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This Is the Viral Australian ‘Dumb Ways to Die’ PSA that Glenn Beck Loves (and Will Be Stuck in Your Head All Day)

Nov. 21, 2012 11:02am Liz Klimas

Last Friday, Meredith Jessup on TheBlaze blog brought you a PSA from Melbourne Metro Trains as it was just beginning to go viral. Now, only six days after being uploaded to YouTube, the “Dumb Ways to Die” video has garnered more than 14 million hits, not to mention it has been reposted and shared elsewhere with thousands of hits on those as well.

If you were listening to the Glenn Beck radio program this morning, you might have heard the crew cracking up over it.

Although the PSA covers a plethora of dumb ways to die, its main message is to promote safety around trains.

Here’s a look at some dumb ways to die:

Melbourne Metro Trains PSA Dumb Ways to Die Goes Viral With More Than 13.9 Million Hits

Set fire to your head (Image: YouTube screenshot)

Poke a grizzly bear with a stick. (Image: YouTube screenshot)

Take out of date prescription pills. (Image: YouTube screenshot)

Use your private parts as piranha bait. (Image: YouTube screenshot)

Get your toast out with a fork. (Image: YouTube screenshot)

Invite a psycho killer inside. (Image: YouTube screenshot)

Scratch a drug dealer’s brand new ride. (Image: YouTube screenshot)

Sell both your kidneys on the Internet. (Image: YouTube screenshot)

Dress like a moose in hunting season. (Image: YouTube screenshot)

The catchy refrain goes “Dumb ways to die. So many dumb ways to die.” It isn’t until 2:22 into the video that the PSA gets to its point: dumb ways to die if you’re not safe around trains.

Stand on the edge of the train platform. (Image: YouTube screenshot)

Drive around the gate blocking you from crossing the tracks. (Image: YouTube screenshot)

Cross the tracks between platforms. (Image: YouTube screenshot)

These latter three, the lyrics admit, might not rhyme “but they quite possibly could be the dumbest ways to die.”

Seriously, watch the video for yourself and see what all the fuss is about if you haven’t already:

Check out the Dumb Ways to Die website to learn more about the campaign. The website states that while avoiding these dumb ways to die might be unnecessary for the majority of people, “a few people just don’t get it.”

“Most people don’t like being told what to do,” the website continues. “But if you can download this song and share it with your friends, they’ll be able to discover for themselves the few simple ways to avoid premature death. The more people that watch the video or listen to the song, the less accidents we’ll have and the happier we’ll all be.”

John Mescall, who created the viral video, told the Australian marketing website mUmbrella (via PhysOrg) he decided to “mix a morbid subject matter with saccharine levels of cute” to make it funny.

“Ultimately, it’s an ad that doesn’t feel anything like an ad,” Mescall said to mUmbrella. “It’s happy and silly and joyful and clever and more than a little odd; the intangible things that are so hard to rationalise, but so very important.”

The song is so popular you can also buy it on iTunes or download an MP3 of it.

If we’ve learned anything from advertising from the land down under, it’s that they do it well. Check out this post about a New Zealand airline’s Middle Earth-stye airplane safety video.

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (85)

meisterman41
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 4:01pm
Heard it on the radio this morning while at work and just saw the video…..Very Funny Indeed!!!!!!! Can’t wait to show the family tomorrow,after we eat!

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- noagendainca
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:22pm
  Same here. Heard it this morning and just got a chance to watch it. Glenn was right;
  you’ll have the song stuck in your head for awhile.
  
  Report this comment
- Thatsitivehadenough
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 4:18am
  I know I’m obsessing, but I’d love to see something like this along the lines of “Dumb Ways To Give Up Your Freedom.”
  
  Report this comment
Wisdom7
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:42pm
“Invite a psycho killer inside.”

America did that already by allowing radical Islam in.

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- tankyjo
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 5:27pm
  You sir are an intolerant, bigoted whatever, but I love you and you’re dead on. Happy Thanksgiving my friend.
  
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- Uechi
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 1:50pm
  The psycho killer is not only the Moslem Brotherhood it is Barrack the Magic Marxist Messiah.
  
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The Gooch
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:50pm
Eating ’til you pop
‘Cause you just won’t stop.
Dumb way to die.

Ha! Ha! I’ve played amateur electrician and lived to tell the tale! Therefore, I encourage everyone to do their own electrical work. Nothing bad can happen to you, too!

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- fergiedurgish
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 4:28pm
  Really, nothing can happen to you if you do your own electrical? That’s not what this friend of my husband learned – he didn’t die, but I bet he wished he had . . .
  
  Report this comment
- arty6164
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 6:44pm
  My brother-in-law told me once, “You might forget but electricity never does”.
  
  Report this comment
- eagledown
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 7:46pm
  But they forgot one….
  
  … decades of brainwashing generations and who knowingly, or unknowingly re-elected a communist in the once was the freest and greatest country on earth to a second term; but I digress….
  
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- whatdhesay
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:47pm
  Check out this one really dumb one they missed. I copied this from an article at http://hiddenhearingireland.wordpress.com/tag/ipod-oblivion/
  
  In compiling the study, experts studied data from 2004 to 2011. They found that 116 people in the US wearing headphones had died or been seriously hurt during that period. The number of people who died or were injured leapt from 16 in 2004-05 to 47 in 2010-11.
  
  Most victims were men (68%) and under the age of 30 (67%), with about one in 10 of all cases under the age of 18.
  
  Of the accidents studied, 89% occurred in urban areas, and more than half of the victims – 55% – were struck by trains.
  
  According to the study, published online in the journal Injury Prevention, 81 of the 116 incidents, or 70%, resulted in death.
  
  Report this comment
RayOne
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:33pm
Peace in the Middle East has been achieved, Sec. of State Hillary Clinton has arrived with the red ‘START’ button.

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- finky555
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 3:27pm
  More like the big red EasyButton from Romney’s Staples Office Supplies
  
  Report this comment
TMOverbeck
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:32pm
I’d love to see DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) adopt this campaign. Probably too edgy for them, though.

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thechange
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:21pm
Love this! Someone from the Jack#$% crew will have ths playing at their funeral!

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- RayOne
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:35pm
  That could have worked if the dance steps were ‘hot’.
  
  Report this comment
fishb8
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:12pm
Love it

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nesmond
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 1:40pm
Laughed ’til I cried.

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kettererbg
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 1:22pm
Just go visit the Darwinian awards. A whole bunch of dumb ways to die.

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trg13
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 1:12pm
Outstanding, an award winner!

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RJJinGadsden
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 1:11pm
Apparently the Melbourne Metro is now in competition with the Darwin Awards.

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- DZ-015
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 4:09pm
  But Darwin is on the other side of Australia.
  
  Report this comment
- Balpit
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 7:27pm
  The City of Townsville is in Australia, too. No, really. Look it up.
  
  Report this comment
- strewth_cobber
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 1:15pm
  And located just off of Townsville is Magnetic Island. It attracts a lot of visitors.
  
  Report this comment
- retiredfire
  Posted on November 23, 2012 at 7:13am
  Melborne Metro? In Australia?
  But they don’t have grizzly bears, rattle snakes or moose.
  
  Report this comment
banjarmon
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 1:11pm
I’m going to learn to play that on my BANJO!!! Nice!!

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11:11
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 12:45pm
Love it! so catchy and adorable especially the one who sold his kidneys, the dancing cute…very effective psa

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caleejr
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 12:44pm
lol

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SovereignSoul
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 12:31pm
I want my 3 minutes and 1 second back.
This story should contain a graphic warning.
Warning – content for chicks and preschoolers only. Not to be viewed be real men.

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- GOP-Teacher
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 1:01pm
  Please…get a sense of humor!
  
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- Mudd
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 1:32pm
  Yeah, it’s silly and not in a good way. For the record, I have a sense of humor, which is why I think this is lame.
  
  Report this comment
- SovereignSoul
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 6:34pm
  Oh, I have a sense of humor. It just happens to differ from that of a kindergartner.
  
  Report this comment
- U4eeeahhh
  Posted on November 23, 2012 at 7:45am
  What the heck is a “Real Man”? Isn’t your avatar gay Chuck Connors?
  
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- SovereignSoul
  Posted on November 23, 2012 at 11:25am
  No, that’s Lucas McCain, a god fearing Christian man.
  
  Report this comment
GBTVFan_Non_American_Overseas
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 12:20pm
Newest (And dumb) way to die: Being American soldier and thinking Obama will have your back…..

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SquareHead
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 12:15pm
Funny?

This does give me further insight to Glenn. We must live in a society of mockers, a nation that was raised on TV…. This generation of American are the dumbest yet, thanks to public schools, pop culture, enterainment, TV and for turning away from God. This must be why people could not follow the sincere warnings and logic promoted by Ron Paul…

Sad……….

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- Jesse_J
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 12:24pm
  I see Glen is doing that hard hitting news thing he talked about. Read fresh political commentary at: http://smallcraftadvisorychronicles.blogspot.com/
  
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- Classical Liberal
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 12:57pm
  I support Ron Paul and I thought the PSA was good. You have to learn to take it easy and enjoy the little things.
  
  Have a happy thanksgiving tomorrow.
  
  Report this comment
- idaho1
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 1:21pm
  I found this video to be very humorous. That aside, too many stupid people live these days and then reproduce. I say do away with guard rails, and most standard safety devices of today that where designed to protect the idiots. Natural selection no longer works and the human race is dumbing down because of it. Those with the stupid gene now survive and pass along this gene to their offspring. Let nature take it’s course. We already have too many progressives in the world.
  
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- Mudd
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 7:09pm
  Right on, welcome to the perpetually pre-adolescent states of America.
  
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spfoam1
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 12:01pm
This is great!

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biohazard23
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:56am
My kids LOVE this song. They have played it so many times I can’t get it out of my head.

Want another dumb way to die? Try my Thanksgiving turkey. :) I can cook, but I’ll leave the large poultry items to my husband.

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 1:09pm
  BIOHAZARD, I caught this when Beck was running it on his radio show this morning. Looked it up on You Tube then. Played it a good half dozen times, and as Glenn cautioned, the tune is catch and will stick us for probably a few days. I laughed so hard this morning too. Glad they put this in a story now.
  
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- biohazard23
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 1:26pm
  Happy Thanksgiving, RJ! Blessings to you and yours. :)
  
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kickagrandma
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:51am
My husband laughed at me this a.m. when I said to him, “They’re (not Glenn; the owo group) setting something up with this…mark my words.”

He is still lol. I hope he is right, but I think not.

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JUSTANOTHEROPINION
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:51am
Open letter to Mr.Glenn Beck, the next one of these things you find, keep it to yourself. This is like walking in on your parents, you never get it out of your head. God will get you for this, you turd!!!

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- mewnani
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 12:49pm
  Er… Maybe you can focus on more horrible stuff. Going after someone just because they posted a video you didn’t like doesn’t mean God should strike them down with a bolt of lightning afterward.
  
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Mainer forever
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:33am
What a riot!!! Catchy tune.

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randy
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:25am
Hey Glenn!
I want Liz Klimas’s job!

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- grayling646
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 12:47pm
  Me too. All of her stories are really goofy. I’d be a natural.
  
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Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:15am
Dumb ways for a country to die, elect a Democrat, a second time and hope for change.

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- CATSUEY
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:26am
  Good one! We can insert those words to the tune, and it works nicely..
  
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- Mainer forever
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:30am
  Aint that the TRUTH!!!
  
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- TyrannyNoMore
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:47am
  They also left out surrendering your firearms to guys in blue helmets.
  
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- calamityjane85
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:42pm
  yes, remake please!! ….so many ways a country can die.
  
  Report this comment
BlackCrow
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:10am
They missed vote for Obama.

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- RLTW
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:23am
  Dumbest way to die is on your knees bowing to tyranny.
  
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- jungle J
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:28am
  rltw..take it in the chest not the back of the head.
  
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- chips1
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:35am
  Lots of words rhyme with muslim.
  
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