The Internet Has Already Dug Up Dirt On Viral Oscars Star ‘Gary From Chicago’

During Sunday night’s Academy Awards, Jimmy Kimmel surprised unsuspecting passengers from a Hollywood tour bus by leading them straight into the Dolby Theatre, where they found themselves front and center in the middle of the show. Kimmel immediately became taken with one tourist who identified himself as Gary Coe from Chicago, who couldn’t put down his phone while filming the experience, even as he was introduced to the likes of Ryan Gosling and Meryl Streep. While in the limelight, Gary and his fiancée Vicki were even fake married by “her favorite actor” Denzel Washington right on the dang stage.

“Gary from Chicago” quickly became a viral star, but unfortunately — as we’ve learned with cautionary tales such as Ken Bone and Cleveland hero Charles Ramsey — it’s already come out that Gary does not have a spotless past. In fact, in a subsequent interview with Chicago’s ABC 7 Eyewitness News, Gary revealed himself to be an ex-con who had only just gotten out of prison three days prior to the Oscars, after having served 22 years for multiple felonies which the Daily Mail reports includes attempted rape.

Gary seems hopeful about the future however, having found both God and his fiancée Vicki, who he plans to marry in California this summer, during his time behind bars.

“Change is possible. It’s a sad day to be in prison for 20 years and not be able to be a dad, granddad to your children. You know what my son told me today, man, and I almost come to tears. He said he’s proud of me. So to hear your children say that they’re proud of me means the world to me,” Coe said.

Gary and Vicki were set to appear on Monday night’s Jimmy Kimmel Live, however after the news of his conviction and registered sexual offender status came to light, the appearance was canceled.

If only we could have seen this coming…

https://twitter.com/jess_mc/status/836054033529991168

(ABC 7 via Page Six)