prank, with detail on the video, the streamer's deleted accounts and the organiser.
- Emphasis
- The employee's words, the organiser's statement, and the unclear origin of the video.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not say who amplified the video or the fundraiser, and has the lower, earlier total.
- For example
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“This fundraiser is about standing up for a working person who is busting their butt” — Newsweek
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads on public sympathy and the fundraiser's spread, noting amplification by RT and right-wing influencers.
- Emphasis
- Donation totals, the role of political influencers, and RT's amplification.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the organiser, the deleted prankster accounts or any request for comment from the company.
- Charged language
- “harassed”“Russian-state-aligned outlet RT”
- For example
-
“Public reactions were overwhelmingly sympathetic to Walt and the GoFundMe quickly circulated on social media” — Just the News
What every side reports
- A viral video shows a Red Baron worker known as Walt Z being pranked by a streamer who pretended to steal money from him.
- A GoFundMe for him has raised more than $100,000.
- The worker became upset and said the prank was not a joke to him.
Where accounts differ
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Amount raised
- Centre
- More than $100,000 (earlier report).
- Right
- Over $130,000 in two days; $137,003 from 4,100 donations at press time.
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Fundraiser for Red Baron Employee Accosted by Prankster Raises $100k
Sympathetic Describes the employee as accosted by a prankster and quotes his distress, with background on the fundraiser and organiser.
Right1 article
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Internet raises $130K for harassed Red Baron worker in viral video
Sympathetic Presents the worker as harassed and the response as overwhelmingly sympathetic, highlighting RT and right-wing influencers' roles.
- 29 Oct 13:30 First NewsweekN Fundraiser for Red Baron Employee Accosted by Prankster Raises $100k
- 29 Oct 14:50 +1h 19m Just the NewsRC Internet raises $130K for harassed Red Baron worker in viral video
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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