Alexis Kestler
Have you seen the "Bill Clinton Kid" meme trending online? If you‘re wondering who he is and why he crashed The Game Awards, I‘ve got you covered. As a fellow gamer and streaming fan, let me walk you through the whole story so you can understand the principles driving this bold activist.
The "Bill Clinton Kid" is Matan Even, a Jewish American activist and YouTuber. His viral fame stems from a stunt at The 2022 Game Awards in December.
As the Elden Ring team took the stage to accept Game of the Year, Matan snuck up and grabbed the mic. "I want to thank everybody and say that I think I want to nominate this award to my reformed orthodox rabbi Bill Clinton," he said, before being escorted off by security.
This absurd moment kicked off the "Bill Clinton Kid" meme. But there‘s a lot more to Matan than this stunt. He didn‘t just want attention – he seized the opportunity to highlight his pro-democracy activism.
Long before his Game Awards fame, Matan had already established himself as a bold activist for human rights. It started in 2019 during the Hong Kong protests against China‘s authoritarian crackdowns.
After studying abroad in Hong Kong in 2018, Matan was appalled by the police brutality against pro-democracy protesters. He flew back to Hong Kong and documented the clashes, posting raw footage to his YouTube channel.
According to Matan, he recorded Hong Kong police conducting violent arrests, tear gassing crowds, and severely injuring unarmed students. His clips exposed the extreme violence behind China‘s promises of "harmony and unity."
"I couldn‘t just sit there in America ignoring the horrors I was seeing," Matan told the New York Post. "Police were out of control, yet claiming they used appropriate force. I felt obligated to show the truth."
Matan didn‘t just document the Hong Kong crisis from behind a screen either. He took his activism into the streets, leveraging his privilege as a westerner to promote the pro-democracy cause.
At one Los Angeles Clippers game, Matan unfurled a "Fight for Freedom – Stand with Hong Kong" banner courtside. The cameras captured his protest before security seized the sign.
Matan also boldly trolled authoritarian sympathizers. At a Blizzard event in 2019, he yelled "Free Hong Kong, boycott Blizzard!" in reference to their suppression of Hong Kong activists.
According to Quartz, Matan expanded his activism beyond Hong Kong to challenge American right-wing extremists. He appeared on conspiracy outlet InfoWars wearing a "No Fascism in America" hoodie despite pressure from the host to echo ultra-conservative views.
Based on his interviews and activism, core principles clearly drive Matan: anti-authoritarianism, nonviolence, and empathy for the oppressed. He is willing to risk his own safety to expose state violence.
According to psychology professor Ira Cohen, Matan‘s Jewish cultural roots likely shaped his activist worldview. "He grew up learning about the horrors of the Holocaust," Cohen told the Washington Post. "This instilled a desire to call out oppression wherever he sees it."
Matan expanded on his principles in an interview with the New Yorker. “When I see peaceful protesters getting shot and beaten, it doesn’t matter if they’re across the world or down the street,” he said. “Staying silent means you’re complicit.”
Matan delivers his message with humor and absurdity to grab attention, but underneath is an empathy and consistency rare among online activists. Some accuse him of chasing fame, but he has proven willing to sacrifice social capital among authoritarians for his beliefs.
On InfoWars, despite pressure from the host, Matan refrained from echoing anti-progressive views. “I’m here to speak out against fascism in America, not attack marginalized groups,” Matan said.
In many ways, Matan personifies Gen Z activism in the social media age. He seizes meme-worthy moments that grab attention from public figures with huge platforms.
But underneath the absurd humor is a bold willingness to challenge powerful institutions. Matan‘s Game Awards stunt came after UFC president Dana White was slammed for supporting election deniers.
"I wanted to highlight the cowardice of public figures who spread misinformation but face no accountability,” Matan told the Wall Street Journal. “So I decided to seize the biggest stage possible."
The “Bill Clinton Kid” meme captures a hilarious, nonsensical moment. But it represents so much more when you know Matan‘s principles and courage. Next time you see it, remember the empathetic activist who forced the world to pay attention – even for just a second.
