New documentary F@#k Off Mitchell! The Angry Dad Story shows us an unexpected side to YouTube sensation Mark “Angry Dad” Orval that not even his closest family and friends were aware of.
As everyday dad from suburban Melbourne, Mark first shot to fame in 2015 after his sons Dylan and Mitchell began uploading videos of his hilarious expletive-laden reactions to their constant pranks.
Angry Dad's Facebook page now boasts nearly 1.3 million followers, his YouTube channel almost 250k subscribers and his most popular video, Honk If You're Horny, has been viewed more than 400 million times across social media.
F@#k Off Mitchell!, which launches online at welcomestranger.com.au on March 12 at 6pm takes us beyond the pranks for a warts-and-all glimpse into the Orval family's life.
Through the documentary we revisit Mark's hometown of Hamilton in country Victoria - where he grew up in commission housing in awe of his next-door neighbour, local footy player Mick Noonan; learn how he met his wife Sharon (and why she was unimpressed with their first date); and experience the family's astonishment as 'Angry Dad' racks up the views to go viral.
However, the documentary takes a turn into serious territory when Mark opens up about the toll his injury-plagued AFL career took on his mental health, and how his newfound online fame end up costing him his corporate career.
Playing for Collingwood under the watchful eye of AFL great Leigh Matthews, Mark played just seven games for the club while undergoing nine operations. And then, devastatingly, history repeated when Dylan was drafted to the Adelaide Crows.
While the doco mainly focuses on Angry Dad, we also hear from sons Dylan and Mitchell, wife Sharon (recently dubbed Australia's hottest grandma), daughter Hannah, mum Lynette, and even catch a glimpse of the newest Orval, grandson Bowe. Combined, the family now have almost 700,000 Instagram followers.
Movember’s Global Director of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Brendan Maher said it was important for men not to bottle things up, and to take action for their health if they had a mental or physical health concern.
“It’s a credit to the Orval family that they've been able to be so honest in speaking up about the struggles they've experienced with mental health through the documentary. It can be an extremely taxing situation mentally for young football players who are often living in the public eye, and can have their entire career at the mercy of something beyond their control, like a physical injury.
"It’s vital that we continue the conversation and encourage people to actively support the men in their lives. It's as simple as reaching out, asking deeper questions and listening to what they have to say.”
Mark said: "Speaking about mental health issues and depression were not as prevalent in the mid-90s. I never spoke to one person about it. I shut my mouth and told no one all that time because I didn’t want to be perceived as weak. Sharon knew about it of course, because she dealt with it every day.
"I had a massive grudge on the whole world. Back then, I don't think there was a time when I’d go out and wouldn’t end up in a fight. If I heard my kids say that now I’d be so ashamed and embarrassed and be questioning what the hell they were going on about.
"It got to that point where I was questioning whether I wanted to be here. But the footy side of things doesn’t sadden me one bit these days. Now I’m proud because, at least I had a crack. It didn’t work out but anyway, it is what it is."
Dylan said: “For me, it’s about talking about it. The worst thing you can do is not talk about it. Bottling it up is just terrible, and until you speak about it for the first time you won’t understand why talking about it is better. And maybe not even the first time, it might be the 10th time that you realise that getting it out does help.”
Sharon said: "At the end of the day, people can look at it and say it’s just football, but it’s actually not. It’s their one dream, their big dream and you can just have it ripped out from under your feet. You can put all that hard work in, you can do everything right and it’s just nothing to do with you, it’s not your fault. For Mark, and then Dylan, it was a really, really sad story of lives mirroring one another."
F@#k Off Mitchell! The Angry Dad documentary can be downloaded from welcomestranger.com.au on March 12 for $4.95. Proceeds from the documentary will support men's health charity Movember.
If you know someone who requires urgent assistance or support, please contact:
Lifeline: 13 11 14 or Mens Line Australia: 1300 78 99 78. To find out more visit movember.com/findhelp
