# I challenge you to find a bigger WTF than this WTF. Ladies and Gentlemen I give you the Tree Man **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 18, 2009, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712 "2009-12-18T04:05:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/1 "2009-12-18T04:05:10Z")
[Scroll through the pictures](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/6818324/Tree-man-new-pictures-Dede-Koswara-continues-treatment-in-Indonesia.html). Warning: You’ll need a bucket full of eye bleach, and another to yak into. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/2 "2009-12-18T04:14:45Z")
Summary for those too afraid to click from work? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/3 "2009-12-18T04:19:25Z")
Dude has a immune system disorder and a serious case of warts, resulting in growths on his legs, arms, hands and feet that look like branches. There has been an ongoing struggle to treat them. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/4 "2009-12-18T04:22:20Z")
Haven’t we done this before? I’m talking years. But yes, it’s disturbing as hell. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/5 "2009-12-18T04:23:56Z")
> [@](#): > > Due to a rare genetic problem with Dede’s immune system he has been unable to fight the HPV infection or Human Papilloma Virus causing his body to produce tree-like warts mostly on his arms and legs And they do mean “tree-like” - the warts, which are very extensive, look like wood growing out of his skin. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/6 "2009-12-18T04:25:54Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > Summary for those too afraid to click from work? Sorry, didn’t mean to square you. But FWIW I wouldn’t have linked directly to NSFW content. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/7 "2009-12-18T04:29:15Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > Haven’t we done this before? I’m talking years. > > But yes, it’s disturbing as hell. I thought this sounded familiar. ---
**Author:** ![keturah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e95f7d/32.png) [@keturah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keturah)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/8 "2009-12-18T04:40:58Z")
I can’t put my finger on it, but I feel like there is some irony in the fact that you require eye bleach and something to yak in when looking at pictures of a person with an immune disorder, yet you intentionally lived in a hovel that was so full of revolting crap that you had to hire professional cleaners to clear it. One would think that you would be a bit more sympathetic. ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/9 "2009-12-18T05:06:06Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > [Scroll through the pictures](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/6818324/Tree-man-new-pictures-Dede-Koswara-continues-treatment-in-Indonesia.html). Warning: You’ll need a bucket full of eye bleach, and another to yak into. Or simply a modicum of intestinal fortitude. Seriously… ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/10 "2009-12-18T05:16:52Z")
That’s as good an argument for the HPV vaccine as I’ve ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/11 "2009-12-18T05:56:26Z")
> [@Shmendrik](#): > > Or simply a modicum of intestinal fortitude. Seriously… A lot of people find illnesses to be gross. It doesn’t help that this guy looks human, but has certain non-human features. It could easily cross into uncanny valley for some people. And it just goes to show that different people are grossed out by different things. And **lissener** ’s apparent past shows that being able to handle one thing that is generally perceived as gross does not guarantee the ability to handle another. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/12 "2009-12-18T06:28:54Z")
“Treeman” has since been successfully treated. There are multi-part videos on him on Youtube showing his progress. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/13 "2009-12-18T06:46:33Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > “Treeman” has since been successfully treated… Actually, his warts keep coming back, requiring repeated surgeries. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/14 "2009-12-18T11:27:13Z")
This is tree man two that has been an internet hit for a while. The good thing is he didn’t get as bad as tree man one. ---
**Author:** ![mecaenas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/91b2a8/32.png) [@mecaenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mecaenas)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/15 "2009-12-18T12:33:08Z")
He looks great now compared to what he looked like before. ---
**Author:** ![mecaenas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/91b2a8/32.png) [@mecaenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mecaenas)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/16 "2009-12-18T12:34:14Z")
Point being that if you think it’s gross now, you should have seen him when they [first found him](http://www.misterseed.com/images/treeMAN.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/17 "2009-12-18T12:48:49Z")
> [@keturah](#): > > I can’t put my finger on it, but I feel like there is some irony in the fact that you require eye bleach and something to yak in when looking at pictures of a person with an immune disorder, yet you intentionally lived in a hovel that was so full of revolting crap that you had to hire professional cleaners to clear it. One would think that you would be a bit more sympathetic. It’s not really necessary to drag in other stuff and make personal remarks about the OP. Don’t do this again. twickster, MPSIMS moderator ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/18 "2009-12-18T12:53:03Z")
> [@mecaenas](#): > > Point being that if you think it’s gross now, you should have seen him when they [first found him](http://www.misterseed.com/images/treeMAN.jpg). What’s amazing about that picture is that if it weren’t for the tree stuff, he looks like he could have come right out of a GAP advertisement. Seriously - the blue GAP shirt, the crisp white slacks, the long flowing hair - and he’s obviously a pretty handsome guy, underneath the growths on his face. If you completely removed all of the stuff growing on him, that photo, complete with the weathered-looking bench he’s sitting on, could be on a page of the GAP catalog. ---
**Author:** ![mecaenas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/91b2a8/32.png) [@mecaenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mecaenas)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/19 "2009-12-18T13:01:37Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > What’s amazing about that picture is that if it weren’t for the tree stuff, he looks like he could have come right out of a GAP advertisement. Seriously - the blue GAP shirt, the crisp white slacks, the long flowing hair - and he’s obviously a pretty handsome guy, underneath the growths on his face. If you completely removed all of the stuff growing on him, that photo, complete with the weathered-looking bench he’s sitting on, could be on a page of the GAP catalog. Huh? ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712/20 "2009-12-18T13:08:58Z")
Huh what? I took time to write out a paragraph, so responding to it with three letters is a big pain in the ass to me. If you have something to say, say it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-challenge-you-to-find-a-bigger-wtf-than-this-wtf-ladies-and-gentlemen-i-give-you-the-tree-man/521712.md?page=2)