Pitt Street에서 매일 아침 생면부지의 사람들과 Free Hug Campaign을 벌인다는 Juan Mann. 경찰이 금지하자 만 명의 서명까지 받았다는데..
솔직히 HUG란 건 우리네에겐 절대 안 익숙한 문화지만, 개인적으로는 친한 후배나 친구들과는 끌어안거나 하는 걸 좋아하는 편이라...(뭐 남자끼리 한다고 뭐라고 하지마라... Chandler랑 Joey도 자주 했다 --;) 근데 그걸 나도 안 한지 참 오래 됐네...
기사(출처:몽키뜨리님의 네이버 블로그)에도 나오지만, HUG하러 오기 몇 발 전부터 상대방에게서 보이는 커다란 Smile만큼이나 사람을 참 따뜻하게 해주는게 HUG인데..
Elicia Murray September 28, 2006 - 10:46AM
The man behind the latest YouTube sensation has spoken out for the first time about his global cuddling controversy.
Serial hugger Juan Mann describes the free hugs he hands out in Pitt Street Mall as fast-food emotion.
His cuddling campaign received an international dose of publicity today, after a clip showing his public displays of affection won a coveted front page spot on the video sharing website.
AnAmerican television audience of millions also watched him at work, whenthe video was broadcast on the prime-time breakfast program Good Morning America yesterday.
Today,the hugger was at it again, brandishing his "free hugs" sign in thebusy pedestrian thoroughfare, and having quite a few people take him upon his offer.
"It's a way to make people smile," Mann said.
"For every person who gets a hug, you see five walk past with a smile on their face."
JuanMann (pronounced one man) is a play on words, but the hugger insistedhis rules included no names, no phone numbers, no relationships and nodates.
The hit video came about after a meeting - and a hug -more than a year ago with the lead singer of the Sick Puppies, a Sydneyband made up of three former Mosman High School students.
The singer, Shimon Moore, was working odd jobs by day and playing gigs by night.
"I was one of those guys in Pitt Street Mall with a sandwich board advertising a shoe sale," Moore told smh.com.au today.
The two became mates, and Moore borrowed his father's video camera to shoot footage of the hug man at work.
Buthis efforts to spread the love became a little too popular for somepeople's liking, according to a blurb on the YouTube video, which said:"As this symbol of human hope spread across the city, police andofficials ordered the Free Hugs campaign BANNED."
Undeterred,Mann collected more than 10,000 signatures on a petition he presentedto the City of Sydney council. Demands for a halt to the hugs peteredout shortly after, and the end of the clip shows Mann hugging anofficial.
Speaking by phone from Los Angeles, where the SickPuppies moved a year ago, the lead singer said he mixed the video withtheir song All The Same as a gift for his friend, to lift his spirits after his grandmother died.
Ithad the desired effect. Four days ago, the band posted the clip onYouTube. By 3pm today, it had close to 700,000 hits and almost 6000comments, most of them gushing.
Like this one: "Made me cry. I love you all!"
The musician said the video had taken Mann's mission worldwide.
"He's achieved what he set out to do and I was lucky enough to be there to film it," Moore said.
Thereare even plans for a mass free hug-fest at midday on Monday, whichcould come in handy if the Sydney Swans don't win the premiership.
Cityworker Elly Mitchell, who handed out a few free hugs on her lunch breaktoday, said she was inspired to organise the event after seeing thevideo online.
"We're going to hug the city," Ms Mitchell said.
A City of Sydney spokesman Josh MacKenzie said he could find no record of rangers asking Mann to move on.
"Infact, the feeling around the office is one of support for his campaignto spread a bit of happiness and love in the CBD," the spokesman said.
Asked if he had accepted a free hug, the council spokesman said he hadn't.
"But I'm sure council staff would welcome the opportunity to have a hug," he said.
