Big Man Tyrone

2013viral videoclassic

Published August 21, 2026

Big Man Tyrone is the nickname 4chan gave to Gordon Hurd, a UK-based Fiverr seller whose earnest $5 desk-shot testimonial videos went viral in late 2013 after anime fans started paying him to read absurd otaku scripts. The gig became a running joke on 4chan's /a/ and /s4s/ boards.

4chan memesotaku culture memesaccidental fame memesbritish memesearly 2010s memes

Overview

Big Man Tyrone is the 4chan nickname for Gordon Hurd, a UK-based Fiverr seller whose $5 video testimonial gig was hijacked in late 2013 by anime fans commissioning absurd scripts1. The recognizable format is Hurd delivering earnest, high-energy readings from behind a plain desk about niche otaku topics like lolicon and Kill la Kill3.

The joke rests on the clash between Hurd's polite salesman delivery and the deeply weird 4chan-authored scripts he reads aloud1. He is usually paired in early lore with fellow Fiverr testimonial seller Roger Stockburger, dubbed "Rog," whose gig was discovered first3. Urban Dictionary entries describe Tyrone as a "mad lad" who gets angry when you "say it to him," reflecting how fans used the nickname on-site5.

Origin & Background

Platform
Fiverr (source) / 4chan and YouTube (viral spread)
Creator
Gordon Hurd
Date
2013

The gig work started in April 2013 when Australian Fiverr user Roger Stockburger opened a $5 testimonial service offering seven interchangeable background images3. Gordon Hurd launched his own competing UK testimonial gig on Fiverr in September 20133. On December 10, 2013, YouTuber Ryan Pollard uploaded a Stockburger clip declaring the anime Kill la Kill "cartoon of the year," and the video pulled in over 68,000 views and 110 comments within two months2.

A week later, on December 17, 2013, YouTuber Burotaku posted a Hurd testimonial in which he introduced himself as Tyrone and praised lolicon, after which 4chan users locked in the Big Man Tyrone nickname3.

How It Spread

The videos took off on 4chan's /a/ (anime) and /s4s/ (shit 4chan says) boards, where users kept commissioning new absurd scripts from both sellers3. On December 25, 2013, YouTuber SporeDotCam YTPs uploaded a YouTube Poop edit of a Stockburger clip, extending the joke into remix culture3.

On January 29, 2014, otaku news blog Japanator published an interview piece confirming that both Hurd and Stockburger knew they had become 4chan mascots1. The article was submitted to /r/anime the same day and pulled over 100 upvotes with 10 comments across the following month4. On February 11, 2014, an Encyclopedia Dramatica page for "Rog & Tyrone" went up, cementing the pairing as an inside-baseball anime community reference3.

On February 13, 2014, Ryan Pollard posted a send-off video parodying the final scene of Neon Genesis Evangelion with a Cowboy Bebop nod, closing out his Rog and Tyrone series3. Somewhere between February and March 2014, Hurd's Fiverr account was suspended due to over-request, so he moved his gig to a dedicated Big Man Tyrone YouTube channel to keep taking custom testimonial orders3.

How to Use This Meme

Fans typically commission Hurd directly on his YouTube channel to record custom scripts, ranging from birthday shout-outs to inside-joke anime references3. The common convention is to write the script in first person and let Hurd read it verbatim in his signature loud, enthusiastic desk-cam style, preserving the deadpan contrast between wholesome delivery and weird content.

Frequently Asked Questions