Lifestyle

A Trick Shot with a Golf Ball that Went Viral

Published

5 years ago

February 7, 2021

Michael Shields, a recent TikToker on the app, with the handle, “Thatll.Work,” posts a viral trick shot with a tissue paper roll and a golf ball as props.

If you want your dose of exciting trick shots, there are tons available on the internet, most famously by Dude Perfect. They have created a brand out of their Youtube channel, including their own merchandise. But on TikTok, you won’t find many users who are creating content specifically on trick shots.

This is where Michael Shields steps in. Michael Shields, a relatively new TikToker on the famous platform, entered the game somewhere around April of 2020. With the world battling Covid-19 – under strict quarantine conditions – Michael started posting his eye-popping trick shot clips.

“Thatll.Work,” is a befitting name to Michael’s TikTok account, because even though he posts trick shots, they don’t always come out perfect. Furthermore, he integrates humor into his clips, including his failed attempts that he shares as well alongwith the rest.

This seems to be working quite well for him, as he has gained a massive following of 1.4 million people, within a year. While watching his clips, you can quickly figure out his athletic background, as all his videos revolve around sports. The most common ones that best portray his versatility are baseball, basketball, tennis and golf.

Speaking of golf, one of his videos, that went viral, revolves around it. Tons of golf balls, a club and a tissue paper roll, are all Michael used, in attempting this trick shot, making the TikTok community go berserk in awe of his sheer brilliance.

Looking at the TikTok, you can see the extreme difficulty of the shot and the energy required to maintain patience at consistent levels. The tissue paper roll seems to be surrounded in a pool of golf balls, but Michael doesn’t give up until he gets it right.

Maybe after a gazillion attempts, Michael finally lands the ball through the tissue paper roll, and goes crazy with excitement, when he finally accomplishes the feat. This somewhat makes one emotional after witnessing his hard-fought victory.

With more than 4.5 million likes, 13,000 comments, it is easily one of the best trick shots you can find not just on TikTok, but on the internet. Furthermore, over 20,000 people have shared the video on various social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp, highlighting the shot’s popularity.

For future TikTokers who want to step into the realm of trick shots, bear in mind, it is not easy, and Michael Shields is a witness to it. It requires hard work, patience, tons of energy and a brilliant mind that constantly churns new ideas.

Lifestyle

Confronting Propaganda: Street Smart Documents Honest Reactions to Gaza Indoctrination Footage

Published

2 days ago

November 6, 2025

Michelle Langton

Photo Courtesy of: Street Smart

Byline: Michelle Langton

In a recent project, the Street Smart team gathered 20 strangers and presented them with propaganda footage from Gaza that has circulated widely online but remains largely unfamiliar to many audiences. The aim wasn’t to provoke outrage or test media literacy in a classroom setting. It was to capture raw, unfiltered emotional reactions to material that reveals how narratives are formed at the source. The resulting video offers a candid look at how people process shocking content and how their perceptions shift when they see what is rarely shown on mainstream platforms.

The Structure of the Experiment

The format was simple. Participants were seated and shown a series of clips from Gaza, including children’s programming and broadcasts containing intense ideological messaging. No background information was provided, and viewers were not instructed on how to interpret what they were seeing. After watching, they were asked for immediate reactions.

The footage elicited a wide range of emotions. Some viewers were stunned by the content, admitting they had never seen anything like it before. Others expressed disbelief, questioning why this kind of material isn’t more widely discussed. A few were visibly shaken, saying the experience fundamentally altered their understanding of the situation.

By presenting the footage without narration or added commentary, Street Smart allowed participants’ genuine responses to emerge. The experiment revealed how propaganda can affect an entire generation. It can shock, unsettle, and force people to reconsider their assumptions.

Why This Project Matters

Sage Fox and Dorani aligned the purpose of this experiment with Street Smart’s broader mission of challenging prevailing narratives and encouraging critical thought among younger audiences. In an environment where footage spreads rapidly across digital platforms, propaganda can shape public opinion long before context catches up.

By showing the Gaza Indoctrination footage in a controlled setting and recording uncoached responses, the team aimed to expose the emotional and cognitive impact of this type of content.

“The first reaction is often the most revealing, because it shows how powerful images can be without context.”

The Range of Reactions

While each participant brought their own perspective, several themes emerged. Some expressed sympathy with the imagery itself, saying it was emotionally powerful.

One participant said, “It makes me question what I see online every day. How much of it is shaped this way?”

Their comments highlight how propaganda resonates differently depending on prior knowledge and exposure. Many viewers have simply never encountered such footage directly.

Street Smart’s Approach

This project continues a pattern established by Sage Fox & Dorani’s earlier videos. Rather than relying on experts or lengthy analysis, Street Smart focuses on real people and their honest reactions. The approach is simple but effective. Present potent material, listen to what people say, and share those moments with a wider audience.

The Gaza Indoctrination footage experiment fits this model. It doesn’t attempt to draw final conclusions or offer political commentary. Instead, it documents how people respond when they’re exposed to narratives that are usually filtered through intermediaries.

Implications for Media Literacy

Beyond its viral potential, the video raises broader questions about how people interact with powerful imagery online. Propaganda operates on emotional reflexes. As this experiment shows, those reflexes are often unexamined until they’re brought to the surface.

Sage Fox & Dorani hope that projects like this push audiences to think more critically about what they see and share.

“The purpose is not to tell people what to believe. It is to remind them that every image comes from somewhere, and that source matters,” they said.

Next Steps for Street Smart

As Street Smart’s platform grows, Sage Fox & Dorani plan to conduct similar experiments in different contexts. They intend to use their direct, street-level approach to highlight how people react when presented with challenging material.

The Gaza footage project is one piece of a larger mission. The team uses simple methods to shed light on complex issues. By focusing on authentic reactions, they continue to build a unique space in online media that blends cultural investigation with raw human response.

A Window into Unfiltered Thought

“We showed 20 strangers real propaganda footage from Gaza — and filmed their unfiltered reactions” is not a dramatic exposé or academic study. It is a clear, unmediated record of how individuals respond when confronted with material designed to persuade. In that restraint lies its strength.

By documenting these moments, Street Smart shows how awareness can begin with a pause. A brief space between seeing and believing.