To cleanse the palate (sort of?), this is 18 months old and apparently went viral at least once before but somehow it flew under my radar — and Ed’s, and Lachlan Markay’s, and Charles Cooke’s. Sorry to mention you, boys, but when coming late to a vid that so many others have seen, I find it’s a comfort to be able to hide in a crowd. (Ed, after reading the draft of this post, e-mailed to say, “No one is under the delusion that I’m hip.”)

The question: Is it real? I had my doubts. This line especially seems a shade too oblivious to be sincere:

“I’m sick and tired of Christians being tolerated. You need to do something about Christians on here. I don’t feel comfortable with them.”

— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) July 21, 2014

That reads like broooad satire of the secularist POV but if you believe the man who filmed it, it’s on the level. He was at Sproul Plaza in — where else? — Berkeley when the jogger happened by and stopped to chat. I’m still not sure I believe it, though. Maybe that’s just my own inner atheist refusing to accept this guy as part of the group, but I think it has more to do with the performance. No one uncorks a rant this histrionic, with so many oddly comic moments, without preparing, right? The “democracy is mob rule!” slo mo is worthy of an SNL short. And the guy with the sign seems a little too patient, even though he’s clearly winning this “debate” by letting the jogger scream himself hoarse. Things this magical simply don’t happen spontaneously in a godless universe. Hmmmmm.

Lots of profanity here so please observe your official content warning. And before you start asking in the comments, no, my first meeting with Ed was nothing like this. Except for me being barefoot, I mean.

Update: Ah, well, maybe it’s fake after all. According to science, atheists don’t exist.