Meet a Former CIA Chief of Disguise | Object of Intrigue

Meet a Former CIA Chief of Disguise | Object of Intrigue | Atlas Obscura

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3 жыл бұрын

Meet Jonna Mendez, the former CIA Chief of Disguise (a real job!). During her tenure, Mendez oversaw the equipment used by spies to conceal their identities, including a five-second mask, which had been inspired by Hollywood. The technology, developed over a period of 10 years, allowed for facial movement-and, unlike its cinematic counterparts, which required hours in the makeup chair, it could be put on and removed at a moment’s notice. Listen to Mendez explain the ins and outs of this unique piece of spy technology.
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To learn more about the International Spy Museum's collection of unique objects, visit their website here: www.spymuseum.org/ And a special thanks to Clint Emerson, the owner of this fascinating mask.
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Пікірлер: 350

@carsonpower5948 Жыл бұрын

i was waiting for her to peel her face off to reveal that she was wearing a mask the whole time lol

@johnscanlon2598 8 күн бұрын

Wasted opportunity lol I was thinking the same thing lol

@VanettaMosetta 4 күн бұрын

Haha that would've been good.

@murunbuchstanzangur 3 жыл бұрын

Someone out there is looking at this, and saying that's frank! I fucking knew there was something off about him!

@milkyway-fb9ni 3 жыл бұрын

lmao

@joshuatheargonaut4412 3 жыл бұрын

Well if they are showing us this now , one wonders what they use at present

@Gardenencyclopedia 2 жыл бұрын

Check out Tyler Perry guys look at his eyes 👀

@gustoslapswill 2 жыл бұрын

@@Gardenencyclopedia Could be Will Smith playing him. Look up youtuber Consius X, he has a convincing video on it.

@johnsmalls2972 Жыл бұрын

The Gucci suit 🤣

@amb927 11 күн бұрын

That's for sure!

@Queenmebonnie 6 күн бұрын

Spooky

@benjaminnguyen554 Жыл бұрын

what could be faster than this 5 second mask thing and more realistic!? this gives me goosebumps

@Sabocat 3 жыл бұрын

I wish I could hear Jonna Mendez over the music.

@BreannaMae 3 жыл бұрын

I could hear her just fine.

@deedeeamerica3418 Жыл бұрын

@@wecanttrustanygovernmenttb3352 Relax. Some hearing loss causes ppl to hear higher pitches over everything else. Don't assume everyone is complaining like you're complaining everyone is complaining. This person made a statement and probably doesn't realize she is experiencing hearing loss. Most ppl don't don't realize the subtleties of the process of hearing loss.

@caesar7734 Жыл бұрын

The subtitles for this video are not autogenerated.

@Fanta.... Жыл бұрын

turn your hearing aid up, gramps

@Iamsoul00 Күн бұрын

The music is kinda loud in some parts. It’s at a weird level for an interview. It’s kinda distracting.

@namaste91 3 жыл бұрын

Of course it's Joana Mendez. Legend.

@sevillomatic 3 жыл бұрын

I'm becoming obsessed with her.

@tylerp5093 3 жыл бұрын

She’s pretty cool but why tell everyone who you are and what you did? I’m sure this technology is outdated by now and there is probably some amazing technology but Cold War was harsh i always wonder about assassins and stuff still looking for people hahaha

@Tunechi65 3 жыл бұрын

@@tylerp5093 yeah this is very old if she's allowed to even mention it lol I work on classified aerospace tech and it won't even be used for another decade or so. Whatever you see more or whatever is reveled is outdated --but very cool to the outside world

@wernervonhurtsaug 3 жыл бұрын

@@Tunechi65 uhuh

@speedy4205 3 жыл бұрын

@@wernervonhurtsaug he's not lying im an African prince , i can tell you that there's moon bases on Mars, technology is way ahead of its time bud get with the times

@MrDREWASIDE 3 жыл бұрын

Brilliant detail down to skin pores!

@gigimarino3764 Жыл бұрын

So we really don;;t know who we are looking at anymore on tv

@MrArtVein 3 жыл бұрын

The larger issue is now as an operative they have your actual face mould. Imagine pissing someone off and now someone's committing crimes with your face as blackmail

@albertrenshaw4252 2 жыл бұрын

It would be relatively easy to scan someone's face 'mold' digitally from a distance in this day and age

@thegodofmarch2218 2 жыл бұрын

@@albertrenshaw4252 do it

@HypeRatt Жыл бұрын

@@albertrenshaw4252 yeah but you would have to either gather multiple photos of their face from different angles without any blur or colour changes, it needs to look perfect from every angle; or you can do a 3d scan of their face, although they have to stand still keeping the same expression looking one way while you do it, so unless they know what you're doing, then I highly doubt you can actually capture a good 3d scan of their face, and also once you get the 3d scan, you actually have to create the mask making it as detailed and as close to the original face as possible.

@HypeRatt 11 ай бұрын

@@noartist2694 You mean me specifically or do you mean anyone in general? If it is the second option then you'd have to do what I explained up there 👆. Now with the rise of AI, I am sure this technology is only going to get better over time.

@joaqimkhesser 11 ай бұрын

@@HypeRattpreviously I thought that was the case until I saw how China monitor the public, they use AI to scan people it's relatively easy to scan someone's face and realize who is who even with mask.

@joetheplummer8128 Жыл бұрын

Billy has been using this latex for the Paul McCartney role.

@ZakWolf 3 жыл бұрын

Joanna joined the CIA back in 1970. Before the 1960s, such masks used to only exist in comics and cartoons, for the most part (such as the Looney Tunes, or Batman's disguises.) Then Hollywood and the CGI managed to make them a reality. And today we have impressive silicone rubber masks that cover the head and neck that can be even more realistic and durable than latex. One maker of such masks even had a similar tagline: "Put on a five-hour makeup job in just five seconds!"

@NeglectedField 3 жыл бұрын

We've come leaps and bounds, but it's not as simple as that. You've still got the eye holes to deal with, for starters.

@ZakWolf 3 жыл бұрын

@@NeglectedField That's true. And yet in such cartoons the eyes are often molded right onto the mask and once worn they act like real eyes, complete with eyelids when blinking!

@charlesludwig8672 2 жыл бұрын

Mission Impossible

@ZakWolf 2 жыл бұрын

@@charlesludwig8672 Yes, that was one of the earliest instances of the Age-Old Mask Device appearing in live-action TV, effectively turning it into a cliche. It also began to appear in some live-action movies in the 1960s as well, such as James Bond's "From Russia With Love", or the Fantomas movies from France.

@roughneckwoman20 3 жыл бұрын

I believe wholeheartedly that Joe Biden is not Joseph R Biden you could interrogate me with force I would say the same

@jamesmorris9120 Жыл бұрын

Who do you think he is? lol Seems legit enough to me due to his brain age showing.

@jsmith5443 Жыл бұрын

@@jamesmorris9120 before he was elected "he" debated with Trump, and he looked like a soldier disguised as him.

@lacysyverson2782 Жыл бұрын

Lol

@alphagodvon Жыл бұрын

Facts . There’s plenty of videos exposing Biden & others on live tv with fake mask on. The scary party is who is really behind the mask.

@pattysarver7003 Жыл бұрын

@Pike Fish God I wish!!

@Whisky_Tango_Foxtrot-jc5uq 3 жыл бұрын

This job sounds like a hell of a lot of fun.

@mortalclown3812 9 ай бұрын

Unless I was responsible for another person's safety in potentially deadly circumstances. Then, I'm not sure how much fun I'd be having.

@mandybellep230 2 жыл бұрын

That are cloning now no worries 👍🏻

@krustserver 2 жыл бұрын

Wtf where is the demonstration? I was looking forward to it!

@jackmomma7481 3 жыл бұрын

At 0:05 ... they just spilled the beans that Ringo Starr... isn't. He's just a rubber Scooby-Doo mask

@oglowkey9532 Жыл бұрын

And this is what I mean by them celebrities are CLONED, other people are playing that character with a mask

@Enochulate88 Жыл бұрын

Biden is the masked up one

@anengineer8810 Жыл бұрын

This was a very insightful video! Loved it!

@madaug5101 3 жыл бұрын

This is absolutely amazing. Thank you.

@edwardcheves9106 2 жыл бұрын

Funny how they never showed those masks in use...

@peterdegraff1506 3 жыл бұрын

Great rhythmic background "music" BUT WE CAN'T HEAR THE SPEAKER!!!!!

@akairborne 3 жыл бұрын

WHAT???? I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!!!

@jackmomma7481 3 жыл бұрын

Speed it up... and you get something that sounds like Morse code

@diamondyolo9010 3 жыл бұрын

Stunning!

@marywangen4696 3 жыл бұрын

Cool info Annoyingly unnecessary music

@getsmarty7603 9 ай бұрын

It would've been epic if she pulled a mask off at the end to reveal David Attenburrough and continued on in a monkey documentary.

@girlbye4233 3 жыл бұрын

Imagine the disguises aliens have.

@Eggpicker Жыл бұрын

roger from american dad lol

@Cru16saders Жыл бұрын

More easier

@phantom2k10 10 ай бұрын

It Is known amongst many,that these beings not just wear masks,but whole costumes to disguise their true self.

@rosannechandler1496 10 ай бұрын

I think you mean the people disguised as aliens?

@Jaclyn_Zen 10 ай бұрын

Demons*

@ronferderer9088 6 ай бұрын

The Mission Impossible tv series used masks like these. E Howard Hunt claimed the series was accurate. That was nearly 60 years ago.

@angellacanfora 3 жыл бұрын

My kingdom for a video without loud background music behind the speaker! Ugh.

@theboredfella9429 3 жыл бұрын

hare u deaf?

@tyronbrannon9429 3 жыл бұрын

Thx for telling the public this and destroying my life

@catounet58 2 жыл бұрын

Incrédible ! Thats explain our President in France too ! The fourth one he seems to be. One thing you can't imitate : eye expression.

@kathleenmwasik1647 2 жыл бұрын

This is incredible, and has a scary amount of potential to do harm to citizens, and of course the same potential to do good.

@toby9754 Жыл бұрын

That's exactly what I was thinking. Could you imagine if they figured out a way to change their voice as well. WOW 🥸

@Scrapla1 Жыл бұрын

Like how they control our social media and major new networks?

@CHoskinsBurks Жыл бұрын

Oh I know they have. This is not just so called foreign affairs it was used on us more so.

@3luckydog Жыл бұрын

What good comes from wearing a disguise?

@chantestephens Жыл бұрын

@@toby9754 they can alter their voices actually thousands have. None of who you’ve seen are real.

@1Nida Жыл бұрын

Ok, this is super cool!

@LovenArtiste 3 ай бұрын

I was hoping, at the end, she’d reveal she was wearing a mask the whole time.

@helenblake9811 3 ай бұрын

I think this is so interesting. What a cool job.

@jestergnome4717 2 жыл бұрын

I wonder what disguise capabilities they have now.

@alextaylor8776 8 ай бұрын

Joe Biden?

@alphabetaxenonzzzcat Жыл бұрын

What are they doing now? Advanced holograms - possibly, although I think the fact they would have to be powered probably makes them a bit unsuitable for fieldwork. More advanced masks - very similar to the Mission Impossible ones is more feasible, and also with some sort of voice synthesiser to imitate a person's voice.

@Mario_N64 7 ай бұрын

Cloaking devices.

@ethnicalbert Жыл бұрын

I like their Ringo mask. Good choice

@sheilabowers3091 3 жыл бұрын

That's some crazy wicked shit !!!

@JZ2001JC Жыл бұрын

The eyes give it away if you look closely. You can't make eyelids in these masks because no way could you control them blinking.

@em84c Жыл бұрын

That's why they wore sunglasses

@ladietq26 Жыл бұрын

@@em84c today I’d say “wear”. Never thought if this!!!

@rickydiggler7950 Жыл бұрын

@@em84c lol exactly

@bjrock1235 10 ай бұрын

You could also use makeup to cover it up I think

@greyc8589 8 ай бұрын

You probably could with a little sticky tape or something.

@lesp315 2 жыл бұрын

Very cool.

@mikewood3309 3 жыл бұрын

Can I get the music score to that piece? .... Mendez is a very intriguing woman.

@matthewdavis3125 Жыл бұрын

Wait but like for real! What does the CIA use now?!!! Freakin nano tech or something?!!

@Dyno08 12 күн бұрын

When they share any sort of technology they’re working on to the public, it’s about 10-15 years behind what they are capable of. This is coming from a family member that worked for a 3 letter agency

@mr80smike 11 ай бұрын

That's answers a lot of questions

@gimduncan1240 Жыл бұрын

We brought them back to our lab and showed them...they were blown away . To think she is proud pfft.

@therapist-932 3 жыл бұрын

Peace and Love

@justrelax1539 3 жыл бұрын

I'm only here because she fooled the panel TWICE on To Tell The Truth

@nickyborrisino 3 жыл бұрын

Hans Gruber. Nice to meet you.

@kirkmckim2685 2 жыл бұрын

Our current president.

@kiradelarochefoucauld7499 2 жыл бұрын

100%

@witchy-wonderland1416 2 жыл бұрын

YOUR COVER IS BLOWN! 2:15 (honeycomb hair lips)

@laurenchatman714 3 жыл бұрын

How do they attach to the lips effectively.

@MTvounomayoraph9624 3 жыл бұрын

This was used in mission: impossible

@juniorcesarneto246 Жыл бұрын

Perfeito

@catherinebourdon8258 8 ай бұрын

Mendez says, "So what are they doing now?" I cant help but wonder how many nefarious acts have been used with this technology. How many people illegally impersonated. And why? If it can be used for agents, whose to say it cannot or has not been used for govt officials?

@ronboerste1813 Жыл бұрын

And who says the CIA isn't creepy👽👌🍻

@joeysustello 10 ай бұрын

The Creepy intelligence authority

@biglollol 3 жыл бұрын

No doubt you could prolly put it on in less than a minute. But I'm sure it would require at least 15 minutes to have it sit properly. The holes have to be skintight in order to not make it obvious that it's a mask. The mouth has to be sticking on the lips as well.

@patricksanders858 3 жыл бұрын

Wait...I know that face! Damn!

@HorribleHomeVideo 3 жыл бұрын

at the end of the video she should of pulled off that mask revealing she is someone else

@Seissmo 2 жыл бұрын

Crazy.

@Frontlineinvestigation71 3 жыл бұрын

The music tho

@arklinmike 8 ай бұрын

It really doesn't matter what their disguise is - you can't keep them from screwing around with their smart phones, and they don't know how to act normal around real people.

@ReeseTVMusic 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, but do you have energico?

@melissastorey5868 3 жыл бұрын

@Conscious x

@theveganismhotline9930 2 жыл бұрын

I saw this mask in person

@ImGoingSupersonic 3 күн бұрын

WHEN & WHERE, were they used.

@BInscrutable 3 жыл бұрын

as if you didn't show the mask being worn by a person so the audience can see how good it looks as a disguise.

@timapple6586 3 жыл бұрын

It was a custom fit from many years ago, I think? Maybe the original wearer's identity is still secret, maybe his/her face has changed over the years, or maybe they're otherwise unavailable for, um, 'medical reasons'? (I was thinking death, not Covid)

@pryingopenmythirdeye1830 Жыл бұрын

@@timapple6586 10 likes on your comment is an example of how ignorant the sheep are.

@pryingopenmythirdeye1830 Жыл бұрын

@@timapple6586 your comment don't make sense and the sense that it does make don't makes sense

@craigrussell3062 Жыл бұрын

@@pryingopenmythirdeye1830 If you watched the video, it says the only way the technology works is if the inside of the mask is made from a mould of the wearer's face. "Each mask only fits one person." Since these are specific masks used in old CIA operations, the only way to show how realistic they look would be to bring in the spy who originally used this mask on a mission; you couldn't just have a random volunteer from the museum do it, because the mask wouldn't conform exactly to their face.

@mortalclown3812 9 ай бұрын

@@craigrussell3062 The variations of Dunning-Kruger effect in comment sections is flabbergasting.

@sneadh1 3 жыл бұрын

Mission Impossible! What is under Mike Pence's mask?

@na-dm6jb 9 ай бұрын

The twist is she is wearing a mask 😊

@Tonymontana_420 3 жыл бұрын

She’s wearing a mask in this interview

@marshutch3931 9 ай бұрын

I wonder how many masks were worn on Jan 6

@toby9754 Жыл бұрын

Can you imagine waking up in a 5150 hospital with all your friends and family wearing these masks. WOW ,🥸🥸🥸🥸🥸🥸🥸🥸🥸🥸🥸🕷️WOW

@MyDigitalCult 11 ай бұрын

at that point, it’s You and The Most High. trust nobody. iykyk.

@andy347 3 жыл бұрын

Hey, I saw that guy! And to think it was just a mask....

@daltonwallace226 2 жыл бұрын

Oooooooh!🤔 I think she knows!!!!🤔🤔🤔

@jubjub8028 3 жыл бұрын

That explains Biden and Pelosi. And all the other wierd looking politicians and celebrities.

@31emxof 2 жыл бұрын

McConnell is a good example of what happens when you don't take care of your mask and do lazy things like leave it on the dashboard on a sunny day.

@Princetokio 2 жыл бұрын

@@31emxof loool. They are goofies

@TheChadTI Жыл бұрын

Abso-Lutely

@jayduck15jayduck89 Жыл бұрын

Spot on 💯💯

@deerwolfunlimited Жыл бұрын

Took the words right out of my mouth.

@tomverseUK 3 жыл бұрын

Ringo Starr?

@bitbouqet3302 3 жыл бұрын

All I've got is a photograph.

@jackmomma7481 3 жыл бұрын

Holy fuck!!! I thought the same thing and left a comment before I saw this. Well... there's the truth... Ringo Starr is a rubber mask. And that makes me question John Lennon's "death" now

@DDBAA24 Жыл бұрын

Huge fan ,,,,, eyelids though ? I've watched these videos over several times but I never noticed until now. What if you BLINK !?

@nedtheproducer5777 3 жыл бұрын

Talked about the mask for 4 minutes straight and didn’t even get to see her with it on

@ozarkman1478 2 жыл бұрын

She had one on. !

@faustteufel9727 Жыл бұрын

Spooksville U.S.A.

@snoodlegirl1794 Күн бұрын

Is that mask ringo star?

@PersonalViews444 2 жыл бұрын

Scooby doo always showed that monsters were alwaya human

@declanmylett811 3 жыл бұрын

John Chambers was my cousin!

@pixelander 2 жыл бұрын

Has anybody put on the mask?

@ChandraNYC 3 жыл бұрын

All that work... but, the lace under the moustache is glaringly obvious!?! 🤔

@wizardking462 3 жыл бұрын

yeah but the mask is probably like 30 years old

@oldmanfromscenetwentyfour8164 3 жыл бұрын

These masks weren't meant for face to face encounters but as a means of eluding capture or discovery in crowded places.

@Stickystuck8 5 ай бұрын

She could be wearing a mask to cover up her real identity right now.

@awesome1ru Жыл бұрын

Show us the trick

@bunreachtde-jureConstitution. 2 жыл бұрын

So what Pollititons are wearing them when the real ones are in the bunkers

@auwz66 Жыл бұрын

Thats actually Tom Cruise in a Jonna Mendez mask...

@robertmarfeojr9278 Жыл бұрын

I had that mask....

@user-nq4hw5eb9d 2 жыл бұрын

That’s where all those creepy “men in black” experiences came from.

@user-zu8co4dp4d 3 ай бұрын

The fact that they are showing her face. Oh wait...or is it?!!

@jacobbaranowski 3 жыл бұрын

Looks like Mission Impossible

@Chezeborger 11 ай бұрын

That medic is a spy!

@Joen_Reban 3 жыл бұрын

What if she is in disguised...

@NeglectedField 3 жыл бұрын

Whilst this is impressive, not to spoil anyone's fun but to those thinking this is "like Mission Impossible", well...no. Nor will it ever be close to perfect, nothing this convenient that comes on and off in seconds, at least. This is the sort of thing that might work if the guy's wearing shades in the back of a taxi or needs to slip through a crowd unnoticed. Up close, there's still gonna be the issue of the eye holes (especially if the guy isn't wearing glasses and natural skin tone differs from the mask). And the extent to which facial expressions are possible without adhesive, which takes time to apply. Even the sort of Hollywood character full-face human disguise makeups that take hours to apply look a little Uncanny Valley or 'off' up close, mainly because building on an existing face with latex etc to make a totally different yet plausible human phenotype is nigh on impossible - and for example if your agent has a big nose, you gotta build an even bigger nose on top of that; you can't disguise him as having a small nose. All in all, I'd be surprised if the most astute of people wouldn't be able to clock this stuff up close. Then again, I don't know what the guy who this mask was made for looks like, nor am I in the CIA or a professional FX artist, so whaddo I know? *shrug*

@nickoftime5759 2 жыл бұрын

I’d point out that in “Mission: Impossible 2”, it’s implicitly stated that agents are chosen for disguise operations based on their own facial structures already closely matching the intended target.

@NeglectedField 2 жыл бұрын

@@nickoftime5759 Okay, a good detail to include but still farfetched on many other grounds when it comes to traversing Uncanny Valley in real life, especially if we're talking disguising someone as an existing person. Anyone who's so much as met that other person before is gonna clock it pretty much instantly.

@nickoftime5759 2 жыл бұрын

@@NeglectedField you’re not wrong. I will say though that the mask technology discussed in the video however is like 30 years old. I’m quite sure they’ve gotten better in that time.

@iAnasazi Жыл бұрын

"It will never be perfect, I tell ya!" "whaddo I know?" Pick one.

@lisaariottiart Жыл бұрын

Nano technology and silicone combined with the general dumbing down of humanity may eventually enable us to cross the valley of doubt.

@nunnyeh 22 сағат бұрын

They use a Tom Cruise mask to make you think that there's something bigger going on Matrix alert

@thegrigs777 2 жыл бұрын

But the government would only EVER use this for good...lololololl

@OldSchoolVibes1978 Жыл бұрын

Paul McCartney

@nolanduarte 3 жыл бұрын

Interesting nose choice

@worldview3182 3 жыл бұрын

They don’t even show the mask on anybody’s face !

@stu1002 10 ай бұрын

Interesting she mentions latex, because Silicone is a vastly superior material for this...

@Dreadpirateflappy 4 ай бұрын

This was 30 years ago... of course they have better materials now.

@paul1010hotmailcom 3 жыл бұрын

Why is the audio so terrible? Is she trying to disguise her voice?

@krissy7342 3 жыл бұрын

I've watched many, many videos of her. It's my understanding that this is her real voice. She's 74/75 years old now and her voice is a bit raspy. The music is overpowering though.