Where the Hell is Matt? The Story Behind the Internet Dancing Sensation

by Matt Harding

Matt Harding created an Internet sensation with his awkward, limb-flailing dance of joy. His travels, and his bad dancing, have been viewed online nearly 75 million times. It started as a lark on a curbside in Hanoi, Vietnam. He did it for fun, but Matt’s irreverent spirit caught on, and soon thousands all over the world were joining him in a simple expression of what we all, as humans, have in common. In his first book, a full-color travelogue, Matt shares, with refreshing honesty and wit, the adventure of creating his videos. He tells of jumping into the ocean with a humpback whale, sledding down a hill in Antarctica, and hitchhiking across the Skeleton Coast desert with a spare tire under one arm. Matt also reveals the unlikely story of how his passion for travel led to Internet stardom, a corporate sponsor, and an odd little pop culture phenomenon that strikes a deep emotional chord.

His book, like his videos, offers us a chance to share his unique experiences as he walks us through how he became the first person to dance with the world.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography Memoir, Humor, Biography

240 pages, Hardcover

First published June 2, 2009

Reviews

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's possible I'm softer on this book than I should be, but I feel an affinity for Matt. We're both video game professionals, we both recognize the potential of technology to spread goodwill, and I got to dance with him once at a book reading. Every time I watch a Where the Hell Is Matt? video, I'm filled with joy, and a little of that happiness probably carried over while I was reading his abbreviated travelogue. Yes, it's short, it skimps on full recountings of visits, leaves out a handful of locations, and has the low-resolution images one should expect to be clipped from an Internet video. But it also has charming characters, detailed retellings of specific events, and an inner monologue that builds to a kind of moral narrative. Reading this book is not just like being along for the ride—for that, we'll have to take trips of our own—but it is another satisfying burst of Matt's world, which is ours too.

"It struck me as profound that gorillas have a gesture for communicating friendship. And on reflection, I realized humans do too. It's one we take for granted, but as a traveler, I've found it invaluable in every place I've ever been. Smile. It's so simple and so easy. Curve your lips upward and you are speaking the same message in every language: I pose no threat. I want to be your friend."

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d never heard of You Tube sensation Matt Harding. I was a little turned off by the swear word in the title. Even though it was offered free on Kindle, I considered not even downloading it. But just before I clicked the button to send this book into archive oblivion, for some reason I opened it and began reading.

So even though I have no idea why I started this book, I know why I kept reading it, stayed up late to finish and tracked down the You Tube videos to follow along. It’s a really, really surprising good book!

The premise is straightforward: Matt Harding describes how he was dying a slow, dismal death in his job as a video game designer. So he quit his job and took a trip touring the world. One day his friend was shooting a video of a site and suggested Matt do a little dance. The dye was cast.
Matt’s honest assessment of his unexpected journey to international fame is humorous and touching. Matt tours the world the way I’d want to – with no agenda, no fears and very little luggage. Since that won’t happen, reading his book was a fun and totally easy way to hear about fascinating places that I never knew existed. It was like the real-life version of You Shall Know Our Velocity.
The chapters read quickly and use no flowery descriptions, but an unabashedly carefree view of the local culture and the occasional philosophical insight into what he learned by dancing around the globe.

Matt also provided details on how his simple dancing video went viral. Except for the unfortunate word in the title, this would be an excellent book for students and young adults.

I read this book on my Kindle. At the end of each chapter is a short video clip of Matt’s dance at that location. I couldn’t get them to play on my Kindle, so this would be a good option for a phone or computer app. Get it while it’s free!

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Matt is a guy that was all over your email inbox a couple of years ago - the video that your pal sent you where some average joe is doing a silly white man's dance in front of a dizzying array of international locales. he ended up getting corporate sponsorship (thanks for those several minutes of bliss, stride gum!) and made another 2 videos, all of the same shtick.

if you haven't seen those videos, and if they didn't have some ineffable emotional pull on you, this book is pretty much useless. a quick series of anecdotes about some of the locations Matt traveled to, this reads like the director's commentary on a dvd version of the video: tales of how he arrived at some of the more remote locales, the potential for exploitation inherent in getting grubby street urchins to play along for the camera, wandering aimlessly through airports, and the power of the internet to showcase everyone just getting along. the secret to the videos' huge success is that they aren't really about anything, other than taking joy in the time allotted to you on this earth, and the book manages to not be about too much, either. that's not necessarily a bad thing - Matt knows he's no philosopher or life coach, so he just lets the travelogue and the occasional snapshot speak for themselves - but it does mean that without familiarity with the videos, this isn't a stand-alone tale.

[Ted Shaffner · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the book:

"I'd found that travel had a way of prioritizing me. I stayed focused on the challenges of each day, and that made other problems fade into the distance. Making videogames was like that for a while; I could let everything else go because the game was all that mattered. I had an excuse. But I grew up and realized it was an excuse not to live.

"Each day at my job felt like one day closer to death; go to work, come home, watch TV, one whole day lost and gone forever. When I traveled, no time felt wasted. I was alert and active. I was switched on.
"I felt like I'd been living in a cage and I'd only just learned there was no lock on the door. I could just walk outside and do as I pleased. I didn't want to get back in."

"It is humanist propaganda - a wildly exaggerated view of the natural joyfulness and good will of our species. It shows us at our best in the hopes that viewers will behave accordingly."

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great travel book with a fascinating back story. Matt Harding was paid by Stride gum to make videos of himself dancing badly with people all around the world. Though it was all a publicity stunt, the sheer number of nations that he traveled to was remarkable, and his insights truly transcend the "stunt" element of his travels. He's a good writer, and does an excellent job of summing up each stop with just a few anecdotes and insights. I hadn't even heard of several places that he visited. Anyway, this was a great 1.99 spent on the Kindle for a rewarding read. Here's the link to his finished video: http://www.wherethehellismatt.com It started out as an ad stunt for gum, but it ended up being inspiring...

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most entertaining and fun travel books I've ever read, Where the Hell is Mattis not a memoir to pass up!

Several years ago, Matt Harding was a software designer in Los Angeles when he realized he didn't want to waste away sitting in an office day after day working on projects he hated. After quitting his job, he decided to take a break from corporate America and travel to various destinations across the globe. With what started as a silly whim, he began having people videotape him at each locale while dancing his now-popular, nearly trademark dance screaming of white-boy syndrome (which is actually shown as cool flip-art in the book). Where the Hell is Matt explains how Harding's traveling and dancing became an international phenomenon and is chock-full of his numerous, hilarious traveling anecdotes. By doing what he loved best and sincerely enjoying his travels, the book also explains how he landed the best gig possible: sponsorship by a major company that funded his additional travels around the world.

First of all, I highly recommended watching the YouTube video that helped Harding achieve his massive popularity because it will help you enjoy the book more. After finishing Where the Hell is Matt, I was drawn to watching it a second time so I could match his experiences in the book to the video. The direct link to his YouTube video is here: Video -- Where the Hell is Matt? and is only four and a half minutes long -- definitely worth every second.

Where the Hell is Matt is enjoyable for a number of reasons: for one, Harding is a normal guy who had the guts to quit his boring 9-5 job and visit places the majority of people will never visit in their lifetime. Second, his humble and completely amiable personality makes Harding entirely likable and you can't help but sincerely enjoy his tales.

Where the Hell is Matt encompasses everything a travel memoir should, while genuinely igniting interest in the most cynical of readers. From an informational perspective, this book is also a great volume to reference when you want to select or weed out potential vacation locales. I definitely don't want to visit the Demilitarized Zone in Korea or Lancelin, Australia (those sand dunes kick my ass every time) but Fiji, Poland, and Tonga sure do look like fun places to visit.

Where the Hell is Matt now ranks at the top of my list in favorite travel memoirs along with There's No Toilet Paper...On the Road Less Traveled by Doug Lansky (2005), Plane Insanity by Elliott Hester (2003) and most travel memoirs by Bill Bryson.

Read more book reviews at http://dreamworldbooks.com.

[Leah K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where the Hell is Matt?: Dancing Badly Around the World by Matt Harding

★ ★ ★

After years of working as a video game designer, Matt Harding realized he was in a rut. So he quit his job and with what little money he had decided to travel the world. And at each stop his friend told him he should do that goofy little dance he does. Then that little goofy dance was put online and Matt became a mild internet celebrity. All because of a goofy little dance. And then Stride Gum called up Matt and said “Hey. We want you for a campaign. We'll pay for you to travel wherever you want and do that goofy little dance.” And so Matt traveled some more (for money this time!). And he did more of that goofy little dance and became a bigger internet celebrity! All because of a goofy little dance. This book chronicles his travels and his journey to do a goofy little dance and make people smile.

I got this book for free and just happened to start reading it on the eve of his newest video being release (4 years since the one that made him a star). This book starts out fairly slow. A lot of, “and I went to this place..and this place..” etc. Not much detail but the pictures were interesting. It became more interesting about halfway through when he starts describing his third trip (his 2008 dancing). This is where he takes the concept of dancing around the world and adding other people – so the book take a turn not just about his locations but about it's people. And how people will dance, come together, and be happy (even in the worst of times, if even for a moment) regardless of race, religion, or location. So Matt Harding may not be the best writer and his goal to dance around the world and make others happy may not be the most ambitious of goals in the world, but it's a fun one. An entertaining and easy read.

My only complaint is I wish he had gone into more detail on many of his trips. I'm sure much more happen than described. Also, there were a lot of pictures in this. Not a bad thing. Unless you have a Kindle. The pictures just aren't as clear and vivid as I'm sure they appear in the actually book.

PS. Here is his website: http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/vid.... I suggest watching the 2008 dancing video if you take a look as much of this book surrounds the details of the recording of that trip.

[Dailycheapreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d never heard of You Tube sensation Matt Harding. I was a little turned off by the swear word in the title. Even though it was offered free on Kindle (and still is!), I considered not even downloading it. But just before I clicked the button to send this book into archive oblivion, for some reason I opened it and began reading.

So even though I have no idea why I started this book, I know why I kept reading it, stayed up late to finish and tracked down the You Tube videos to follow along. It’s a really, really surprising good book!
The premise is straightforward: Matt Harding describes how he was dying a slow, dismal death in his job as a video game designer. So he quit his job and took a trip touring the world. One day his friend was shooting a video of a site and suggested Matt do a little dance. The dye was cast.
Matt’s honest assessment of his unexpected journey to international fame is humorous and touching. Matt tours the world the way I’d want to – with no agenda, no fears and very little luggage. Since that won’t happen, reading his book was a fun and totally easy way to hear about fascinating places that I never knew existed. It was like the real-life version of You Shall Know Our Velocity.
The chapters read quickly and use no flowery descriptions, but an unabashedly carefree view of the local culture and the occasional philosophical insight into what he learned by dancing around the globe.
Matt also provided details on how his simple dancing video went viral. Except for the unfortunate word in the title, this would be an excellent book for students and young adults.
I read this book on my Kindle. At the end of each chapter is a short video clip of Matt’s dance at that location. I couldn’t get them to play on my Kindle, so this would be a good option for a phone or computer app. Get it while it’s free!

[Remo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt Harding, mi admirado Matt, cuenta en este libro las interioridades de sus tres primeros viajes por el mundo (ha hecho cuatro hasta la fecha) bailando de manera torpe y convulsiva, con todos los gastos pagados. En este libro, pulcramente editado y a todo color por 14 dólares (mirando en Lulú esto parece imposible), nos cuenta cómo surgió todo y cómo ha ido evolucionando en su manera de ver la vida al visitar a tanta gente en tantos países. Además de un viaje geográfico este libro nos relata su viaje interior, junto a su novia y luego mujer Melissa.
Tras ver su primer viaje, organicé en CPI un desafío para imitar el espíritu del mismo. Había que bailar por todo el mundo y conseguir sacar en el vídeo más países que Matt. Me consta que el desafío CPI hizo sonreír a mucha gente, que era el objetivo principal.
Para alguien que ha seguido las aventuras de Matt, este libro es obligatorio. Para quien no lo haya hecho, puede ser un interesante vistazo a cómo Internet entra de repente en tu vida y te la cambia, y cómo Matt se adaptó a este cambio de vida, viéndose envuelto en multitud de aventuras, y moviéndose por el mundo con desenvoltura :)

[Ellyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Matt Harding's videos, and I've always thought that he either must be brilliant or very lucky or both. Who finds a company to pay him to take not one, but two around-the-world trips to perform a silly dance in front of famous sights? Who does that? It's great fun to watch the videos, revel in the beautiful scenery and joyful people, and identify the places where I've been and the places where I want to go (pretty much all of them). Reading the book, I enjoyed learning the background information and stories about some of the different shots in the videos (many of which took way more work than I realized). I appreciated Matt's humbleness and honesty and his reflections about his travels and his attempt to find greater meaning in his project. I liked his emphasis on searching for a connection with people across countries and cultures in all of the places that he's visited (and using, of all things, a silly little dance to do it).

[Tim Hirtle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where the Hell is Matt is a bite-sized travel book from an office worker that went internationally viral after quitting to see the world. Well timed, I read this book during my last week as a professional engineer before leaving to pursue travel full time.

During the heyday of YouTube Matt Harding unintentionally danced – poorly – his way into sponsorship and successive viral productions. The short chapters of Where the Hell is Matt are written by country and serve as quick a coffee table reads for cultural insight. But cover to cover, the book presents a common thread that made the videos a sensation. It’s not Matts hilarious dancing or the objects in a country, but the people and their cultures. As you read you get behind the scenes and discover Matts “formula” for success. Not a novel, the book is strong and worth the time.

[Shadow Jubilee · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 - 3 stars

I would not recommend this for anyone who did not see the video(s), Where the Hell is Matt?, and wondered about the back story of each location Matt Harding had been to.

The author basically talked about each location - an anecdote or two, how he got to where, what he was thinking, how he did what he did, etc. - and added a picture or two, which were most often stills from the video.

It was interesting and fun to read the anecdotes, and the author's thoughts at the time. He had a sense of humor that tickled mine so he kept me smiling or chuckling for about half the book.

Is the book worth buying? I couldn't say. But I got it free from Amazon.com, and I did like it.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book at Live Wire! Matt Harding was trusting as I went to get cash after he had already signed the book. Also, he led a radio audience in dancing unison.
I had never heard of the internet sensation before I finished the book.
Harding has a neat style for travelogues. He writes very short sections for each, sometimes admitting his awe at what he was seeing, at other times admitting his lack of curiosity at a given subject. He's like the person who knows you really don't want to see his vacation slides so he goes through them quickly. He also writes well for the internet: every section feels like a different type of story so one does not lose interest.

[bookme4life · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STARS

This book was an unexpected pleasure. None of the anecdotes are very detailed or deep, but they're funny, at times insightful, and occasionally moving. If you have the slightest bit of the wanderlust in you, hearing about so many experiences around the world will tweak your desire to hop a plane and have your own adventures.

Unless you've seen the videos that made Matt famous, this book will mean little. But if you have, this is an enjoyable, very fast read.

[Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a good book for anyone who only knows of Matt's videos. Its great short stories involved with each shot in his 3 popular videos. I've found his talks and speaking videos on his website to be more informative, and a better way to capture him; however again I think the book is more designed for people who haven't delved into all that content already.

[MiriLou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kindle freebie. I haven't finished it yet but I must say that I am really enjoying it. It's not great literature, just a guy sharing his experiences traveling around the world. He doesn't get long winded and mostly shares short anecdotes, sometimes I wish he would tell more. He unfortunately uses some bad language including the f-bomb, but otherwise I am enjoying hearing his story.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the videos on YouTube, and the book makes for a great fast read for armchair travelers. It covers a lot of places around the world in brief, and the book is notably well designed, with a map for each location, and a lot of full-color photos. I only wish it were longer. Also, the paper was a bit thin, but given the low price and high production value I can't really complain.

[Marjorie Elwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really struck a chord with me. I wasn't sure what I expected - to be amused, perhaps - but his antics grew on me, as did his attempts to make sense of what he was living. In the end, it's all about connecting with others, in whatever way possible.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost more of a photo album than a travelogue, Matt writes in short anecdotes. But since I already knew his story so well, I enjoyed these details with which I was previously unfamiliar. The chapter length made the book easy to consume.

[Derek Erb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely easy to read and a bit addictive. Extremely short and autonomous chapters make it easy to put down and pick up again, often.

Thoroughly enjoyed it. Fun. Felt like I travelled the world with him.

[Pat Loughery · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you remember Matt, from all the YouTube video clips of the guy dancing in silly ways in front of the world's monuments and with a bunch of the world's cultures... this is his travel memoir. It's as lighthearted and funny as you would expect, given how the guy dances.

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent but not great book, but it was interesting to read the stories behind these videos. I gave it three stars just because it was cheap and short (I read it in an hour or two) and vaguely interesting.

[Chris Paluszek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book is like a breakneck trip across the world- each country is covered in only a few pages. I wish that there was more to read about Matt's experiences, but I enjoyed reading what I did!

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

How Matt became able to travel all around the world was interesting but how he chose to write about it here was not always as thorough as I would have liked. However, as a book of small anecdotes, it was enlightening.

[Bea Elwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing. I was truly inspired, couldn't put the book down. I would love to be able to do what he did and I think if I ever meet Matt we could be friends.

[Matt Ream · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bad dancing by a guy named Matt? Right up my alley!

The book consists of short anecdotes behind my favorite video(s).

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I could have gotten this job.. fun read for holiday..

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heart Matt. Enough said.

[Lex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read, not terribly deep for the most part, but a nice bit of travel-fluff.

[Shelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this intenet video. It was fun to see how Matt ended up in each of the destinations and a little bit about each adventure.