Independent Film Festival Boston 2009

Director Ben Steinbauer in attendance.

During a problematic shoot for an RV industrial video in 1988, Jack Rebney unwittingly forged a place in the affections of millions. Dubbed monikers such as the titular “Winnebago Man” and “The Angriest Man in the World,” the profanity-filled outtakes were circulated––first by homemade videotapes, and later, after the advent of YouTube, on the Internet. Rebney inadvertently became one of the first “viral” video superstars.

In Ben Steinbauer’s first feature-length documentary, he attempts to find out more about the man behind the phenomenon, the man whose eruptions of obscenity spurred imitation and homage in works ranging from movies to advertisements, to paintings. With the help of a detective, Steinbauer tracks down the reclusive Rebney and is determined to learn the effects that this unwanted and possibly unknown exposure has had on his life.

During his exploration, Steinbauer discovers the complex nature of this new brand of celebrity. Is it merely hazing and capitalizing on humiliation, or is there a recognition of our own flaws that draws us to embrace this type of content? Steinbauer’s humane portrait of this conflicted curmudgeon is ultimately a compelling opportunity to extend our knowledge of Rebney beyond the context of short clips from more than two decades ago. He remains an interesting subject: a man of complexity, caught in a very modern dilemma. We recommend––paraphrasing the man himself––doing him a kindness by checking out this captivating documentary.

- Nancy Campbell