Local morning news shows have a lot of air to fill each day. So when a pair claiming to be an inspirational strongman duo blasted out a press release—citing a nonexistent tour and an America’s Got Talent appearance, and offering no video or documentation—they were immediately booked by seven different shows across the country.




Chop and Steele eventually appeared on three shows, in Eau Claire, Wisc., Bismarck, N.D., and Allentown, Penn., before canceling their other appearances due to being “stressed out.” Those three appearances were enough for some awe-inspiring demonstrations of their prowess. Like:

Chopping tiny sticks they found in the parking lot!


Crushing baskets!

Lifting chocolate milk!


Doing...this!




It’s those sticks again!


Whatever this is!


This may shock you to learn, but Chop (Joe Pickett) and Steele (Nick Prueher) are not professional strongmen. Pickett and Prueher are hosts of the Found Footage Festival, and are veterans when it comes to messing with local morning shows.

You may remember them from their previous pranks, Yo-Yo master K-Strass and Chef Keith.



Even fake strongmanning is hard—Pickett broke a finger during their tennis racket joust. But he kept pushing through the pain. Truly inspirational.



Pickett and Prueher say none of the newscasters were upset about their appearances—or at least kept their reservations to themselves. But one station did email the day after the broadcast, asking for Chop and Steele’s credentials.