Tamal Kundu
Netflix’s ‘Chad and JT Go Deep’ revolves around two titular “activists” in Southern California who want to bring about positive changes in the world by raising awareness on various really important things, including but not limited to the abuses that the e-scooter riders receive and benefits of perineum sunning. They also regularly appear at town council meetings in Southern California to petition for their causes. Their activism has garnered them a considerable following on social media. However, after a mistake that really anyone could have made, they are canceled by the people on the internet. Here is everything you need to know about it. SPOILERS AHEAD.
What Happens to Chad and JT in Real-Life?
In the pilot episode, titled ‘A Major Faux Pas,’ Chad and JT, the Stoke Lords of Southern California, decide to fight for the freedom and safety of skateboarders and begin campaigning in Orange County wearing a white t-shirt that says “Protect Our Boarders.” When a man passes them by on a skateboard and wearing an almost similar white t-shirt, Chad and JT excitedly stop him, believing that the man supports their cause. Even though his shirt says “Protect Our Borders,” the activists dismiss it as a typo. They take a photo with the man and post it on their social media. Soon enough, they are canceled and lose the chance to give a speech at the Ragers hosted by DJ Jedd in Las Vegas. Ultimately, inspired by the words of Mia Toretto from the ‘Fast and Furious’ films, they devote themselves to their activism in the pursuit of redemption.
Although the note appearing on the screen at the start of the show claims that ‘Chad and JT Go Deep’ is a documentary series, it is actually a prank comedy show filmed in mockumentary style. Chad Kroeger and JT Parr are viral comedians who employ surfer dude personas in their prank videos. The people they interact with are everyday people who have no idea — at least initially — that they are being pranked. This includes the public servants with whom Chad and JT interact at council meetings.
Chad Kroeger is not even the comedian’s real name. It is Tom Allen. He and John Thomas Parr first went viral in 2017 with a video of them petitioning the San Clemente City Council for a statue of the ‘Fast and Furious’ actor Paul Walker, who passed away after a car accident in 2013.
In a 2022 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, JT spoke about their work. “It’s in the lineage of man-on-the-street stuff, but we try to keep it open-minded and optimistic when we deal with people,” he said. “There are times where I know someone will say something boneheaded, but we try to leave it up to them as to which direction it goes. I just want it to be, like, as close to a real conversation as you can get.”
The t-shirts they wear during the “Protect Our Boarders” campaign are intentionally made to look similar to “Protect Our Borders” t-shirts, and they draw in the Orange County residents who support stringent border laws and the deportation of undocumented immigrants. So, the entire thing is an elaborate skit, and Chad and JT don’t get canceled for it.
Read More: Is Chad & JT Go Deep Scripted or Real?
