Poll: Joke Or Soon-To-Be Cambridge Celebrity?

“I want to get to know you facially.”

Although he has “looked at your profiles and pictures”, ‘supermarkliu’ rejects Facebook Freshers’ groups as imperfect and impersonal” forums. He suggests instead that all Freshers follow his example and make their own ‘vlog’ to break the ice before the “drinking and sex parties” he has seen advertised on the social networking site, and which he concedes mawkishly are a “pretty good” start to Freshers’ Week.

If you are currently worried you are missing the sinister joke, so are we. Have some context to flesh out your confusion. Under the username, ‘supermarkliu’, this gentleman has posted a YouTube video diary (or ‘vlog’) on public forum, The Student Room, in which he introduces himself as an “up and coming Cambridge Fresher” who will be studying Maths at St John’s College. It’s creepy – “I want to know you facially” being a particular gem – but is it a little too obvious? Is ‘supermarkliu’ a petty conman or simply deeply socially-challenged, and woefully misguided in his conviction that this video would do anything but alienate?

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjWbh4RVtk8

The slow turn towards the camera in the opening seconds is affected, as is his, “the best university in the world – woo,” complete with haunted smirk. Either this is symptomatic of crippling awkwardness or the video is as hollow as his presenting. Maths at John’s: perhaps a little too obvious? (Moreover, contrary to his claims about top five position, John’s fell to twentieth place in this year’s Tompkin’s table.) He enjoys, “Xbox, sleeping, eating, films in a foreign language, football manager, Sporcle and Hermione Granger,” among other stellar pursuits: is he trying to replicate or even ingratiate himself with a particular stereotypical model? When he listed, “misdirection and showmanship”, I decided he might be a satirical genius.

Other members commenting on the thread seem equally unsure, and one has pointed out what I noticed about the clock: ‘supermarkliu’ claims it is 4.30am when he finishes filming, but stop the video at random points throughout and you will see the time bounce from 6.25, backwards through 5.25 and 5.50, hurtle towards 8.05 (at 4 mins 33 secs) and then back again to 6.10 when he finishes, despite what he claims.

So – should we expect to see him in Cambridge or not? You decide.