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Sad Teddy Bear At LAX Was Just A YouTube Prank
Holiday travel appeared to take a sad turn on Thursday when the TSA shared a photo of a forlorn-looking giant teddy bear that, they say, had to be abandoned at LAX. The agency tried to use the photo as a teachable moment: "He was abandoned by his owners at LAX after the airline and TSA determined that he was just too big to be screened as a carry-on and taken on the plane," read the Instagram caption. Instead, the agency drew the ire of commenters who called them out for violating the 4th Amendment and potentially ruining some kid's Christmas.
However, the whole thing ultimately turned out to be nothing but a YouTube stunt, because it's 2016, after all. "The bear actually belonged to a grown man, and not a child," wrote TSA spokesperson Bob Burns on the official TSA Blog. "It turns out it was all a stunt to see if he could get the giant bear on the plane."
Burns continues:
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A picture of the bear and an incident report were sent to me as an idea for an Instagram post. I thought it would be a good opportunity for a travel tips post letting people know that very large items can sometimes pose problems when being carried on the plane. Even though I didn't mention a child in the Instagram post, some quickly assumed it was a child's bear and imagined a heartbroken child having to leave its friend behind for the holidays. This was not the case. It belonged to a grown man.
The whole stunt was done by YouTube vlogger Jake Paul, who made up an entire backstory about "Brody the Bear" being a gift for his girlfriend in an attempt to get the bear on the plane. A good bulk of the video is just Paul's interaction with officials at the airport, him speaking to the camera, an the reaction of bystanders. Millennials, am I right?
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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