Oneupweb Reviews: Fun Friday K-Strass Master Yo-Yo Champion

A new talent has arrived on the scene and his name is K-Strass – a yo-yo champion that can’t yo-yo. Sounds like an instant fail at first, but the twist is that this guy might actually be punking local TV stations. And this is how he does it.

A representative for K-Strass (a.k.a. Kenny Strasser) sends TV stations a news release suggesting they invite Kenny to “spread the word about environmental awareness the way he knows best: juggling, slapstick and most of all, using his yo-yo”. A website for Zim-Zam Yo-Yo’s features Strasser and his ‘Keep it Green’ yo-yo tour. He shows up the day of the live broadcast in green pants, a yellow hat, and suspenders. As seen in the video below, once the interview begins – things don’t go exactly as advertised.

After the above interview had concluded, the TV station WSAW-TV wondered if this guy was for real. So they did some investigating and this is what they found:

It may come as no surprise that the Zim-Zam website and Zim-Zam itself also appears to be a sham. It claims to be a non-profit company, but we could find no record that such a company actually exists. It also claims Strasser (K-Strass) is the winner of several yo-yo tournaments and awards, including being named ‘Grand Champion at the Pensacola Regionals’, and being nominated for the ‘Walt Greenberg Award’. However, we contacted the American Yo-Yo Association. Board member and former president Dave Schulte tells us he’s never heard of those awards, Zim-Zam, or Kenny Strasser.

The TV station contacted K-Strass’s agent asking whether or not he was legitimate. The agent claimed Strass was no joke, and sent the TV station the following statement:

“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience, Kenny is growing through some rough times and we wish him well in the future.”

The station further commented:

“We also spoke with Kenny Wednesday. He admitted the press releases about him may have ‘stretched the truth’, but insists he’s a yo-yo expert and his appearances were no joke. He claimed he was at his father’s home in Oshkosh, but the call came from a land line number in Oakland, California. We’re still not sure who Kenny Strasser is, but we’re pretty sure he’s no yo-yo champion.”

Kenny may not be a yo-yo champion, and he hasn’t had the easiest walk in life. But for winning the heart of the internet, K-Strass is a champion in our book.

Oneupweb Review: Thumbs Up