What those ‘Tiny Hamsters Eating Tiny Burritos’ actually ate
What's not to love about everyone's favorite new video, "Tiny Hamsters Eating Tiny Burritos?" People are eating the video up, especially in San Diego, where burritos are king.
The clip, the brain child of comedy group Hello Denizen, eclipsed 2.6 million views and nearly 35,000 likes on YouTube in its first two days, and now Farley Elliott, the "chef" in the video/freelance food and travel writer, has revealed some of its secret ingredients in L.A. Weekly, for which he blogs. Spoiler: The hamsters aren't eating guac, sour cream, chicken or beans. And it is hamsters, plural. There were "like four."
Read the full interview or read on for highlights. First, watch the video, twice if need be. It's that funny.
Q: What do you think made it go 'viral'?
A: In terms of what gave the video such reach, I think it's actually a pretty time-tested formula. Animals are awesome, food is the best and making high-quality, visually appealing videos will always win. Most people leave out that third one; they might still find success, but they tend to be more of a flash in the pan.
Q: Were you actually making the tiny burritos or was that just editing trickery?
A: How dare you! I made so many tiny burritos! And I wrapped them probably better than the guy at your local Chipotle, because I am a tiny food-making machine.
Q: Can you tell us about the ingredients?
A: Yes. Actually, we should clear something up right now. The comments on this video have been overwhelmingly amazing, but lots of folks are worried about what we fed the hamster. So, to be clear: The shots of us putting the burritos together DO NOT match up with what was actually fed to them. We worked with the hamster trainer for like three weeks, teaching them to sit at the table and all that. The trainer let me know what the hamsters like to eat, and what worked for them in terms of digestive stuff. So the actual burritos are about one and a half inches long, and they're made up of egg roll wrappers, raisins and a few nuts. In a couple, we added a leaf of cilantro for a touch of color, but that's it. No guac, no sour cream, no chicken and no beans. This is not a burrito you'd want for yourself — unless you had your own mouth pouch, in which case, game on.
Q: Where'd you get the hamster? Did he do his own stunts? Were any hamsters harmed in the making of this video?
A: That hamster is a star in the making. Well, this may be pulling the curtain back a bit, but those hamsters were stars — we actually had like four little guys on set, so that one wouldn't ever get too full. Hamster safety first, people!
The usual suspects are sharing the video on social media -- Huffington Post, Mashable, Daily Mail, Jezebel -- but it's also getting a boost from NBC Nightly News and one or two celebrities and dozens of other people united in their love of awesome.
OK, now we're hungry. Where's the best burrito in town? Let us know below.
