Indianapolis, IN
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.
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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.”
‘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.”
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
TONIGHT
Partly cloudy and cooler with lows dropping into the low 50s. An east northeast breeze around 5 to 10 mph eases a bit overnight, and the quiet weather pattern holds with no rain concerns.
TOMORROW
Mostly sunny with a pleasant late May feel and highs in the upper 70s. Winds stay light from the east southeast around 5 mph, and the day looks dry from start to finish with comfortable humidity for outdoor plans.
TOMORROW NIGHT
Mostly cloudy and milder with lows near 60. Winds go calm for a time, and it stays quiet across central Indiana with an easy overnight setup and no meaningful weather issues.
MONDAY
Mostly sunny and a touch warmer with highs around 80. A light northeast breeze around 5 mph develops in the afternoon, and this continues to look like one of the cleanest days of the stretch for being outside.
MONDAY NIGHT
Mostly clear and seasonably mild with lows in the upper 50s. Light northeast wind around 5 mph fades later in the evening, and dry weather holds through the night.
TUESDAY
Sunny and pleasant again with highs in the upper 70s. An east northeast breeze around 5 to 10 mph, with a few gusts close to 20 mph, adds a little movement to the air, but the overall feel stays comfortable and quiet.
TUESDAY NIGHT
Clear and cool with lows in the mid 50s. Winds become light and variable, and this looks like another calm overnight stretch with no weather trouble.
WEDNESDAY
Sunny and warm with highs around the upper 70s to near 80. Wind stays light, becoming east northeast around 5 mph in the afternoon, and the dry stretch continues with another solid day for outdoor plans.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT
Mostly clear and mild with lows near the upper 50s. Light and variable wind keeps the night quiet, and the settled pattern stays in place.
7 DAY FORECAST
The broader pattern stays very calm through the middle of next week, with dry weather favored and temperatures running close to average for the end of May and start of June. Highs generally hold in the upper 70s to low 80s, nights stay in the 50s, and the next better rain chance does not arrive until next Saturday. That means several straight days of usable weather across Indianapolis before the pattern turns more active again later next weekend.
Indianapolis, IN
IndyCar driver Felix Rosenqvist had the busiest week after winning the Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500 is kind of unusual in that it’s the biggest race the series has to offer, and it comes in the middle of the season after an entire month of preparation.
That’s exhausting, and for the winner, attaining a lifelong dream like that means one thing: one hell of a wild week before you have to do it all over again.
IndyCar is in Detroit this week for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, but Rosenqvist hasn’t had much downtime since the biggest win of his career.
Felix Rosenqvist reacts after winning the NTT IndyCar Series 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Ind., on May 24, 2026. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)
According to IndyCar, immediately after winning the race, Rosenqvist’s media obligations got under way and those continued for several hours after the race.
Then, on Monday, he had more interviews and a photo session and the Victory Celebration that night.
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Then it was on to New York for more interviews, trips to the Empire State Building, Times Square, and even the red-carpet premiere of Indy 500 Grand Marshal Brendan Fraser’s new movie, “Pressure.”
On top of that, he still had more to do in Indy and threw out the first pitch at a Tigers game ahead of the Detroit Grand Prix weekend.
Felix Rosenqvist, driver of the No. 60 Meyer Shank with Curb-Agajanian Honda, crosses the finish line to win the 110th Indianapolis 500 ahead of David Malukas on May 24, 2026, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Ind. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)
I’m exhausted typing that. He lived it, and still has to race this weekend.
And, oh yeah, this is coming about two weeks after he became a father.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
“Obviously, (I’m) tired, but I had fun with it,” he said. “(There were) a lot of interviews, but you’ve got to strike when the iron is hot, right? Also, I feel like I’m representing motorsports in a way maybe we normally (can’t). It’s kind of cool. It’s good for the sport.”
Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist poses with his Indianapolis 500-winning car. (© Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
It’s great for the sport, and especially after the closest finish in Indy 500 history and one of the most exciting. It’s also great to ride the momentum and get back to racing as soon as possible.
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Rosenqvist will look to become the first driver to win the next race after winning the Indy 500 in quite some time, but he’ll have to do it from the middle of the pack. He’ll start the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix in P16.
Championship leader Alex Palou starts on pole with Will Power alongside him on the front row in P2.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Circle City Orchestra will close its 2025-26 season with a special “Sound Bites” concert on Sunday.
The concert begins at 4 p.m. at the Athenaeum’s Basile Theatre. Admission is free, with a suggested donation to support the nonprofit, all-volunteer orchestra and “keep the music going.”
Craig Mince, president of the Athenaeum, said the venue has been home to the orchestra for several years — a connection that runs deeper than most might expect. The Athenaeum once hosted a full-time orchestra of its own, and welcoming Circle City Orchestra back into the space has felt like a natural homecoming.
“We love having them,” Mince said. “It harkens back to an old Athenaeum orchestra that used to be in the building full-time. We’re happy to have music back in the building again.”
Phil Kranyak, principal cellist with the orchestra, started playing cello in third grade but stepped away from the instrument for 17 years before joining Circle City Orchestra. He said the group’s welcoming culture made the return feel seamless.
“We are inclusive in every sense of the word,” Kranyak said. “Whether you’re picking up an instrument for the first time or coming back after a long pause, it is so easy to step into this orchestra.”
Andrew Wu, an oboist who joined about a year ago, had a similar experience. Wu played violin, saxophone, and oboe through graduate school before taking a roughly 10-year break. He said the orchestra gave him a meaningful way to reconnect with both music and community.
“Music is such an important part of people’s lives,” Wu said. “Being able to express yourself through music and connect with a greater audience — and within your own orchestra — is just wonderful.”
The orchestra says it is always looking for new musicians.
Rehearsals are held every Wednesday at the Athenaeum, and new faces are always welcome. Mince said nearly every rehearsal brings at least one first-time attendee, and the orchestra embraces that.
Musicians do not need to commit to a full season – the orchestra asks only that members participate in rehearsals for the concert cycle they plan to perform in.
Concert Details
- ❓: Circle City Orchestra “Sound Bites” End-of-Season Concert.
- ⏰: 4 p.m. Sunday.
- 📍: The Athenaeum’s Basile Theatre, 401 E. Michigan St.
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