Czech President Becomes YouTube Hit After Stealing Pen; Over 5,000 Czechs Sign Up to Send Him Pens
Czech president was caught on camera pocketing a pen from a news conference.
April 14, 2011 -- The Czech people have come to the aid of their president after his pen-lifting ways became a viral hit on YouTube.
More than 5,000 Czechs have joined a Facebook campaign to mail President Vaclav Klaus pens on May 2 because "Mr. President obviously has nothing to write with."
The video, which was uploaded Monday, has more than 350,000 views. It shows Klaus pocketing an official pen last week during a visit to Chile.
Viewers don't have to know Spanish or Czech to get the idea. Red circles and arrows -- accompanied by comical music -- catch Klaus in the act as Chilean President Sebastian Pinera speaks during a news conference.
"All I have to say, it is not a pen but just a stylus," Klaus said Tuesday, adding that he takes things all the time. Klaus said he has a pen from October's NATO Summit in Lisbon, Portugal, and a notepad from the Latvian Parliament, among other souvenirs.
"It is what people do regularly," he said. "They keep notepads and pen from such events."
Related Stories
ABC News Live