Mad Huey’s Dean Harrington reveal the stunt that nearly sank Gold Coast group before it took off

TRYING to pass a bloke’s wedding tackle off as fishing tackle almost sunk the Gold Coast-based The Mad Hueys clothing brand before it began.

TRYING to pass a bloke’s wedding tackle off as fishing tackle almost sank the Gold Coast-based The Mad Hueys clothing brand before it began.

Surfer Dean Harrington has revealed in a new documentary on the group’s rise called The Good Life that he had caused the group to be booted from a social media site they had been hugely successful on.

“At the start I actually got us kicked off Instagram because I put my (expletive) on a reel and called it an ugly stick,” Harrington said.

“We had 10,000 followers ... and we got deleted.”

A twist on the traditional beer bong.

The 40-minute film talks about the origins of the company and includes cameos from an eclectic mix of personalities involved with the group including Today Show presenter Karl Stefanovic, Kardashian relative Brodie Jenner, big wave surfer Shane Dorian and rugby league king Wally Lewis.

Love them or hate them the story documents the groups humble beginnings and the ridiculous stunts which have made the group famous with more than 280,000 followers on Instagram alone.

“I just love making people laugh and carrying on like an idiot,” Harrington said.

In the film founder Damon Nichols said he could not believe how far the group known in surfing and fishing circles around the globe had come from their first pay cheque.

“I remember our first pay cheque it was the funniest thing ever, we got this cheque for $500 – it was like we won the lotto,” he explains.

“We had our first Christmas party with it – there was the three of us with our three wives and we went to the tavern and had a chicken schnitty.”

Antics aside, those interviewed in the film said it was this sincerity that had been key to the group’s success.

“It’s genuine; they’re not trying to create a brand, they’re just doing what they like,” big wave surfer Shane Dorian said.

The video will be released free to the public at 9am tomorrow on The Mad Hueys website.

The Mad Hueys co-founder Joel Scott (driving jetski), Josh Dowthwaite on the back of the jetski and Mad Hueys co-founder Shaun Harrington surfing the wave.