Mahir Çağrı
| Mahir Çağrı | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1962 (age 54–55) Kars, Turkey |
| Nationality | Turkish |
| Other names | Internet Mahir Turkish: İnternet Mahir I kiss you Mahir Turkish: I kiss you Mahir |
| Years active | 1999—present |
| Known for | Blogging (Romance and Personal life) |
| Website | [IKissYou.org] (Malware infected) |
| Internet information | |
| Web hosting service(s) | XOOM |
| Meme | I Kiss You 1999 |
| Signature phrase | "I Kiss You" |
Mahir Çağrı (IPA: Turkish pronunciation: [maːhir t͡ʃaːɾɯ], born 1962) became an Internet celebrity in 1999. His picture-laden personal homepage, which exclaimed in broken English his love of the accordion, travel, and women was visited by millions and spawned numerous fansites and parodies, one featured on Fox's MadTV (season 5, episode 20). He was also repeatedly parodied in 1999 on episodes of the Late Show with David Letterman wearing red Speedos and playing Ping Pong. Mahir was ranked #2 in CNET's Top 10 Web fads (July 15, 2005). The site was also included in PC World's "The 25 Worst Web Sites" list (September 15, 2006). Mahir claimed in various interviews that his personal webpage was hacked, with additions such as "I like sex" embedded into his webpage. The site was originally hosted on the now defunct XOOM web hosting service which advertised Mahir on their front page during the mania.
Çağrı was used in British TV advertising for smartgroups.com by St. Luke's advertising agency.
Similarities with the British television character Kristo (who evolved into Borat) were noted as soon as Çağrı's website became famous in 1999, particularly his jobs as journalist, his facial hair, clothing and his use of the catchphrase "I like sex", which featured in The 11 O'Clock Show shows in 1998. Çağrı has asserted that he was the main inspiration for British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, when Cohen created his foreign-reporter character for Channel 4 television (called variously, Kristo, Borat Karabzhanov, Borat Dutbayev and Borat Sagdiyev). It is unknown whether Mahir's website existed prior to the broadcast of these sketches.
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