I’D DO IT ALL AGAIN
James Ross-Munro was thrust into the spotlight when filmed ripping his shirt off to stop a service station robbery with nothing more than a can-do attitude and a broken thong
KNOCKABOUT Australian bloke and service station robbery hero James RossMunro hasn’t let his brief moment in the spotlight change him. Not much anyway. It has been eight months since the Arundel-based 26-year-old appeared in a viral YouTube video that made national headlines.
Footage of him shirtless and with a “busted plugga” – translation: broken thong – thwarting a pair of would-be thieves garnered more than two million hits.
It doesn’t get more Australian and his actions resonated with the public.
He’d been drinking with mates at Options Tavern, Helensvale, before heading to the service station up the road for some noodles.
His close friend Kane Wiblen filmed his mate jumping over signs and bushes and “being an idiot” along the way.
In the video, when Mr RossMunro sees the holdup unfolding, he rips his singlet off and runs to the getaway car removing the keys.
One culprit legs it before Mr RossMunro comes to blows in the getaway car with the other one who eventually bails from the scene too.
It resulted in media inundating him for interviews including a hilarious appearance on the Today show with Karl Stefanovic.
The former Sydneysider who now calls the Gold Coast home said he was still recognised on an almost daily basis but is keeping his feet, busted plugga or not, firmly planted on the ground.
He continues to work at the Hinterland Mowing job he has had for seven years.
He still catches up regularly for beers at the weekend with Ipswichbased Mr Wiblen.
Mr Ross-Munro said he remained a “loyal patron” of the Options Tavern where the famous night started when the pair met for drinks.
He knocked back several requests to appear on The Project TV show to talk politics when the Federal Election loomed.
“The Project asked me a couple of times to talk about the election. They were just looking for your average Australian opinion. But I’m not really into that,” he said.
He even knocked back requests to star in a few TV motoring advertisements, saying they “conflicted with work too much”. Price of fame huh? “Oh, at first it was good for a bit of fun and a good laugh. I not so much got over it but it got a bit stale.”
Not that he minds continuing to be recognised for his heroics on the night: “I still get at least one or two people who come into work a day and ask if I was the guy in the Youtube video. Also when I’m out on the town with mates, I always get people coming up and asking.
“Mates will mention it and people come asking me for a photo.
“Some of the time I play it off as a joke and say ‘No, it’s not me’ but most of the time I have a good laugh with people about it. That happens most weekends when I go out.”