Vocabulary is important, that’s why “Donnie Mahoney” decided to teach some Chinese students in Shanghai how to say some of Boston’s most famous phrases.
Like “Gronkowski.”
In the video series “Donnie Does China,” the character Donnie Mahoney (his actual name is Stu), of Somerville, wakes up in China after going on an all night bender in Boston.
According to the YouTube video, this is what happened:
At some point in early 2012, Donald Mahoney woke up in Shanghai, China after blacking out at the Legal Sea Foods in terminal B of Logan Airport.
The following videos document this humble construction worker’s journey as he tries to work his way out of China and return to his native Somerville, Massachusetts.
In the video, Mahoney teaches a class of young Chinese students all the important phrases us Bostonians use on a daily basis.
Donning a Red Sox t-shirt, he shows them how to spike a football like Rob Gronkowski, how to say “We Love Kevin Garnett,” and of course, how to chant “Yankees Suck.”
In just a day, the video went from 1,000 to 20,000 views on YouTube.
“Donnie” and his friend Rob Wallace (who shot the video) plan on making this a series that people can watch on the social video network regularly. The duo are former Tufts students currently working overseas.
They even have a Facebook page.
We caught up with the guys behind “Donnie Does Kindergarten,” who are in China as we speak. Stu, who plays Donnie, stayed in character.
METRO: Did you really shoot this in China? Everyone is asking….
Rob: “Yes, we really do shoot the series in Shanghai. Stu (Donnie) and I have been living in China for two years now. Stu is from South Shore, Mass. and I am from New Jersey, but we both met while attending Tufts University in Somerville.”
Donnie: Ya bud. Place called Shanghai. Wicked big city. Been suffering seveah cultcha shock. [sic]
METRO: What’re you guys doing over there?
Rob: “Other than our video project, Stu and I both work at EnjoyShanghai Magazine where he is a Dining Editor and I am the Nightlife Editor. Both of us are musicians as well. We are currently collaborating on a hip-hop project together, while I am also the lead guitarist in a Shanghai-based rock band entitled Scary Magic. Last summer I founded a party promotion/production company entitled Panda Xpress and Stu jumped on board when he moved from Guangzhou to Shanghai in September of last year.”
Donnie: [sic] “I honestly have no idea what im doin ovah heah. Was on the way to my buddies Bachelor pahty in Daytona Beach and decided to hit up the Legal Sea Foods bah in Terminal B of Logan as I get a lil nervous when flying. Must have crushed about 11 Long Islands, next thing you know, Black Out City! Woke up in some wicked fancy airport with a buncha asians and everybody speaking a funny language. Turns out I was at the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai. Talk about a hangovah. I had never been out the country let alone the Western Hemispheah. This whole ordeals been real tough on me but as my highschool football coach told “tough times don’t last, tough people do!” Now my only concern is finding some jobs and saving up enough cheddah to get me a plane ticket home.”
METRO: What inspired this video?
Rob: “Stu came up with the “Donnie the Townie” character with friends while in high school. We filmed a few short Donnie clips while studying at Tufts but once we started to live together in Shanghai, we thought it would take the Donnie character to a whole other level if we brought him here as well. Beyond just being funny, we believe we have the opportunity to expose Americans to life in modern China, something that very few people outside of the Middle Kingdom have any idea about.”
Donnie: [sic] “I told my story to some otha American guy I met at a bah heah. He thinks documenting my experiences and hahdships might drum up some support for my cause. Someone once told me that Boston is a Brothahood. I’m hoping someone back home sees the videos and wants to help a brotha out!”
METRO: Planning on making this a series?
Rob: “We plan on posting video content on at least a weekly basis. The videos will focus on different aspects of Chinese culture that are completely foreign to the West. Fans can follow us on our Donnie Does China Facebook page and on Twitter @DonnieDoesChina.”
