We’ve all heard a tall tale in our days, most often among our once-peers on the middle school playground, but also well into adulthood. Most folks have developed a sense of skepticism for this very reason. The classic thing to do if someone has a story that really seems a bit far fetched is to just make them produce evidence.
Someone asked people online to share their best “pics or it didn’t happen” moment and the internet delivered. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorite posts and add your own stories to the comments below.
#1
When I was twelve we went on a tour to the Galapagos. The ship stayed out in the deep water while we took small boats in to the islands each day. One day, my boat was the first in, and we had a little down time on the beach anyway before we started to hike inland. So I sat at the shore and engaged in one of my favorite pastimes: building a drip castle.
Well, I had dug my quarry for wet sand right at the shoreline, and had started my castle, when a baby sea lion, maybe about a foot and a half long, came up and plopped himself right in my quarry. My hand was in the quarry at the time, gathering a handful of wet sand, and the sea lion sat right on it.
But here's the incredible part. On a whim, I picked up a stick laying nearby, and tossed it about fifteen feet away. *The baby sea lion went after it, fetched it in her mouth, and brought it back to me.*.
Well, I had dug my quarry for wet sand right at the shoreline, and had started my castle, when a baby sea lion, maybe about a foot and a half long, came up and plopped himself right in my quarry. My hand was in the quarry at the time, gathering a handful of wet sand, and the sea lion sat right on it.
But here's the incredible part. On a whim, I picked up a stick laying nearby, and tossed it about fifteen feet away. *The baby sea lion went after it, fetched it in her mouth, and brought it back to me.*.
95points
#2
This reminds me of a story I've told on here before. So I was in Vegas with a friend of mine. We are at the MGM Grand waiting for the elevator to take us down into the lobby when it stops and the doors open to reveal none other than Christopher Walken. We enter, he gives us a casual nod, and we shuffle past him to stand in the back of the elevator. My friend and I exchange looks of amazement as we both knew it was him but we are both too chickensh*t to say anything. I could tell he was aware of our communication behind him, but figured he is used to it being a big celebrity and all. We get to the bottom floor, the doors open, Walken takes a couple of steps into the lobby, turns around and says, "You know? They'll never believe you" (read it in Walken voice, it sounds much better) and then just walks away. I just about cr**ped my pants. Coolest...guy...EVER. Sorry, no proof.
Report
83points
#3
I was in second grade admiring one of my classmates perform the rubber pencil trick a couple desks down from me. I'd never seen it before and was completely amazed by it so I began imitating the hand movement he was making. A few moments later, the pencil he was rubberizing flew out of his hand, past the students between us and landed in my hand, which was still in motion. It was the perfect double rubber pencil. I had reached the highest point in my life at second grade. It's been all down hill from there.
TLDR - Double rubber pencil.
TLDR - Double rubber pencil.
79points
The phrase "pics or it didn't happen" emerged to visibility in the early online forums as an invitation to unsubstantiated claims for photographic proof before accepting that an event occurred. One of the first recordings can be witnessed in a 2003 video game forum thread, where one commenter broke "Obligatory 'pix or it didn't happen'" as a response to another's outlandish story, setting the template for a meme that would propagandize on message boards and social media sites.
This slogan encapsulates a broader shift in how we approach digital photographs, not only as mementos, but also as required documentation that authenticates our lives in an age of infinite online skepticism. With high-quality cameras integrated into telephones, social networks changed from text-based domains to richly pictorial ones.
#4
Bill Murray crashed a wedding photo shoot my aunt was doing in atlanta. Just pulled up and walked over to where they were doing pictures.
Report
74points
#5
I was born at Johns Hopkins in Maryland in the late 80's. There are a non-surprisingly large amount of babies born there every day, so when they accidentally checked the box that I was a boy, my mom wasn't surprised. She went explained the misprint, they apologized, and just scribbled out the check and put one next to female. My mom assumed that they had made a note of this, but apparently they didn't.
A few years ago, my mom got around to ordering copies of me and my sisters birth certificates, since our originals weren't in great shape. When she got mine, it had her name spelled wrong and said I was a man. She called, and they said that they had no record of me being a woman, and that the only way to have it changed was to take me to a doctor, have them sign that I have female genitalia without markings of a surgery, and set up a court date. All of this, of course, at my mothers expense.
My mom refused, saying that it was their mistake and that clearly somebody named "Samantha" at birth had never been a man. They pretty much told her to go blow herself and refused to hear her out.
As long as I keep my original birth certificate, I'm fine. The minute I lose it though, I will technically be a natural male and, when I get married next year, have a legal gay marriage.
A few years ago, my mom got around to ordering copies of me and my sisters birth certificates, since our originals weren't in great shape. When she got mine, it had her name spelled wrong and said I was a man. She called, and they said that they had no record of me being a woman, and that the only way to have it changed was to take me to a doctor, have them sign that I have female genitalia without markings of a surgery, and set up a court date. All of this, of course, at my mothers expense.
My mom refused, saying that it was their mistake and that clearly somebody named "Samantha" at birth had never been a man. They pretty much told her to go blow herself and refused to hear her out.
As long as I keep my original birth certificate, I'm fine. The minute I lose it though, I will technically be a natural male and, when I get married next year, have a legal gay marriage.
67points
#6
I was visiting a fraternity brother at his new place in Yantai, China with 2 others. We walk along the boardwalk and come across a model, dressed in full makeup and outfit singing Bananarama's "Venus" in front of a whole video/photo crew. As 3 of us went past them, they kept what they were doing, but a few of them definitely took notice of us gringos (frankly, not that uncommon in the less-touristy areas of China). After picking up our buddy and going back the way we came, we came across the singer again.
This time she noticed us from afar. She stopped singing and pointed us out to the crew. They turned and aimed at us, filming and snapping pics. Nobody really talked to us, just documented our walk. We thought nothing of it until a few weeks later, after the trip had ended.
My friend who lives in China emails us to say we were on the front cover of the newspaper. They made up a whole story about us 4 businessmen in town working on a project, yadda yadda yadda. Big spread, he tells us.
Nobody believed him until he sent us the picture. I'm the one with sunglasses on.
This time she noticed us from afar. She stopped singing and pointed us out to the crew. They turned and aimed at us, filming and snapping pics. Nobody really talked to us, just documented our walk. We thought nothing of it until a few weeks later, after the trip had ended.
My friend who lives in China emails us to say we were on the front cover of the newspaper. They made up a whole story about us 4 businessmen in town working on a project, yadda yadda yadda. Big spread, he tells us.
Nobody believed him until he sent us the picture. I'm the one with sunglasses on.
Report
62points
Applications like Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook encourage constant documentation, every sunset, every party, every meal is a time to "confirm" presence and participation. Pictures no longer live in one's own private albums or in shoe boxes, they are shared immediately, accruing likes and comments as social currency. In those words, photographs are less a matter of keeping memory for the sake of it and more a matter of transmitting that memory to an unseen audience, claiming authenticity in the digital space.
#7
My older sister was run over by a car when she was a baby, she even had tire marks on her belly. Somehow by miracle she turned out completely fine. Nobody ever believes me, but my grandma has a video of the news report about it at her house.
59points
#8
Report
54points
#9
I played for a famous Kpop star. She was in my conservatory and I had no idea who she was and she asked me to play. She was like "I"m really famous in Korea" and I was like "Yeah I'm sure." I played anyways not thinking of anything.
2 weeks ago people keep stopping me in the hall and were like. OMG i saw you on tv. I was like WTH then found this
2 weeks ago people keep stopping me in the hall and were like. OMG i saw you on tv. I was like WTH then found this
Report
49points
This requirement of photographic evidence is not merely a sign of cynicism, it is also a sign of fear of falling behind. As we scroll through timelines of friends' posts full of agonizedly curated moments, we fear that without our own photographic proof, our experiences will be rendered as invented or irrelevant.
#10
I once saw an old man driving down the street on his motorbike, with a dog sitting up front on the seat, resting his paws on the handlebars (it really appeared as though the dog was driving), and an otter riding upon the dog.
Report
48points
#11
I was once interrogated by the secret service for 2 hours due to a high school prank gone terribly wrong (or right, depending on your perspective).
44points
#12
Got to talking with a Mexican d**g dealer on the street in Mexico. Touristy area, so as a white pale tourist, they are very open to askin you what you're looking for. I tell him I'm good but really wanted to hear his side of the whole d**g war (he spoke pretty good English from his time in the states).
We get to talking and he pours out his entire story, almost starts crying. Basically explains how the cartels run everything, and you're either with them or against them. Told me how he had seen a number of friends get k**led when stepping out of line. Continued to reassure me he had never k**led anyone himself (pretty sure he did, must have said this 20 times). As we were talking he gave me a tour of the area, and we aren't talking tourist area, I was in the back alleys with the locals. Met his family, friends, and went up to his favorite view of the city. I have to say I was pretty nervous through the whole ordeal, easily
Could have been kidnapped, but I was looking pretty ragged, so hopefully they thought I had no money. He could tell I was spooked and made a very interesting point. Tourists are the only source of money there, if we get hurt then they lose business. This is bad for everyone so we are actually the safest folks there (minus petty theft). After the tour we grabbed a beer, and I went back to my resort. Oh and he also shared with me the ultimate cash king for a tourist job. Dolphin swimming. Chet a saltwater tank, go catch a dolphin and you are set for life.. Or until the dolphin dies.
Tl;dr hung out with a Mexican d**g dealer, learned about the d**g war and it's real impacts, met some nice people, saw the real mexico, didn't get kidnapped.
We get to talking and he pours out his entire story, almost starts crying. Basically explains how the cartels run everything, and you're either with them or against them. Told me how he had seen a number of friends get k**led when stepping out of line. Continued to reassure me he had never k**led anyone himself (pretty sure he did, must have said this 20 times). As we were talking he gave me a tour of the area, and we aren't talking tourist area, I was in the back alleys with the locals. Met his family, friends, and went up to his favorite view of the city. I have to say I was pretty nervous through the whole ordeal, easily
Could have been kidnapped, but I was looking pretty ragged, so hopefully they thought I had no money. He could tell I was spooked and made a very interesting point. Tourists are the only source of money there, if we get hurt then they lose business. This is bad for everyone so we are actually the safest folks there (minus petty theft). After the tour we grabbed a beer, and I went back to my resort. Oh and he also shared with me the ultimate cash king for a tourist job. Dolphin swimming. Chet a saltwater tank, go catch a dolphin and you are set for life.. Or until the dolphin dies.
Tl;dr hung out with a Mexican d**g dealer, learned about the d**g war and it's real impacts, met some nice people, saw the real mexico, didn't get kidnapped.
41points
The anticipatory remorse over "missing a good enough photograph" might preserve the instant itself, forcing us to prioritize the camera roll over live engagement. And as one observer views it, we give more life to documenting our existence than living it, existing "only virtually, only through screens" rather than actually being here. This is a “shadow” of an actual, real, lived life, but it can still trick our brains.
#13
This will probably be buried, but I was hit by an 18 wheeler and had my head split open. Went to the hospital to have my head stitched up and went home the next day.
Most people don't believe I was actually hit by a truck. They usually assume I was in a car or I'm lying.
Most people don't believe I was actually hit by a truck. They usually assume I was in a car or I'm lying.
41points
#14
I was shot in an Emergency room my second day on the job. Cop brought in crazy c***k head who was ODing, he reached for his gun, grabbed it, pulled it, fired blindly and hit me right in the love-handle.
41points
#15
I was on the back of my uncles motorcycle While going about 25 MPH on a motorcycle in Pakistan. I was wearing slippers, and next thing you know, my foot gets stuck in the rear wheel, chops off a big chunk of my foot meat. I cry because i was 8 years old at the time, and the kicker....a god d**n CAT picks up my foot meat and takes it away (i assume to eat). My foot has healed up very well, and the scar is really small compared to how much meat came off.
Edit for pic
Edit for pic
Report
37points
The constant cultural imperative to "pics or it didn't happen" also altered the collective notion of memory. Where in the past memories slowly disappeared or were preserved by word of mouth and printed snaps, today's memories are recorded and distributed on the spot, creating an external memory that may be recalled, reshaped, or even wiped out at will.
#16
I'm a little late in the game so this is probably going to get buried, but here goes. My wife and I travelled to Area 51 for our honeymoon as a joke. We couldn't agree on a destination so we just started shouting out "wouldn't it be funny if" destinations and when I said "Area 51" she got a serious look in her eyes and said "Let's do it." So after our wedding we flew out to Nevada and took the 2 hour car ride on the "Extraterrestrial Highway" to the middle of nowhere. We stayed at the town (if you could call a half dozen motorhomes a town) closest to Area 51 at a "hotel" called The Little Al'e'inn. It was a super cheesy place that seemed like it was stuck in the 70's. Our room had shag carpeting and had framed photos of UFO photographs on every wall. Anyways, when we woke up the next morning to have breakfast, there was a film crew in the restaurant. They found out we were on a honeymoon and asked us for an interview. It turns out they were filming a documentary for Canadian Public Broadcasting about conspiracy theories. They talked to us for about 15 minutes and got some shots of us eating, of our wedding rings, of us talking, etc. They told us that they would send us a DVD copy of the documentary when it came out, but over a year later we never got that DVD. It was such a random story that I think our friends found it hard to believe us without evidence.
TL;DR: Went on a honeymoon, ended up in a canadian documentary about aliens.
TL;DR: Went on a honeymoon, ended up in a canadian documentary about aliens.
37points
#17
Sometimes when I tell people about when I chopped my foot open with an axe, they don't believe me. So I can just show them the scar going down my foot and then they believe me.
36points
#18
I had a bone taken out of my skull when I was very young (I had craniosynostosis). After the cranial surgery, one side of my forehead stopped growing. Nobody believe this, because it's not super apparent, so I have people put their hand on my forehead to feel the difference. It's about an inch difference between sides. I also have a rather nasty scar that extends around my head.
35points
This computerized storage has the ability to embed and distort our memories: at the one level, easy access to images can encourage us to remember what otherwise we would not, but at another, reliance on pictures has the potential to undermine our ability to recall without them because we are outsourcing vicariously our memory to our machines.
#19
My dad went down to the Titanic twice in a submersible to film the Titanic, for the IMAX film Titanica. He logged a total of 36 hours underwater, and has been down 3880 Meters, nearly 4 kilometers.
Proof (Yes I know his name is spelled wrong, its Per-Inge Schei, not Per-Engei Schei)
There are also some sites with some more information;
1
2 (His name is under the Cintematic Challenges section, near the bottom.)
3
(Google translate for the lazy)
Edit: My dad is interested in doing an AMA so I'll post a link to the AMA saturday evening and start answering questions Sunday morning!
Edit 2: The link to the AMA is here.
Proof (Yes I know his name is spelled wrong, its Per-Inge Schei, not Per-Engei Schei)
There are also some sites with some more information;
1
2 (His name is under the Cintematic Challenges section, near the bottom.)
3
(Google translate for the lazy)
Edit: My dad is interested in doing an AMA so I'll post a link to the AMA saturday evening and start answering questions Sunday morning!
Edit 2: The link to the AMA is here.
Report
33points
#20
I was a professional guitarist in a rock band that toured every state in the continental US, complete with record label, tour bus, sound and light crew, radio interviews...the works. Now, I sit in a cubicle doing Linux admin for a hospital, which is why no one believes me.
It was called Jesus Music, and we were the opening act for a band called Code of Ethics in the late 1990's. The genre was CCM (Contemporary Christian Music), and it took me 5 years in that career to figure out that the music is sh*t and the business is corrupt. But touring was awesome, and if I didn't have a family, I'd still be doing it (albeit not with CCM...probably country or modern folk).
It was called Jesus Music, and we were the opening act for a band called Code of Ethics in the late 1990's. The genre was CCM (Contemporary Christian Music), and it took me 5 years in that career to figure out that the music is sh*t and the business is corrupt. But touring was awesome, and if I didn't have a family, I'd still be doing it (albeit not with CCM...probably country or modern folk).
32points