Everyone lies a little on Facebook. Dave Cicirelli lies a lot.
It started as a joke.
One October morning, I announced on Facebook that he was dropping everything and heading west. Many thought I was brave—many thought I was crazy. No one guessed I was lying.
I was never arrested toilet-papering an Amish horse and buggy and was charged for a hate crime. I never freight-hopped with a farmer's daughter, or was kidnapped by a religious cult. And I certainly don't have an Amish baby on the way.
But using little more than a mix of status updates and bad photoshop, that's exactly what people believed. My practical joke played out like a 21st century WAR OF THE WORLDS broadcast, a ludicrous story told to an audience that didn't know it was one.
People began connecting over the virtual journey, and some were inspired to change their own lives. But as "Fake Dave's" popularity grew, the real me became increasingly isolated, struggling with the implications of my secret and accidental social experiment.
Funny, emotional, and surprisingly honest, FAKEBOOK is the inside account of a social media hoax and a compelling lens to explore what the old ideas of reputation and community mean in our new world of constant connection. It ultimately asks: How do you draw the line between your virtual self and who you really are? And can you discover yourself on a journey that never took place?
IT'S GREAT AND AND YOU SHOULD BUY IT!
Reviews
“Cicirelli’s comic fever dream is told with style and is a knockout!”
“Uniquely funny and unexpectedly illuminating.”
“Lot’s of laughs and plenty of serious insights.”