Popular Youtuber Nicholas Perry, better known by his user handle “Nikocado Avocado,” has confused many online because of his recent 250-pound weight loss, which seemed to happen almost overnight. In an email to the New York Times, Perry reveals that he had been “strategically posting prerecorded videos” on the internet for two years where he still looked overweight so that he could prioritize his weight loss behind cameras. Katie Field ’25 says, “It’s interesting that he’s been planning his videos so that people didn’t know he was skinny. A lot of people are curious as to what actually happened.”
Known for his gluttonous “mukbang” content, where one eats thousands of calories in one sitting, the 32-year-old has accumulated over 8.5 million followers across social media platforms. Perry is a large man and often films himself shirtless to show off his stomach, entertaining his audience with this performance. His excessive eating has caused him physical health issues, including using a breathing tube, alongside mental health issues, like Attention Deficit Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, according to Times of India.
On September 6, Perry released a video on Youtube titled “Two Steps Ahead,” which has amassed over 47 million views. He reveals his dramatic weight transformation which, up to that point, no one saw coming because he had been posting those pre-recorded videos. In the comments section, viewers express their shock. Many have been pleased to see Perry turn his life around and improve his health.
In that video, Perry is seen sporting a panda mask, claiming it symbolizes how the world is not black-and-white; he reminds viewers that he lives a life beyond what is shown on the internet. Furthermore, Perry admits that his goal was to conduct a social experiment by tricking his fans into thinking he was overweight for the past two years. He says, “People are the most messed-up creature on the entire planet, and yet I’ve still managed to stay two steps ahead of everyone. The joke’s on you.”
“People are completely absorbed with Internet personalities and obsessively watch their content,” Perry told the Today Show, “That is where a deeper level of over-consumption lies–and it’s the parallel I wanted to make.” The irony in that connection is that, even though his followers are “obsessed” with his videos, no one could have predicted his weight loss.
However, some viewers question if Perry has actually lost weight, wondering if that is the real trick. Considering the advancement of technology, it is possible that Perry edited or used artificial intelligence to generate the image of his thin body. Perhaps the self-proclaimed “king of mukbangs” wants to maintain his popularity and gain attention by dropping such an unexpected piece of news.
Before his mukbang content, Perry was a vegan violinist, but released a video on Youtube in 2016 titled “Why I’m no longer vegan.” Since then, his over 700 videos have been centered around his food content and excessive eating, until “Two Steps Ahead.” Nikocado Avocado’s platform serves as a reminder that the internet is deceptive, and that viewers must be cautious. What is seen in videos on the internet is not necessarily the truth, so everything should be taken with a grain of salt.
Image Source: NBC News