At the end of 1998, before social media and smartphones, MTV music videos were still a massively influential cultural mirror for young people – full of images and sounds that were as dynamic as they were diverse. Boy bands were bigger than ever, Will Smith was Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It, and Green Day were having the time of their lives. Meanwhile, another Californian band with punk roots, Offspring, was building their own passionate fan base – with catchy, cheeky songs and elaborate clips that no one could flick past with the remote control.
Their biggest hit and arguably most iconic video is the McG-directed “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)” – a reckoning with uncool wannabes who “fake it anyway” by copying hip-hop style, wearing caps backwards, oversized jerseys and gold chains.
Guy Cohen, the young actor who starred in the colorful clip, embodied the character so charmingly that he became an ironic, almost mythical figure for the band’s fans. The song may be a commentary on cultural appropriation, but the campy video and the carefree way the band performs the track live – often with the actor on stage awkwardly dancing along – has made for plenty of good moments over the years.
Nineties nostalgia is alive
With ’90s nostalgia hotter than ever on social media, Cohen is reliving his Fly Guy days. He joined the Offspring show at the Kia Forum last August, the When We Were Young Festival in Las Vegas in October, and most recently just last weekend at the BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach – a triumphant appearance.
ROLLING STONE spoke to the pretty fly guy – yes, his real name is Guy – about the video, his ongoing, now generation-spanning fame and what he’s been up to over the last 28 years.
You were a bona fide video star in the heyday of MTV. And after all these years, people still remember the “Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)” guy.
It’s pretty amazing how long this lasts. I think the character is one of the defining images of the nineties. It probably reminds people of better times…of watching MTV with the family, before the whole social media age. He just brings joy to people and I like to embrace that. I think it may be bigger than ever.
How did you get the chance to appear in the video?
I started acting when I turned 18, and that was about six months after I got into the acting business. Back in the late 1990s, music videos were a great way to gain experience because they were non-union, similar to extra work. I had also been in Alanis Morissette’s “Thank U” video, where she stood naked while people walked past her – I was one of the blurry passers-by. Then this video came along, and it turned out to be one of the greatest music videos of all time. It changed my life.
How did you approach your movements in the video? Was that a joke or did you take it seriously?
I didn’t take it all seriously. To me, the whole video and the character was a satire of the time and this type of white people trying to resonate with a different culture and stuff. There were definitely guys like that back then. Nowadays that’s not really a thing anymore, but back then someone like that was called a “try hard.” So it was all meant in jest. I am not a trained dancer. But as far as the moves go – most of them I came up with myself, especially when I take the leg and jump around like that.
Moves and generations
There was something called “the Molly Ringwald” that McG, the video’s director – who later went on to make films and television – wanted. He showed it to me. But I think I came up with all the other stuff myself. I was just being silly, having fun, jumping around, stretching a lot and trying everything.
It seems like a whole new generation is discovering the song and the band. Have you observed this?
I’ve never experienced anything like this: We see three generations of families going to concerts together – the little ones, the parents and even the grandparents. This is suitable for families. There’s a bit of swearing, but the band has enough hits that everyone is just having a good time. And what strikes me: children and everyone else dress up as the character! At an Offspring show there are always 20 to 30 people dressed as my character.
They look almost exactly like in the video. What do you do to stay so young?
I was 18 years old at the time. Now I’m 46. I think it’s mostly genes, but I don’t drink alcohol, I don’t smoke. I wear sunscreen and face lotion every day, and I stay indoors a lot. I’m a full-time livestreamer, so I spend a lot of time indoors and out of the sun.
Tell us about your livestreaming under the name “I’m Really Important.”
I’m talking about politics. I debate people on TikTok for a few hours in the morning, and in the evening I go through news and try to frame things positively on YouTube or Twitch. I care about all of my fellow Americans, and I find that the more you understand our government, the more optimistic you are about the future – because you see opportunities and the limits of certain things. That is my goal. I’m trying to make politics more entertaining and educate people a bit.
Politics and Offspring Fandom
Do your streaming followers know you’re the “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)” guy?
I couldn’t give a percentage, but I don’t hide it. It doesn’t come up that often. If so, it’s a little Easter egg. I would say I’m the biggest Offspring livestreamer ever. A lot of fans hang out on my channel simply because I’m connected to the band. I am now recognized more often in the political sphere because I have done some high-profile things there. But if I wore that outfit, I would get stopped everywhere.
What high-profile stuff?
I’ve had a few appearances on the YouTube channel Jubilee, which is really big for debates. I debated Ben Shapiro and there were some viral moments. I also tour college campuses with another livestreamer called Destiny – similar to Turning Point USA, but from a left-wing perspective. CNN just did a piece about it.
Her performance at the BeachLife Festival last weekend caused quite a stir. You were also there at the band’s Kia Forum concert last year. How often does this happen?
Very rare. Dexter [Holland] and I have stayed in touch. Every few years we get in touch, write to each other or something. He’s a busy guy so I try to leave him alone, but he’s been great to me the whole time. Maybe once every ten years he invites me to a show and I go there to just hang out, say hello to the guys and maybe go on stage.
But last year he came forward and said, “I have this crazy idea, we’re doing a huge show at the Forum. We’re playing arenas. We’re bigger than ever and we’d love for you to come out. Do you still have the jersey?”
Back on stage
I still have the jersey, but it’s framed on the wall. So he said, “I’ll have a custom one made for you.” They made it, I went on stage, and it was just a lot of fun. Since then, they keep asking me to be part of big shows. They played the biggest indoor arena in Paris and got me out there. Then Montreal. We also did When We Were Young in Vegas last year. I was there at the start of the US tour in Bakersfield. And then of course BeachLife… I get to be the band’s cheerleader. They’re not that social media savvy, I think they’re a little older than me, so we shoot trending clips and film content when I’m around. This is going very well on their platforms.
The band also has these inflatable tube figures on stage that look like you. Are they new?
They’ve been using them for a while. My face is on it, which is funny. Years ago I was on tour with them. I was 18, 19, and I can’t believe my parents let me drive, but I was with them on the buses, on the private planes, and the highlight was Woodstock 99. So I’ve lived that life before, and now it’s fun to relive it 30 years later in all these big arenas.
The song makes fun of a certain type, but at the same time feels like a celebration. As a white man myself, did you have any concerns? Has anyone complained about the portrayal over the years?
No one has ever come up to me and said, “Shame on you, you’re a monster.” [Lacht.] But look: I was into hip-hop. My favorite show as a child was “In Living Color,” which had a predominantly black cast. I knew and appreciated the culture. I just realized that there were people who were trying very hard to portray themselves as part of it, and we were making fun of it. I think certain communities understood that, saw the humor in it, and didn’t see it as cultural appropriation or anything like that.
You seem like a positive person. When you talk about politics, you’re dealing with a lot of negativity. How do you deal with it?
Oh yes. I feel like half the time I’m doing some kind of mental health care for people on my stream because it’s hard to stay positive. Whatever is happening right now – no matter what you think politically – there are a lot of bad things in the world. I try to show people where there are opportunities and where things are going well, and that good things can come from bad situations.
