Well, you can bet 2018 ended with a big bang and a major shock.
But here's some context for that video.
Throughout 2018, Elliot Joseph Rentz, known in the world of drag as Alexis Stone, kept fans close and up-to-date.
The performer is known for his dramatic makeup skills, but fans became concerned when he shared the desire to undergo surgery.
In August of 2018, Rentz made the initial announcement to his 141,000 (and counting) YouTube subscribers. Rentz shared that he was going to get plastic surgery. He then followed up on Instagram, where he has over 741,000 followers, by sharing pictures of himself in the pre-opt process.
Rentz even shared an “after photo” showing the results of his “surgery.” To add more to the ruse, Rentz asked for his fans to be gentle after seeing his “swollen and textured” face.
Rentz even went so far as to post a thank you video after his new face was all said and done.
But on New Year’s Eve, Alexis Stone made a surprise reveal. It was all an elaborate prank.
Working with special effects artist Davi Marti, Rentz revealed that he’d been tricking his followers for half a year.
In another video, he explained that the purpose of this long-term stunt was to pull off a “social experiment.”
He says he wanted to “bring attention to the social construct of becoming a monster.”
“If enough people scream and shout that someone’s a monster… it becomes believable.”
Rentz also shared that all of the above social media content was pre-recorded and filtered out over the several months.
Did the experiment surprise you?
