Waxy.org is the sandbox of Andy Baio, an
independent journalist and programmer living in
Portland, Oregon. I created Over the last few weeks, I've been passively looking for the identity of the Afro-Ninja. I posted a $50 question on Google Answers, but it didn't turn up anything for several weeks.
Tonight, I finally got an answer! Edward Shen informed me that it was Mark Allen Hicks, a stunt man auditioning for a Nike commercial with Allen Iverson and Jim Kelly.
Edward works with people who know Mark, and one friend saw him come out of the audition "pissed off with a bloody nose." Looking at his IMDB photographs, it's clear this is the same guy. Compare for yourself.
Now, can someone get me in contact with Mark? I'd love to ask him some questions about the video.
12:37 AM
Doesn't the chick in the video ask "John are you okay?"
One would be led to believe that AfroNinja's name is John based on that.
1:21 AM
It sounds more like, "God, are you OK?" to me.
1:46 AM
Rock on!!! Afto-Ninja is found!! I sure do hope you get in contact with him. Please keep us updated.
5:09 AM
nice detective work, but could you ask him if he fought off laserhead. we seem to be missing the all-important conclusion the that battle
8:29 PM
Hilarious, first time I've seen that. It's a little hard to watch the second (and third and fourth) time. Thought I heard "John are you okay" too. I just saw Allen Iverson on a Reebok billboard today. I don't think he ever wore Nike, not positive (or necessarily relevant) though.
8:57 PM
oh, one more tidbit... after mark's "failed" audition... the casting guys proclaimed "no more flips" to the next few stuntmen waiting to audition.
9:30 PM
Nice work!
[there's a little afro ninja in all of us]
10:33 PM
I'm as much in favor of finding the Afro-Ninja as anyone, but what possible burning questions could you have for him?!
7:48 AM
So like when do we see the Star Wars Kid treatment done to this Afro-Ninja footage?
5:51 AM
If you listen more carefully, you 'll hear that the question is "Shawn are you ok?".The guy you 're looking for is called Shawn Tanner.He even has a site: www.afro-ninja.com.
6:05 AM
Nah,
Sure that guy CALLS himself afroninja but he's just some white dude that likes comics and wants to be a games programmer.
http://www.afro-ninja.com/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=35
11:23 AM
Is that Jim "Black Belt Jones" Kelly mentioned above? Damn.
8:08 AM
It is imperative that Mark Allen Hicks see Laserhead vs. Afroninja.
8:20 AM
Here's the GIF they're referring to: Afroninja vs Laserhead.
1:07 AM
update... the commercial that mark auditioned for is now on the air... apparently it wasn't for allen iverson but for lebron james.
i can't find the video though.
10:05 AM
This is hilarious! I'm rather surprised you managed to find out who he is. Nice work. I think it's about time he got some hero worship like the Star Wars kid.
9:19 AM
Excellent work. And that animated GIF is the best.
6:08 PM
really sounds like "Shawn"
9:13 PM
It's entirely possible that the woman heard on the video is addressing someone that Mark Hicks stumbled into.
1:17 PM
i know him personally and that is mark hicks, sucks because he's actually really good, just not this audition.
1:23 PM
i worked with him on a low budget movie called love and a bullet, mark was one of the assassins.
6:59 PM
i thought it was john...but that could have been someone else sh called over, then moved over to mark's side.
regardless, this is the funniest thing i have ever seen in my life.
myself and 10 if my friends had a LAN party last night, and it got put on hold for HOURS because we were watching it over and over and over again, and then trying to immitate it.
good times
9:48 PM
does anyone have the full version of Afro-Ninja?
i'm watching this 18 second clip everyday for at least half an hour to analyze what happen at the end...I would like to know what happen (the glass-shattering noise and other stuff)
last but now least, Mark is cooooooooooooooool~
thank you. have a nice day.
9:53 PM
Hey, does anyone know what movie that audition was for? And has Mark ever reveal why he got up after he fell from the botched backflip? Just curious...
Afro-Ninja is real ultimate power
1:46 PM
Gee, I didn't know that it was this popular. I'm the person who sent Mark on that audition, and I really feel bad about it. You are correct that it was for a commercial for Nike with Lebron James in the Chamber of fear series. Contrary to the video, Mark is an excellent martial artist and has many credits to his name. I'm happy to work with him any time, any where.
11:03 AM
Afro Ninja is awesome. I sent the clip to everyone at work and they couldn't stop playing it. The rest of my department and myself can't stop laughing everytime we mention Afro Ninja.
4:35 PM
Yes, this is Shawn Tanner, and no, that definitely isn't me in that video : )
I've gone under the alias Afro Ninja for about 3 years now, and found this video quite funny. Like the guy said, I do flash games and animations : )
4:11 PM
peep the Afro Ninja Rap I made!
http://www.savonsway.com/AfroRap.mp3
1:37 AM
Damn.... that is hilarious!!
12:09 AM
The woman says "Oh my God! Are you okay?"
5:47 PM
I found his real adress:
Address: 1975 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92104
Thank me later, and don't ask me where i got this!
And you guys don't know me ok?
6:21 PM
Hey Andy whats up, How've you been?
I was just browsing through here
I actually know Mark. I could maybe put you in touch w/ him
although this is a pretty touching & embarassing thing for him
11:44 AM
It seems like you guys have pointed out successfully who the man is, but it couldn't have been for the stated commercial. Allen Iverson would not being doing a NIKE commercial... His main sponsor is Reebok.
10:34 PM
I worked with Mark for 4 years. Yeah, that video IS funny (I just saw it for the first time today 3/10/5), but let me tell you about Mark. Mark treated me nicely when others didn't. Mark was kind to me. I looked up to him as a young stuntman. He's cool, funny, trustworthy, and courteous. I can't say enough good things about the guy.
As for the video, yeah it's funny. But look at the publicity he's getting out of it. Remember-Dustin Hoffman booked his first gig when he went to an audition for a 7'0" African American Basketball player part and the casting director recognized him later at a different audition.
6:07 AM
This is great. i love that movie and if it wasnt for this i wouldnt of found it
5:32 PM
That clip is the best. I mean I feel bad for him but it's just too perfect. It's like ballet.
At first I thought it was just a home movie but knowing it was an actual audition just makes it so much more sweet.
1:27 AM
I wanna get a sce\reen shot and put it on a shirt or something
5:39 PM
Did anyone every find the LONG version of this clip?
8:12 PM
I've watched it about 30 times now. I'm pretty sure she says "God, are you OK?". Yeah, I do feel pretty bad for the guy, but MAN is it funny. every time I watch it I get that 'hot' feeling you get in your sinuses when you wack your head really hard.
8:46 PM
I hear they're making an AFRO-NINJA movie starring Lenny Kravitz.
2:16 AM
After the womans says, "Oh my God are you OK?" another woman sarcastically says, "No he's not." Geez.
2:17 AM
It sounds like he fell into some venetian blinds.
5:42 AM
afro ninja is even famous in norway... we love the clip
This goes out to afroninja lovers world wide... haha
7:08 AM
My bro attending Auckland University NZ, told me about Afro Ninja, and indeed this does put a 'smile on your dial'...chur bro, Kia Ora cuzzies from Te Kaha!!!Kia Ora Te Whanau!!
1:55 PM
I know for a fact it's Mark Hicks. I work with Mark's brother... I might get an interview with Mark some time and post it on my blog. If you have any questions for him... visit cinemalogue.com, go to the staff page, and click the link to email the editor (me).
I can't guarantee I'll get your questions answered, but if I and Mark have time to connect... I'll see what's appropriate to ask. He may or may not have a sense of humor about it...
8:40 AM
Bloody Hell that is some funny stuff man! Me and my friends are obsessed with it!!
Its like a virus...you see it love it and pass it on!
He is a god among mere mortals! I really want to see what happened off-camera cus I am imagining the most funny things!
And funny thing is...he may of ballsed it up that time but i bet he could kick all of our asses normally! :D
8:43 AM
p.s I have a t-shirt made up, and will post pic at some point :D
We love afroninja in U.K. very much english comady! :D
3:04 PM
This is hilarious. We love it in Mexico. We all agree that after the "bump" He tried to stand up "all big and bad!". Makes us wanna say: "nigga please!" hahaha! Viva Afro ninja!
2:54 PM
Even in Italy Afro Ninja is a superstar! We can't stop watching his movie, and stop laughing! We want a "Afro Ninja Fan Club"! We watch the video trying not to laugh but no one can! Is a mission impossible!
PS: we want a movie on Afro Ninja with Chuck Norris, Steven Segal, Steve O and Afro Ninja as himself!
And we want also a gift of lord of the rings with Boromir asking not for Ninja-Wizards but for Afro-Ninja!
9:59 AM
Afroninja.com is coming!!!
Ehm..
Joining to my italian friends..
Afroninja.it is coming!!!
Simply the most lethal ninja in world.
Ti voglio bene afro ninja :)
6:37 AM
I have been somewhat obsessed with Afroninja since discovering his clip how ever long ago...I'm very pleased to find I'm not the only one!
I always thought the line from the woman is 'Oh my god are you ok?' And then she answers herself 'No, he's not'.
If we are to spread the word of Afroninja even further, I officially volunteer to be the Australian advocate :)
10:33 PM
Since they're on a movie set, I am assuming he ran into some lights and yes, definitely venetian blinds.
I'm sure this guy's a very nice person, but he tried to be cool by nodding at the camera before the flip, and the funniest part by far is him trying to play it off by swinging his nunchucks...what was he thinking, "gee maybe they'd miss that huge fall if I go right into the sequence with the nun chucks"...
Too funny...Oh yea, in Canada, we love this clip also.
5:08 PM
i want to pay homage to afro-ninja,
because the clip is much more than funny!
you can see this pure passion ...
... his enthusiasm at the beginning, starting with the kungfu noise out of his nose, jumping straight into a nose dive to rebirth immediately as phoenix playing the chucks ... wow, so funny but also cosmic - kungfu ballet full of love !
yours respectfully
solar.
2:38 PM
I think Impact Magazine, an action movie magazine that caters for both Eastern and Hollywood action films, interviewed him in issue 161..it was around that issue anyway
7:56 PM
This is hands down THE BEST clip on the internet ever!
Cudos to the whoever leaked it for the masses.
Mark, if you ever read this, you nothing to be embarassed about. You are already a star.
5:08 PM
http://aotsafroninja.ytmnd.com/
8:48 AM
If I ever have opportunity to hire Mr. Hicks for a spot (and I probably will), I will lobby for him until I am our of breath simply because he deserves a SAG residual laden payback for this.
7:15 PM
Actually, she is saying "John are you okay." Also, Allen Iverson is and has always been represented by Reebok. Close guys but no cigar. The Afro Ninja will still remain a mystery for the time being.
3:19 AM
i love that dude..when ever anything goes bad in life, you just have to see that clip..you'll laugh, and realize you gotta take the good with the bad, in the end, if you can look back on it and laugh, you've lived..the fact we can all look back at it, and laugh together means there's still life on this earth after all..all thanks to afro "ninja's" determination to keep swinging those numchucks no matter what..Thanks Mark.
3:13 PM
He's not trying to lay it off - he was only half conscious. You ever taken a headshot like that? You're fighting to hold onto consciousness.
Sure, it's a funny clip - they have a word for that - it's called a blooper.
But I tell you what - if he develops the character Afro Ninja in a positive way, I'm buying tickets.
5:03 PM
He botched a flip and tried to continue with his routine, not realizing how stunned he was from hitting his head. But he should embrace the video! It showed a lot of heart for him to keep demonstrating after hitting his head so hard. Like Doug Connors said, publicity is publicity.
12:23 AM
There's actually a film in development entitled, "Afro Ninja" based in part on the aformentioned auditon. It stars Hicks, and some other folks, including Jim Kelly himself. No word on when the film will actually come out. But I was part of it, and know that a lot of footage was shot out in Los Angeles.
7:43 AM
It's totally that Hicks guys. The photos are unmistakable. You can tell he can do a back flip, he just fucked this one up. It's amazing that he still tried to recover, flailing those chucks aimlessly. Amazing.
5:04 AM
He also showed up on Nat-Geo's Fight Science (but without the afro). I was shocked when I saw him there! LOL! He's still cocky even though he made a fool of himself on the vid where he did that nose-to-floor backflip. Why the heck did Nat-Geo pick that guy anyway? There are lots of better martial artists than him, aren't there? I think he just likes to show off like other martial art posers out there. Well, sorry to those who are an afro-ninja fan. It's just my opinion =)
12:14 AM
hey people, just stimbled over here from google searching for the afro ninjas identity lol, I ripped the audio and slowed it down using gold gold wave audio, the first lady say Oh my god... are you o.k. not john or mark blah blah blah. love this clip and hope he embraces it and can use it to his advantage somehow cause its no use crying over spilled backflip where people see you bust your face all over the internet. I think thats how the saying goes right...whatever blame canada
11:34 PM
Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_NQCTbvRnM
The whole thing is a piece of comedy, including the botched backflip.
10:55 PM
Why in the world would you post his address Wakkata? Pure stupidity.
6:08 AM
A full length feature film
http://afroninjathemovie.com/
2:58 PM
The link above is to the movie that Mark Hicks made based on the audition tape that has been named Afro Ninja. The movie is called Afro Ninja Destiny and is very funny. I just saw it last night. Mark ( which is the afro ninja) flew in for the Premier of his movie here in Texas last night. Yesterday was the first day that I met Mark and he is a really nice down to earth guy. Him and my dad used to train together back in the day. Later after the movie we all went out to dinner and had a great time. He's been doing Martial Arts since he was 7 and currently is a 5th Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. Everyone should go to the website listed above and check out the movie.
1:34 AM
Awsome, lol the movie looks soooooo corny but in a good way. They should make a cartoon series about him and how he goes on these wacky crazy adventures every day. I'd totally watch it but they would have to have good content, not just come up with crap off of the top of their heads lol