Phuc Dat Bich: Facebook user with ‘misleading’ name is happy his name made you laugh
Australian man Phuc Dat Bich, who became an international Internet sensation because of his unbelievable strange name, says he is honoured to have brought laughter to people’s lives.
Mr Bich, a 23-year-old, who is of Vietnamese heritage, took to Facebook to vent his frustrations about his name in January. He posted it was “highly irritating that nobody seems to believe me when I say that my full legal name is how you see it”.
The National Australian Bank worker further said “I’ve been accused of using a false and misleading name… which I find very offensive. Is it because I’m Asian? Is it? Having my fb shut down multiple times”.
To prove his point, he posted a picture of his passport that had his name on it. His case recently attracted media attention with hundreds of people leaving supportive comments and more than 40,000 now following his public posts.
On Monday, he took to his page to thank the scores of supporters from around the world by saying ‘I’d like to mention that I am very grateful to those who have been supportive of certain names that populate in different cultures’.
‘We live in a diverse and multicultural society and the fact that there are people out there who are supportive and encouraging really makes me happy.’
‘I’ve never ranted nor wept that my post would get this sort of exposure,’ he continued.
‘But I am glad and honoured to be able to make people happy by simply making them laugh at something that appears outrageous and ridiculous.
‘Much tragic events have happened all over the world, out of it all only happiness can mend. As an individual I hope I have played a part in brightening your days!
‘PDB.’
The name, which is pronounced ‘Phoop Dook Bic,’ is common in Vietnam, despite the spectacular response it has received in Australia.
Facebook has not commented directly on Mr Bich’s case, but its policy on usernames state that people “provide the name they use in real life” for safety reasons, and that it “should be your authentic identity; as your friends call you in real life and as our acceptable identification forms would show”, such as passports.
Among other things it asks users to refrain from using “offensive or suggestive words of any kind” in their Facebook names.
