Earlier this week, IndyCar released what might have been its most humorous video of all-time.
I’m not prone to hyperbole often, but this video makes an exception.
When I first saw "#Shirts4Sage,” I could not stop laughing.
It’s been something of a running joke in the Verizon IndyCar Series this season that Sage Karam - brash, bold, bloody fast and the emerging “black hat” of the series - posted way too many shirtless selfies.
I even wrote in that aforementioned “black hat” column:Yes, he could afford to take fewer shirtless selfies. And yes, he could calm down on track a bit.
But as a “Paul Tracy-in-training” badass who people can either love or love to hate, Karam is perfect. And desperately needed.
IndyCar and Josef Newgarden came together to produce this brilliant, two-minute mock-umentary video and premiere the #Shirts4Sage campaign, complete with the requisite sad Sarah McLachlan song in the background.
How Newgarden kept his composure on what was likely the umpteenth take is beyond me.
Even better is how Karam’s reacted to it.
Ordinarily, when you’re the butt of a joke on social media (and I can speak from experience on this, given an inside joke about blaming me for bad weather that’s grown legs and endured over four years), you have multiple options.
You can:
- Cry about it and try to get it removed
- Laugh it off, but make no further mention of it
- Embrace the whole thing, play it up, and become part of the joke yourself
And fortunately for all of us, both Karam and his dad Jody have chosen the latter option.
You can make a difference in this young mans life. Join the cause. #Shirts4Sage @SageKaram https://t.co/cFzr0P663a
— Josef Newgarden (@josefnewgarden) October 28, 2015
Tweeps, let's not mess around. Together we can change the future. #Shirts4Sage @SageKaram pic.twitter.com/kk62QeumlA
— Josef Newgarden (@josefnewgarden) October 28, 2015
😂😂😂 please help @SageKaram #Shirts4Sage https://t.co/iEcSh8GGY9
— Dario Franchitti (@dariofranchitti) October 28, 2015
#Shirts4Sage pic.twitter.com/ujVJGOd61f
— Sage Karam (@SageKaram) October 28, 2015
I shared a drivers lounge with @SageKaram last season... So yeah, I officially support #Shirts4Sage. https://t.co/LZjmO0pUV3
— Charlie Kimball (@charliekimball) October 28, 2015
After watching this, who would believe that I own a tshirt bisiness? https://t.co/4HCcQ3Ovdo
— Jody Karam (@jodykaram) October 28, 2015
@SageKaram just informed me he's building a fraternity in my yard. Racing needs to start soon please.
— Jody Karam (@jodykaram) October 29, 2015
Maybe for Halloween I'll wear a shirt
— Sage Karam (@SageKaram) October 30, 2015
More hilarity, tweets and requests for Sage to wear a shirt - or not - can be found by searching the #Shirts4Sage hashtag on Twitter, or by perusing Newgarden’s feed.
The IndyCar offseason is long and devoid of much on-track action.
So when Newgarden, Karam and IndyCar come together to produce a video as brilliant and humorous as this one, we all win.