We all know RedBull’s famous slogan: “RedBull gives you wings.” But do these energy drinks really live up to their reputation? Self-made stuntwoman, competitive ice skater, and RedBull athlete Mabel Dunham is determined to find the answer. Dunham recounts that it didn’t take long for RedBull to express a keen interest in her stunt work. “As soon as they saw one of my head smashing compilations on the internet, they were hooked,” Dunham said. “They visited me in the hospital the next day.”
“Growing up, my father told me that I was ‘born to break through barriers,’” Dunham said. “For a while, I didn’t realize that he meant it literally.” The YouTube sensation began professionally running into walls head-first at the age of 16, starting small and eventually working her way up to brick and concrete. “People always comment on my stubbornness,” Dunham said. “I want to show them just how hard-headed I really am.” Dunham found that as she progressed from material to material, attempting more difficult physical feats each video, people couldn’t get enough—so much so that she began to receive fan mail, some even going so far as to tattoo themselves with snapshots of Dunham’s face. “One guy on Reddit went a little too far,” Dunham said. “I had to Venmo him the money to remove it.”
This newfound fame served only as the second biggest source of motivation for Dunham. Her hero, the person who truly inspired her to pursue the art of head smashing, was none other than the infamous Evel Knievel. “Evel Knievel broke more bones than records,” Dunham says. “Damnit, the man died from diabetes and lung disease—he was unstoppable until he got fat and old.”
Contrary to popular belief, there’s a lot more that goes into being a RedBull athlete than owning a cool helmet. “There’s a lot more that goes into being a RedBull athlete than owning a cool helmet,” Dunham said, “although the helmet is a big plus.” Dunham’s extensive stunt career has provided her with more fame, fortune, and memory loss than she can handle—but not without its downsides. “I think this might be a totally unrelated issue concerning some long-lasting tensions between my neighbor’s dog and I, but my house got toilet-papered a few nights ago,” Dunham said. “I just have to remind myself that people only get snippy if you’ve got something they want.”
Partnering with RedBull, Dunham set out to find the truth about their caffeinated products. After a rigorous month-long trial of consuming RedBulls before each head smashing stunt, Dunham was able to come to a conclusion. “They were actually monsters that I was drinking,” Dunham said. “I got confused by the labels at the gas station… anyway, they didn’t do much besides make me wanna bash my head against a wall.”
