Zyzz Was the Original Looksmaxxer. His Rise and Untimely Death Feel More Relevant Than Ever
A new documentary explores the life and legacy of Aziz 'Zyzz' Shavershian, an early internet fitness influencer whose rise and death serve as a cautionary tale. The film examines his role as a precursor to modern 'looksmaxxing' and manosphere culture.
Why it matters
Understanding the origins of current digital masculinity influencers provides insight into how social media platforms shape identity and cultural movements.
That was the aspirational rallying cry of Aziz Shavershian, better known by his online alias, Zyzz. Once the shy and skinny son of Kurdish parents who struggled to find his place in Sydney, Australia, where the family had moved from Russia, he’d thrown himself wholeheartedly into fitness, spending hours at the gym every day and frequenting the infamous Bodybuilding.com and 4chan forums.
In time, the teenager’s chiseled physique gave him the confidence to develop an online persona that had little in common with the gentle and goofy kid that his friends and family knew. This would be Zyzz, a brash raver who strutted, mugged, danced, and flexed shirtless in front of his webcam while asking if viewers were “mirin’” (that is, admiring his body) and exhorting other men to chase their self-improvement goals. By 2010, his videos had made him an Australian celebrity with fans around the globe.
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