A young man from rural China has amassed tens of thousands of followers in just two weeks by impersonating Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on social media, reported South China Morning Post.
Yang Yang, 28, from a village in Dandong in northeastern Liaoning province, has become an online sensation through videos in which he imitates the artificial intelligence (AI) industry leader.
He posts the clips through an account named @huangyinxun, a pronunciation of Huang's Chinese name in the northeastern Chinese dialect.
Wheat flour, glasses and a leather jacket
Yang has uploaded more than 20 videos showing himself with grey hair, a leather jacket and glasses — a look closely associated with Huang, reported South China Morning Post.
To recreate Huang's grey hair, Yang sprinkles wheat flour on his head and uses hair gel to keep it in place. According to China News Weekly, he spent 100 yuan (US$15) on the leather jacket and 10 yuan on the spectacles.
In some videos, he carries a large graphics card model as a nod to Nvidia's core products. In others, he mimics Huang by eating noodles from a large bowl and drinking beverages from the popular Chinese chain Mixue Ice Cream & Tea.
Inspired by Huang's viral China visit
The real Jensen Huang recently went viral on Chinese social media after he was filmed eating Beijing fried sauce noodles and drinking Mixue products on the streets of Beijing during a visit to China as part of a delegation accompanying US President Donald Trump.
Yang's imitation videos quickly gained traction. By the beginning of June, his account had attracted 54,000 followers, reported South China Morning Post.
Several of his clips have been viewed millions of times, with some crossing 15 million views. His livestream sessions have also drawn up to 20,000 concurrent viewers.
From migrant worker to internet sensation
Yang comes from a rural family and began working as a migrant labourer at the age of 16. Over the years, he took up jobs including washing dishes and cooking noodles in restaurants.
Five years ago, he returned to his hometown to care for his ageing parents.
Before becoming famous for his Huang impersonations, Yang had already built a following as a rural lifestyle content creator. Another of his social media accounts has around 300,000 followers, although he said the income from it has been inconsistent.
Why he started imitating Jensen Huang
Yang said some internet users had pointed out his resemblance to Huang last year and encouraged him to imitate the Nvidia chief. However, he only took the suggestion seriously after Huang's Beijing street videos became a social media hit.
He said he admires Huang not only for his success in the technology industry but also for his humble beginnings.
“I heard Huang washed dishes in restaurants when he was young. I also did that,” Yang was quoted as saying.
Popularity brings unexpected pressure
Despite his newfound fame, Yang said the attention has brought considerable stress.
“I am terrified. Some people posed as the legal department of Nvidia to contact me, requiring me to take down my videos,” said Yang.
“I beg Boss Huang and his Nvidia not to lower yourself to my level. But if you really think my videos have affected your company’s image, please let me know and I will delete them,” he added.
Part of a growing trend
Yang is among a growing number of Chinese content creators who have found fame by impersonating celebrities.
One well-known example is a street food vendor who resembles Taiwanese pop star Jay Chou. Another is Ryan Chen, an English teacher based in Chongqing, who has gained popularity online by impersonating Donald Trump using fluent English while replicating the US president's mannerisms and speaking style.
