Connect with us

Indianapolis, IN

The story behind BigDenDen, viral creator of ‘I’m From Indianapolis’ social media videos

Published

on

The story behind BigDenDen, viral creator of ‘I’m From Indianapolis’ social media videos


Dennis McCray, better known by Indianapolis social media users as BigDenDen, didn’t mean to start his profane catchphrase — a four-letter word stretched a little longer by his unique inflection that punctuates each of his increasingly viral videos.

“It’s S, H, E, T, T, T, T,” McCray, 43, told IndyStar.

The word, now yelled at him from car windows as he walks or worn on shirts by fans, was kept in one of his early “I’m From Indianapolis” videos as an outtake. He messed up the attempted video but ended up leaving in the expletive by mistake.

More Indy pop culture news: Haughville Slickers once thrilled local Slovenian community. Now, they’re hall of famers.

Advertisement

In just over a month, McCray’s social media posts have gone from a few thousand plays to tens and hundreds of thousands each. He’s grown to more than 33,000 Instagram followers and 163,000 TikTok likes. He shoots enough clips for two or three videos in a day and aims for three or four posted each week.

McCray previously hosted a food review show, “Breakfast, Lunch and DenDen,” on WHMB-TV 40, and he’s been focused on making social media content for a little over a year. But his first “I’m From Indianapolis” video, posted just after Christmas, accelerated everything.

James Moore, 17, sought McCray out for a photo as he walked near Monument Circle Monday afternoon. The two bantered a bit and exchanged social media information.

“This is all new for me,” McCray said. “I’m like a quiet nerd.”

Advertisement

‘I’m from Indianapolis’ videos take off on social media

McCray’s videos follow a simple formula: He’s from Indianapolis, he tells the viewer at the beginning, then it’s the meat of the matter, then his catchphrase.

The meat is where it gets interesting. Sometimes, he’s sharing some down-home regional wisdom. Others, it’s a history lesson on a particular building or location.

“The city has changed over the years,” McCray said. “I’m 43. Some places used to be a restaurant and are not a restaurant now. I just want to tell people about that.”

Quirky Indy Airbnb: Looking for a room in Indianapolis? Stay with Freddy, Jason and Beetlejuice — if you dare

Advertisement

Malls, restaurants, businesses, the weather and his fellow Hoosiers are all fair game. But, as is often the case with reviews, his takedowns of specific restaurants, businesses or buildings seem to have created the most heat behind him.

Like a video featuring a certain Wendy’s location near Eagle Creek.

“Man, that Wendy’s don’t ever have no food,” McCray said. “They don’t ever be there. They don’t ever do nothing. So I was shining the light on that.”

The video series began after someone accused him of losing his edge due to his tamer television persona, McCray said. So he went off, and a lot of people liked it.

McCray said his videos often result in social media follows from particular brands, and he has yet to receive any major pushback on unfavorable reviews.

Advertisement

And yes, he really is from Indianapolis. Born and raised in the 49th Street and College Avenue area.

What’s next for BigDenDen

Content creation not yet a day job. McCray takes care of his 2-year-old twins, Jenesis and Myles. But he’s looking to become a global influencer. He’s mixed some sponsored content in with his usual videos. He has a few speaking engagements lined up. He has some opportunities to do stand-up, though he’s still working on what that may look like.

More: ‘Holy s—! I’m in a real American rock band!’: Toxic Reasons drummer’s long, winding road

He plans to keep on grinding in the content mines, as well as stepping up his personal appearances. He has plans to begin speaking in several township schools, which he is looking forward to.

Advertisement

Probably best to leave out that catch phrase, though.

Rory Appleton is the pop culture reporter at IndyStar. Contact him at 317-552-9044 and rappleton@indystar.com, or follow him on Twitter at @RoryEHAppleton.





Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Indianapolis, IN

On/off storms through Wednesday, nice Thursday before heat returns

Published

on

On/off storms through Wednesday, nice Thursday before heat returns


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — We have had an active Tuesday that started as early as before sunrise. Then, showers and storms rolled in through the afternoon hours.

We will continue to see some storms over the next day before we briefly return to pleasant weather.

Tuesday night: Additional activity may fire off and slowly move into central Indiana tonight. There does remain a lower risk for severe storms with damaging winds being the primary concerns.

Due to slower moving rain and storms from Tuesday morning-afternoon, we will also have to monitor the potential for some flooding.

Lows will only fall into the low 70s.

Advertisement

Wednesday: Expect on and off showers and storms for Wednesday. There will be concerns for some flooding along with a low threat for severe storms.

This severe risk is south of Indy, and the primary hazards will be wind and some hail.

Highs look to be a little cooler with numbers in the low 80s. It will be a bit humid as well.

Thursday: Pleasant conditions are set to return Thursday with lots of sunshine and less humid air. Highs will be near normal in the low to mid 80s.

8-Day Forecast: It won’t take long for the heat to return going into the final weekend of June. Friday will see highs push into the mid 80s with the muggy meter turning back up. Saturday looks to be a hot and muggy day with highs nearing 90. A few showers and storms will be possible late Friday with better storm chances Saturday. It is too soon to tell if we’ll have a severe threat Saturday. Temperatures turn back closer to normal going into the start of July next Monday.



Source link

Continue Reading

Indianapolis, IN

Amos C. Brown, III Legacy Awards honor leaders in media – Indianapolis Recorder

Published

on

Amos C. Brown, III Legacy Awards honor leaders in media – Indianapolis Recorder


The family of the late Indiana broadcaster and community activist Amos C. Brown, III is proud to announce the inaugural Amos C. Brown, III Legacy Awards. This prestigious event will honor six outstanding individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the media landscape and the community fabric of Indianapolis.

The honorees for the inaugural Amos C. Brown, III Legacy Awards are:

CHANGE MAKER: Tina Cosby, Host of Community Connection and Community Public Affairs Director, Radio One Indianapolis

VISIONARY: DuJuan McCoy, Founder/Owner, Circle City Broadcasting

Advertisement

INNOVATOR: Shannon Williams, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, The Mind Trust

TRAILBLAZER: Rafael Sanchez, Multimedia Journalist and Voice of the Indianapolis Airport

LEGEND: Derrik Thomas, Broadcaster and Member, Indiana Broadcasters Hall of Fame

ICON: Barbara Boyd, Journalist, Member of the Indiana Broadcasters Hall of Fame, Philanthropist, Socialite, and Community Advocate

These remarkable individuals will be honored during a special presentation on Wednesday, June 26th, at the Amos C. Brown, III Scholarship Fundraiser. The event will take place at the Hirons Agency, located at 422 E. New York Street, Indianapolis, Indiana from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. Esteemed Radio One Indianapolis personalities Tony Lamont and Karen Vaughn will serve as the masters of ceremonies for the evening.

Advertisement

“We are thrilled to recognize these incredible individuals whose dedication and contributions have left a lasting imprint on our community,” said a family spokesperson. “Their achievements not only honor the legacy of our beloved Amos but also inspire future generations to continue making impactful contributions to our society.”

The Amos C. Brown, III Scholarship Fundraiser and Legacy Awards aim to celebrate and perpetuate the spirit of community service and excellence in media championed by Amos C. Brown, III.

For more information about the inaugural honorees and event details, please visit Amos C. Brown Legacy Awards.





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Indianapolis, IN

Looking to watch the fireworks this Fourth of July? Here’s where you should go in Indy

Published

on

Looking to watch the fireworks this Fourth of July? Here’s where you should go in Indy


More than 10 sites around Indianapolis will set off fireworks to celebrate this Fourth of July and many of them are accompanied by festivals. The holiday falls on a Thursday, so some events span several days into the weekend. Here’s what you need to know:

Indianapolis Fourth of July fireworks and festivals

July 4, Downtown Indy: Indy’s Downtown Freedom Fest will have a 20-minute fireworks show that can best be viewed from the Indiana War Memorial grounds and the American Legion Mall. The street festival will have live performances and food trucks and starts at 6 p.m. Fireworks start at 10 p.m. The festival takes place on North Street between Meridian Street and Pennsylvania Street.

July 3, Broad Ripple: The White River Yacht Club will perform the Meredith Smith Memorial Fireworks Show over the White River. While the club hasn’t announced this year’s launch times, in 2023, the fireworks show started at 9 p.m..

Fireworks and festivals in Hamilton and Boone Counties

July 3 – 4, Carmel: CarmelFest ends with a 30-minute fireworks culminating in a fireworks display launched from the Carmel Ice Skadium at 9:45 p.m. on July 4. The festival is two days long, starting July 3. On the 3rd, the hours are 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., and on the 4th noon to 10 p.m.. The festival will have a beer garden, a talent show, live performances, caricature artists and food trucks.

Advertisement

July 4, Fishers: Fireworks will be launched at 10 p.m. from Cyntheanne Park and the Geist Reservoir. They can be seen from Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate & Jr. High School and on the water.

July 4, Noblesville: Fireworks start at 10 p.m. and can be viewed from Federal Hill Commons or Forest Park. A Fourth of July Parade and Fireworks Festival will kickoff with a parade at 4 p.m. followed by the festival in Forest Park from 6 to 10 p.m. The 2023 festival had inflatable bounce houses, bungee jumping, a rock wall, ax throwing and a beer garden.

July 4, Westfield: Fireworks will start at 10 p.m., following a festival at Grand Park Sports Campus. The festival will have live music and games and goes from 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

July 4, Zionsville: A Fourth of July celebration will be held at Lions Park starting at 5 p.m. and fireworks will begin at 10 p.m.. There will be children’s bounce houses, games and festival food for sale. Miss Indiana and Miss Teen Indiana will sing the national anthem at 7 p.m..

Advertisement

Fireworks and festivals in Hendricks County

July 3, Avon: The town of Avon’s Night at the Park starts with food trucks, a petting zoo, a concert and pony rides, and ends with a fireworks display. The free event goes from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Avon Town Hall Park.

July 4, Brownsburg: Brownsburg’s July Fourth 2024 Extravaganza will begin at 7:30 at the Town Hall Green. There will be a performance from the Indianapolis Jazz Orchestra. A parade through town will begin at 10 a.m. Fireworks start at 10 p.m..

June 29 to July 4: Poor Jack’s Carnival will be at Arbuckle Acres Park from 6 to 11 p.m. each night. Carnival wristbands are $25, but the rest of the festival, which includes yard games and food trucks, is free.

Family friendly entertainment

June 30-July 3, Conner Prairie, Fishers: The focus of the Star-Spangled Symphony at Conner Prairie is the music, but the finale will be accompanied by fireworks for these four. Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra concerts. Gates open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at indianapolissymphony.org.

July 4, Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site Independence Day Social: From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the home of America’s Hoosier President will have free first-floor tours and patriotic activities. There will be live jazz music, balloon artists, crafts and visiting animals from Indianapolis Care Services. Hot dogs, ice cream and popcorn will be available. The event is free but registration at bhpsite.org is required.

Advertisement

July 4, Indianapolis Indians vs. Louisville Bats: Tickets are available for the 6:35 p.m. baseball game at ticketsonsale.com. The Indians will play at Victory Field and fireworks will follow the game.

Out to the bars

July 4, Metazoa Brewing Company 4th of July Party: Metazoa Brewing, 140 S. College Ave., will unveil their new beer at their free block party. The event goes from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and will have live music. The brewery is dog-friendly and the Downtown Indianapolis fireworks will be visible.

July 6, Red, White and Brew Bar Crawl: For $25, crawlers can dress up in red, white and blue and explore multiple Indy bars. The event goes from 4 to 6 p.m. and starts at the Saint Shack, 250 S. Meridian St. Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite.com.

July 5, Red White and Brew Party: Hosted by Howl at the Moon, 20 E. Georgia St., there will be dancing and deals on drinks all night to celebrate the Fourth. Howl at the Moon is open from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.Alex Haddon is a Pulliam Fellow. You can email her at AHaddon@gannett.com.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending