Syrian refugee Firas AlShater wasn't expecting to become an internet sensation when he posted a video on YouTube earlier this year, but that's exactly what happened. AlShater, who has lived in Berlin for two-and-a-half years, uploaded a video of himself titled "Who Are The Germans," in which he talks about an experiment he conducted, during which he blindfolded himself and stood on Alexanderplatz in Berlin, holding a sign that said he was a Muslim asking for hugs.
Within days, the post had over 300,000 views, and only a few weeks after posting, AlShater was getting stopped on the street by strangers who wanted to hug him. Eventually, he signed a book deal.
His goal in the video is to dispel the stereotype that Germans are cold, but it's AlShater's gentle and comical demeanor that makes this video so likable. Because the short film was so popular, AlShater and his co-producer, Jan Heilig, have begun work on a video series called "Zukar," or "Sugar" in English.
Watch the latest installment below, and follow his channel for more hysterical and insightful clips in the future.