The Golden Shower Challenge Is the Ice Bucket Challenge of Pissing on People

About a week ago, I stumbled upon a really weird video of a British woman getting peed on in the name of the newest, dumbest viral charity challenge: the Golden Shower Challenge. Yup, it would appear that at some point during its journey across the pond, the Ice Bucket Challenge took a wrong turn and became something that few outside the Casual Encounters section of Craigslist are into.

From what I've gathered, it's exactly like the Ice Bucket Challenge except, instead of being doused in ice-cold water to promote awareness for ALS, participants are urinated on in the name of testicular cancer (which obviously makes no sense, since urine has nothing to do with your testicles).

Gaping plot hole aside, I was intrigued by the allure of trashy exhibitionism and decided to get in touch with the challenge's not-so-brilliant mastermind, Violet Vincent. Several R. Kelly jokes later, she'd reveal to me that it was a joke all along—one that will, for better or worse, end with her getting a gig in hardcore porn and making a sex tape or, or God forbid, actually raising some money.

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Post by Violet Vincent.

VICE: How did you come up with the idea for the Golden Shower Challenge?
Violet Vincent: I had a bad day at work, and I was feeling so miserable. When I got home my husband was showing me the Ice Bucket Challenge and how crazy they had really gotten. I was like, “I just want to do something worse.” They had gotten so crazy, and I thought there was literally nothing you could do that hasn’t already been done. Then I said, “Hang on a minute—I got it!” So I gave my husband two pints of water and told him to down them and let me know me when he needed to go!

What has the reaction to the video been like?
It’s been mostly positive. I didn’t really think people would share the video. I got hundreds of friend requests and now have 4,000 followers, and my husband hasn’t stopped laughing. He’s probably laughing right now.

Did you get any hate mail?
I had a handful of private messages on Facebook from people who were offended by it. They said I need Jesus and I was going to hell. They called me a whore and said I could get diseases. People reported the video, but Facebook decided to keep it up, and I don’t see why they wouldn’t. But I’ve actually had a lot of Facebook messages that have been really lovely—people saying, “That’s awesome. You much have so much balls,” or girls telling me I'm pretty and asking me if I work out. Which is so sweet—I would never think anyone would go out of their way to be so lovely. I’m actually not very confident, and the idea of people seeing me in a bikini was quite nerve-wracking for me.

The video looks pretty fake…
Well, I’ve never actually said it was real.

So it's just water?
Um, yeah, pretty much. It was apple juice. I just saw—with the Ice Bucket Challenge especially—the lengths people are willing to go to get attention. Seeing how saturated it became with people vying for popularity, I just thought I’d do a kind of satirical piece on that. I think a lot of people who participated lost sight of the real issues, though. In hindsight, maybe the pee wasn’t the best idea, but if it made a handful of people laugh, then it was worth it. I’ve got a pretty odd sense of humor. When I think something's funny, that’s it—I’m doing it.

So the act was fake, but the fundraising is real?
Yes. It seems like everyone is always fundraising for all the different cancers. There are loads of different fundraising events for breast cancer, but you literally never hear of people raising money for testicular cancer. And I just thought, Hey, let’s do something different.

Did anyone you nominate complete the challenge?
No, they are such wimps!

Did you at least tell them that you're a wimp too?
No. When people have asked I’ve stuck to my story. It’s been fun to wind people up—I think it’s crazy that people actually think I would degrade myself to that level.

Do you think it says anything about the content we all share on social media if more than 23,000 people shared a fake video?
I think they shared it because they think it’s real, and they want it to be real because that gives them something to talk about. I actually didn’t even know it went viral at first. I got a message from a cousin I nominated, saying, “I can’t do it, because I would have to outdo you and there is no way I can get over 100 shares.” And I was like, “What?”

Has anyone at your job seen it?
I don’t think there is anyone left who hasn’t. Instead of walking around the office I just hide under my desk now.

Anything else you’d like to say?
I just think it’s not good to judge people. You know, don’t judge a book by its cover. I don’t know what people think when they see my video, but the reality of it is that they don’t know me. I am a loving wife and a good mother who owns a little house in the countryside and works full-time. I’m completely average. I’m just like anybody else.

Donate to testicular cancer here.

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