Hurstville's Andy Peng is having the last laugh.
The 21-year-old, who makes TikTok videos for a living, is thriving in the social media scene, and he's raking in the dollars.
With 4.6 million followers, the former Blakehurst High School student films himself pranking unsuspecting people, and shares their reactions with the viewer.
Known online as @andythesk, the business studies drop-out who had a brief stint in real estate, hunts down anyone in the public, and unravels his narrative.
The result is an often humorous reaction, prompting viral clicks and shares.
"I've had to adjust my content because of the pandemic. When people wore masks, you couldn't see their reactions," he said.
So he was inspired by it. On one occasion, the TikTokker, wearing a mask, asks a girl, who is standing with her boyfriend in a grocery store, for what she thinks is her number. In fact, Andy muffles 'where are the cucumbers?'
In another clip, he secretly places a television remote control next to a person who is sitting down, and asks them if they have seen the remote.
His most popular video, 107 million views, shows Andy throwing rice in the air in a food shop aisle.
Launched last year, his TikTok profile is one of the fastest growing.
"There aren't too many Australian TikTok creators," he said. "I'm surprised at the growth. But I work hard filming so with that work ethic I expect a return."
It's a tidy return indeed. Andy said he made more than $100,000 last year, working only a 14-hour week.
Through sponsored posts, companies seek viral creators like Andy, to market their products. A single video post could score him $2000.
"It blew up in lockdown with more people being a home and staying on their phones," he said. "Social media is always growing."
He posts his videos at American prime-time so he gets the most views. He recently filmed much of his content in the US.
Fortunately there haven't been any negative reactions.
"In America, they react more. People are pretty chilled in Australia," Andy said. "If something offends someone, I delete it.
"There's a bit of positivity with my videos. People have messaged me to say it makes them smile."