It sounds like a fairytale. But some people are really reporting gnome sightings in Utah.
What is a gnome? If you ask the Cambridge Dictionary, it will tell you that a gnome is “an imaginary, very small, old man with a beard and a pointed hat, in traditional children’s stories.”
However, some people take umbrage with the idea that they are imaginary. These people claim that gnomes and other supernatural phenomena are as real as you and me. Not only that, but they say there have been gnome sightings in Utah.
So, are people really seeing gnomes in Utah?
What’s Going On With Utah Gnome Sightings?
In a video from March of this year, TikTok user Jason Klaiber (@jay_klay) announced with disbelief that people in Utah claimed to be seeing gnomes.
“There have been people coming forward out of Utah claiming to have seen gnomes in their backyard,” he states. “More specifically, a woman came forward and said she and her husband and her son, who’s almost 13, have been seeing gnome sightings in their backyard.”
Klaiber continues by saying that the gnome-spotter may have encountered a “duende,” which he identifies as “mischievous little elves that will steal children, cut off children’s toes, abduct children.”
Klaiber further notes that he’s not encouraging people to believe in gnomes. Rather, he’s simply wondering whether other users have also “went down the gnome rabbit hole.”
Gnome Stories Gain Traction Once More
The story to which Klaiber is referring is likely one from a now-deleted TikTok account run by a woman named Chrissy.
In her videos, the first of which has been reposted here, she claims that her husband and son spotted a gnome in their backyard. They then tried to coax the gnome out with a soccer ball and pennies.
Since these videos were posted in March, news about the Utah gnomes has mostly subsided—until a recent video brought them to the fore once more.
Reposting Klaiber’s video, TikToker @ramirezppchles garnered over 62 thousand views by adding two new clips to the video that purport to show gnomes in the real world.
Commenters Are Ready To Believe
Quickly, the comments section of both videos filled with people excited about the possibility of living alongside gnomes.
“Oh yeah. There are gnome sightings in California too. Like for decades,” wrote a user.
“Mermaids, gnomes, looks like we’re starting to see beyond the veil,” added another. “I’m ready for unicorns to show up now.”
“This has been a thing for a long time in Utah. My cousin would see them all the time in Provo Utah. And this was 11+ years ago,” alleged a third. “He’d come running inside scared bcs he’d see them in our yard.”
@jay_klay I don’t know what timeline we shifted to today, but this story is fascinating.. #weirdstories #supernatural #aliens #gnome #gnometok #wearenotalone #elves #duendes #interdimensionalbeing #fokelore
@ramirezppchles I don’t know what timeline we shifted to today, but this story is fascinating.. #weirdstories #supernatural #aliens #gnome #gnometok
Are These Videos Real?
In short, no.
To start, we have no confirmation that anything like a gnome or duende actually exists. While many cultures have stories about similar creatures, the evidence for their real-life existence is substantially lacking.
Second, the two videos shared by @ramirezppchles are fake.
The first video, which purports to show a gnome, is generated by artificial intelligence. This is marked on the original post of the video. However, one can also determine it easily from viewing the video itself.
For example, at the beginning of the video, a bird accompanies the gnome. The bird soon disappears, which is a sign of AI generation.
Not only that, but the foliage around the gnome doesn’t seem to react to it. If one watches carefully, the plants move before the gnome reaches them. Poor physics is another marker of AI-generated content.
What About The Tree Gnome?
The second video, which appears to show a fairy in a tree, is also fake.
The clip has been floating around for over a year. Sometimes, people will claim that the clip was recorded during a live stream. Other times, the video is simply presented as a man filming some tree creatures.
Regardless, the tree gnome is not real. If one looks closely, it becomes clear that the little creature is too smooth and its movements too rigid to be natural. Additionally, its lighting doesn’t match with the scene around it, and it doesn’t fully line up with camera movement. In summary, it was likely simply added in post by a special effects artist.
While there’s much of this world that we still don’t know about, it’s safe to say that you don’t have to worry about gnomes—at least, as far as we know.
BroBible reached out to Klaiber via TikTok and Instagram direct message as well as to @ramirezppchles via TikTok direct message and comment.