NAME GAME
I legally changed my name – it’s bizarre but I love it as people buy me drinks and give me free stuff
A MAN who legally changed his name to something bizarre says he loves it as people buy him free drinks and give him gifts.
Previously known as Deano Wilson, the dad says his new name is “more famous than Elton John” as he is recognised across the world.
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The 41-year-old became famous after ditching his birth name for 'Fire Exit'.
Fire Exit forked out £17 during lockdown to rebrand himself with the new moniker.
And what initially started as a joke between family members soon escalated into fame.
The dad-of-five has since been able to get his money’s worth as strangers often offer him complimentary drinks and even haircuts.
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Following the change, the audio and visual engineer from Hampshire says people even recognise him all over the globe.
”Nobody else has a name that well-known, not even Elton John,” Fire Exit told NeedToKnow.Online.
"People are always coming up to me in bars and at parties – they know who I am.
"People have given me loads of free drinks and one barber even cut my hair for free because he heard about my name change.
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"I have been signing signs everywhere.
"Some shops, estate agents and other places have my autograph on their exit signs. I changed it online at 1.30am.
"It was during Covid, I had nothing to lose and it was cheaper to do it during this time.
"I work in different countries a lot of the time. I recently visited Berlin and it’s already getting spread around there.
"People check out the stories about me in their own language.”
Fire Exit went through with it for the “banter” and to make people smile but he claims to receive hurtful comments from cruel trolls over his harmless antics.
He added: "I did it for comedy but there has been all different kinds of reactions.
"The most common name is b***end. But in person it is different – when people meet me they instantly see it’s a whole different thing.
"They’re all just nasty haters and it doesn’t bother me so much because that’s where the comedy is.
"I'm the one that’s laughing. Nobody else has a name recognisable all around the world.
"It lights up in every country.”
Fire Exit says that he chose his unique title because it is the only name up in lights around the world.
The signs are universal in every language, which the 41-year-old can relate to.
He added: “I did it for the reactions. It has always been an on-going joke and a brave one to prove.
"It's the only name in lights in every language around the world.
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"Even when there’s no power, my name is illuminated up there.
"Nobody else can really say that. People say I'm crazy but I'm a genius.”
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