The prime suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s murder Luigi Mangione has become a controversial figure whose alleged actions have given rise to repercussions, most of which have been propagated by social media platforms.
What has caught everyone’s attention recently was a Luigi Mangione lookalike contest held across various places, including the University of Florida. Unlike Drake’s lookalike contest held by Casuals Cakery in Toronto, the one allegedly hosted by the students of the University of Florida did not have prize money.
The news went viral after the X account ‘@thestustustudio’ posted a video where many individuals were dressed as Luigi Mangione with a face mask and a hooded trucker jacket.
One of the individuals was seen taking out a toy gun and a McDonald’s meal box. From what it appears in the video, the person probably won the contest as people crowned him with a cap towards the end. Netizens have been divided after the video went viral. Resharing the post, one X user wrote,
“We are a very sick country. We have a cultural illness.”
Netizens alleged that a similar contest was hosted in New York while others hoped it was a joke.
“They had one in NYC too & the winner says he’s donating his winnings to Palestine,” a person claimed.
“Having attended UF, I can COMPLETELY see this,” a social media user commented.
“UF is my alma mater. I hope they meant this as a joke,” an alumnus noted.
X users called Luigi Mangione a hero while others criticized Generation Z.
“This is no surprise, given the critical marxism they've been taught at school. They want America's kids to be their "agents of change" i.e. soldiers of the revolution,” a netizen opined.
“Luigi is a hero,” an online user stated.
“There is something seriously wrong with gen Z,” another person remarked.
The Luigi Mangione lookalike contest was not sanctioned by the University
According to Alligator, the Luigi Mangione lookalike contest was held on December 12, 2024 afternoon, and was organized by students Cortney Smith, Chelsie Colin, and others. They also reportedly created an Instagram account to spread the news about the contest although no such account was available on the social media platform at the time of writing the story.
Smith, wearing a rat suit, allegedly distributed flyers on December 11, 2024, while posters were displayed in areas like Marston Science Library and Library West. These flyers included a Google form for contest entries and highlighted the event location at Plaza of the Americas with a sign announcing the start time of 3 PM.
Colin, a junior studying biology, emphasized the event's promotion to offer students a fun break during final exams. As per a report by Campus Reform from December 16, 2024, the University did not authorize the event.
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Contestants dressed as Luigi Mangione introduced themselves and some delivered short speeches. The winner was reportedly chosen based on crowd applause.
Contestant No. 13, a computer science and math sophomore at the University who remained anonymous, reportedly used the spotlight to criticize the American healthcare system and its portrayal of CEOs, addressing the crowd with a megaphone.
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