‘Ridiculously Photogenic Guy’ Explains Photo Op
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ABC News(NEW YORK) — At the start of the Cooper River Bridge Run, Zeddie “Watkins” Little was an anonymous guy running a 10-K road race in his hometown. Less than 24 hours after crossing the finish line, Little was an Internet sensation nicknamed “Ridiculously Photogenic Guy.”
That rapid rise to fame was all because of a “fluke,” the 25-year-old New York City resident revealed Wednesday on ABC’s Good Morning America.
“I was running and waving at a friend that was on the sidelines and I just kind of turned around and guess I just caught the camera lens,” Little explained. “And that was history.”
History, for Little, who goes by his middle name, Watkins, happened when the spectator who snapped the picture of him running the Charleston, S.C., road race on March 31 posted it on the Internet sharing board Reddit.
The photo went viral and inspired a Facebook page that racked up more than 31,000 subscribers, attracted more than 26,000 followers on Twitter and caught well over one million views on photo-sharing and news sites.
“I find the humor in all of it. I just think it’s great,” Little said of the response. “It’s the most flattering way to get spread across the Internet.”
Little has laid low since becoming an Internet celebrity – no modeling contract in his future, he confirmed – but is now using his fame to help a good cause. This November, Little will run the New York City marathon to raise money for the John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio