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Why This Man Believed He Was Batman

CC | tv-pg
What makes someone not only wish to be a fictional character but also go as far as to assume that identity?

In 1988, The Oprah Winfrey Show explored exactly that. Oprah interviewed various individuals—including the famed Dr. Patch Adams—who lived their lives in part or in full as the fictional characters they most revered.

One guest, Fernando Fontanez, truly thought he was Batman, and devoted himself to the cause of preventing violence on the streets.

"What makes you think you're Batman?" Oprah said.

Fernando recounted the injustices he had experienced at the hands of bullies, adding, "I was always growing up in the streets thinking, 'When am I going to get big enough to go after these guys?'"