Waldo the blockhead becomes superstar of the Web (Libération)

The Libération daily has focused on rumours of the Web which have become so numerous after the events of September 11th 2001. "Les rumeurs enflent sur la Toile" deals with this false prophecy from Nostradamus mentioning "the city of God struck by thunderbolt". This "prophecy" which means that Nostradamus would have predicted the destruction of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, is of course completely unfounded from the beginning to the end, the daily says. Other cases of rumours backed up with documents and photos are tackled as the picture of this tourist at the top of the WTC with a plane coming up in his back which has been taken as right by many web-surfers.

But what is more amazing is the story of Waldo, the "Tourist guy". This photo-montage of an unknown who wants to become famous has been diffused by e-mail. The photo, which shows a blockhead with a scarf and a rucksack, at the top of one the towers of the World Trade Center, with in his back a plane full of terrorists flying straight on the tower, has quickly become famous all over the world. A "popularity" all the more incredible as it is not very funny. You can see it on the website www.touristguy.com where the blockhead has introduced his photo in the middle of historical documents, cinema posters, drawings and names himself Waldo Gump in reference to the famous movie "Forest Gump".

In brief, that a mediocre joke from a web-addict schoolboy has managed to achieve a worldwide notoriety is something to wonder for all of those who try to understand the new world opened by the Net.