How Ridiculous

How Ridiculous: Masters of Extreme Trick Shots and Viral Video Content

How Ridiculous is an Australian YouTube channel that has captured the attention of millions through their extreme trick shots and creative stunts, particularly those involving dropping objects from extraordinary heights. The channel features three longtime friends: Brett Stanford, Derek Herron, and Scott Gaunson, who have transformed their backyard experiments into one of Australia's most successful YouTube ventures^[1].blog

Channel Growth and Current Status

As of September 2025, How Ridiculous commands an impressive following with 23.8 million subscribers and over 15 billion total video views^[2]. The channel consistently generates millions of daily views, with recent performance data showing they average approximately 5-8 million views per day^[2]. Their content spans 786 videos uploaded over their 16-year YouTube journey, making them one of Australia's most prominent content creators^[2].vidiq

Origins and Background

The trio's story began at Lifestreams Christian Church in South Perth, where they met as children^[1]. Brett Stanford worked as a youth leader at the church between 2006 and 2018 while also functioning as a part-time physiotherapist^[3]. The group's YouTube journey started in 2009 after being inspired by Dude Perfect's early basketball trick shot videos, leading them to create their own content featuring basketball shots from various Perth landmarks^[1].wesley+1 Initially, the group included a fourth member, Kyle Nebel, who left in March 2015^[4]. The remaining three members decided to pursue YouTube content creation as a full-time career in 2016, driven by what Brett describes as "feeling God's calling to pursue creating videos"^[3].wikipedia+1

Signature Content and Location

How Ridiculous is best known for their tower drop videos, which predominantly feature objects being dropped from a 45-meter (148-foot) tall structure^[4]. Since 2015, many of their videos have been filmed at the Gravity Discovery Centre's Leaning Tower of Gingin, located north of Perth, Western Australia^[4]^[10]. This impressive steel structure leans at a 15-degree angle and is held in place by 180 tons of concrete, making it potentially the world's "leaniest" purpose-built tower^[10].gravitycentre+1 Their content features an extensive variety of objects being dropped onto creative targets, including bowling balls, anvils, custom-made heavy metal objects, household appliances, cars, and even aircraft^[4]. Popular targets include RC car race tracks, giant axe blades, bulletproof glass tables, and pools filled with oobleck^[4].wikipedia

World Records and Viral Moments

How Ridiculous has achieved multiple Guinness World Records, primarily in basketball trick shots. Their most notable achievement came in January 2018 when Derek Herron successfully made a basketball shot from 201.422 meters (660 feet 10 inches) at Maletsunyane Falls in Lesotho, breaking the record for the greatest height from which a basketball is shot^[7]. This record surpassed their previous achievement of 180.968 meters set in 2016 at Switzerland's Mauvoisin Dam^[8].guinnessworldrecords+1 The group also holds the record for the longest golf putt in non-tournament conditions, achieved by Brett Stanford with a 135.67-yard putt at Point Walter Golf Course in Western Australia^[6].guinnessworldrecords Their most viewed content includes "How Many Giant Balloons Stops An Arrow?" uploaded in late 2021, and "Bowling Ball Vs. Trampoline from 165m Swiss Dam"^[1]. Their YouTube Shorts content has proven particularly successful, with some videos achieving over 200 million views^[1].blog

Multi-Platform Presence

Beyond YouTube, How Ridiculous maintains a strong presence across multiple social media platforms. Their TikTok account boasts 14.7 million followers with over 324 million likes as of December 2024^[4]. Combined across all platforms including Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat, they have accumulated over 17 million subscribers^[3].wesley+1

Revenue and Business Operations

Industry analytics suggest How Ridiculous generates substantial monthly revenue, with estimates ranging from $289,000 to $868,000 per month^[2]. The channel operates merchandise through Rexy Clothing, which produces custom apparel and accessories featuring their branding and stunts^[11].rexyclothing+1

The 44 Club and Community

The group has cultivated a dedicated fanbase known as the "44 Club," named after Scott Gaunson's favorite number^[14]^[15]. The origin of this community stems from their bottle flip videos, where Brett Stanford encouraged viewers to join the "44 Club" by watching their videos to completion^[14].reddit+1

Charitable Mission

Faith and charitable work form a core component of How Ridiculous' mission. The group has been longtime supporters of Compassion Australia, a Christian charity focused on child sponsorship and poverty relief^[12]^[13]. Their stated mission involves "glorifying God by creating high-quality entertainment which moves people," reflecting their commitment to using their platform for positive impact^[3]. youtubecompassion+1 Their merchandise initiatives also support charitable causes, with their recent "Every Daughter Matters" collection directing proceeds toward rescuing girls from trafficking^[11].rexyclothing

Media Coverage and Recognition

How Ridiculous has received extensive media coverage, including features on Google's official blog celebrating their achievement of 10 million subscribers in 2022^[1]. They have also been featured on various Australian news networks, including Channel 7, following their Guinness World Record achievements^[9]. youtubeblog The group's content has expanded beyond YouTube, with episodes now featured on the Yippee TV streaming service as of July 2025^[4], and they have produced content for Amazon Prime Video^[5].primevideo+1