As It Happens

Texan gets tattoo of Canadian amateur weatherman Frankie MacDonald

Online video creator Ernest Acosta loves a challenge — especially when it comes to tattoos. So when Acosta was dared by one of his viewers to get a tattoo of Canadian amateur weather forecaster Frankie MacDonald, it was a no-brainer.
Ernest Acosta of Odessa, Texas, got a Frankie MacDonald tattoo on his leg following an online challenge and the video is going viral. (Frankie MacDonald/Ernest Acosta)

Online video creator Ernest Acosta loves a challenge — especially when it comes to tattoos. So when Acosta was dared by one of his viewers to get a tattoo of Canadian amateur weather forecaster Frankie MacDonald, it was a no-brainer.

"We're both on the same website, LiveLeak, and I watch his videos," Acosta tells As It Happens host Carol Off. "I've done three tattoo challenges and this is the fourth tattoo challenge that I actually accepted. Once they challenged me to do the Frankie MacDonald, I didn't even hesitate."

MacDonald lives in Whitney Pier, Nova Scotia and he became an online sensation thanks to his enthusiastic weather forecasts. The 31-year-old has autism and so far his weather-related videos have more than 1 million views on LiveLink and more than 12 million views on YouTube.

The image Acosta chose to tattoo is actually a caricature of MacDonald, drawn by Halifax cartoonist Bruce MacKinnon.

​"He's smiling and it shows pretty much how he is," Acosta explains of his choice. "He's the most entertaining weatherman I've ever seen."

MacDonald himself messaged Acosta to tell him how pleased he was with the tattoo.

Frankie MacDonald tattoo reaction

Acosta has approximately 300 tattoos and is very happy with his latest.

"It's probably one of my top five," he says.

(Screen capture)

Here is one of Frankie's most popular videos on YouTube: