Despite the heat, dozens of students gathered outside UMKC’s Swinney Center today around 2 p.m. to see the popular YouTube duo.
A sign taped to Joey Gizzi’s shirt read, “The first person to bring us a football, kick a field goal through our arms and then dump this cooler of Gatorade on your head gets 2 tickets to NFL Kickoff.” Steven Lannum stood next to Grizzi, holding the prize.
Students flocked to read the sign and ran to complete the mission while the two taskmasters stood in silence, until one passerby appeared with a ball.
As they pulled out the football Gizzi and Lannum each put up an arm at a 90-degree angle and formed a faux field goal. The student made sure to move their backpack and phone out of the splash zone before pouring the Gatorade over their body. Their cold splash paid off, and they got the prize as promised.
The excitement was evident on their face and soon the popular pair broke character to congratulate the winner and share the enthusiasm. After the challenge was complete, AreYouKiddingTV posed in selfies with UMKC students while holding up the task sign.
@areyoukiddingtv Right place at the right time 🏈 @NFL #nflpartner ♬ original sound – AreYouKiddingTV
The team of two started making videos as college students in 2016. Now their channel has amassed over 1 billion views and 2 million subscribers on YouTube and over 5 million followers on TikTok.
Gizzi and Lannum’s story shows that success is not instant. When asked about advice they would give their past selves in an interview for PopCulturalist, the pair spoke about the need to hone their craft and persevere.
“I would remind myself that if you’re passionate about something, don’t let it go,” Gizzi said. “Stay consistent. Even if it’s not perfect, go get your work out there, and don’t give up because you’re not seeing success right away.”
Check out AreYouKiddingTV on YouTube to see other colleges they have visited and subscribe.
