Danish television series Everyone Loves Rasmus has been pulled from the schedule after viewers learned that comedian Rasmus Wallbridge had been tricked into taking part in a four-month hidden-camera hoax, prompting widespread outrage in Denmark.
Wallbridge, a comedian, agreed to the project after being offered the chance to direct his own film, only to discover that it was all a staged prank. Around 150 people, including his close friends, were in on the deception and secretly played along for months, according to the report.
The Hoax and Its Fallout
The show drew immediate comparisons to the 1998 Jim Carrey film The Truman Show, in which the protagonist is raised inside a giant artificial soundstage with everyone in his life played by paid actors. In the Danish version, Wallbridge left his wife and children to take part in what he believed was a genuine career opportunity.
Following stinging criticism, Everyone Loves Rasmus was hauled off the air within days of its launch. The director of the show has defended the concept, stating that a psychologist was on hand throughout the process and after the truth was revealed. Producers also claimed that Wallbridge had the opportunity to decline the public airing of the project before it aired.
Public Reaction and Aftermath
The comedian, however, did not see the funny side and has reportedly gone to ground following the revelation that he had been tricked. Danes expressed fury at the programme and demanded its removal, with debate raging on social media.
One person on Reddit commented: “A joke doesn’t last 4 months. That’s just bullying.” Another wrote: “Why would anyone react positively to being Truman Show’d? They had to know it was going to backfire and they risked real harm to the target and possibly cast.” A third added: “That’s just mean. Seriously, who would think this was a funny prank? I am Danish, and I don’t understand it at all.”
Another viewer remarked: “He was gaslighted and lied to for – not 4 hours, not 4 days – but 4 months 24/7. He had a newly born child, a girlfriend, and bills to pay.. he put everything on hold for what … nothing.”
