On a recent Saturday night, I got lost in a SoundCloud, shuffling from one fluffy mp3 to the next: A “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”/”Black Skinhead” mashup, into an acid-jazz Seinfeld meme theme song, and then a “family friendly” version of “Boss Ass Bitch.”

By the time I’d arrived at “Gangnam Style” reimagined as a 50-second standup bit, I’d reconsidered and mourned several forms of popular music, and realized we’ve come to a point where there’s a “weird” parallel for nearly every form of social media.  

Much like Weird Twitter and that weird part of YouTube, there’s a Weird SoundCloud.

The Berlin-based SoundCloud initially existed as a platform for artists to exchange and collaborate on recordings, but in the last couple years, its utility has shifted. Last month, Angel Haze used it to drop a bomb on her record label.

Kevin Wang used it to create the “best drops ever” collection, a series of EDM buildups abruptly severed by completely disparate samples. It was all about killing the anticipation.

“I would say [weird SoundCloud has] been around in the last one to two years,” Wang explains. “More so in the last year, however, as the EDM blogs have picked up more on and more on quality tracks.”

And those blogs can provide material to build upon or rip up. There are the mashup and parody artists; those disrupting the flow of popular music, like DJ Detweiler’s “flutedrop” version of “Wrecking Ball” and Shaliek’s marriage of Bruno Mars and Korn. 

Much of weird SoundCloud has to do with an in-joke, and many tag themselves as “SoundClowns.” This clip gives a bit of perspective on what a night on weird SoundCloud includes:

Then there’s the curious Macklecore meme, which consists strictly of Macklemore mashups. There are two compilations dedicated to these mutant creations, as well as several reimaginings of “Thrift Shop,” like this nearly screwed-and-chopped “nightcore 1989” version. Here’s a song splicing Macklemore with “Macarena” for good measure. It’s actually an improvement:

The song’s creator, Ideaot, says Macklemore is “just funny,” and he describes SoundCloud almost like a micro-social network:

“I think the scene is largely just people who are friends with each other. I'm only friends with a few users on there, but then some of them are friends with other users. Also, I'd say a lot of the current users were also active in the YouTube Poop community”—referring to a trend of purposefully annoying video mashups—"a few years ago. I made most of my SoundCloud friends on Twitter.”

Ideaot explains weird SoundCloud sprung from Weird Twitter, but that it’s “not really a subculture, it's just another in-joke.” He adds that the “SoundClown” tag was likely made up by a fellow named Dicksoak, who’s responsible for the excellent sub-subgenre “Biggiewave,” which samples the Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready to Die.

And while not everyone’s a DJ on the weird SoundCloud, there is a certain stance.

“I think that many of the sounds people are putting up are in fact a critique of EDM culture, especially recently,” he says. “Personally, I think that most EDM is just too unoriginal. ‘Animals’ [by Martin Garrix] was one of the biggest hits of 2013, and it's super generic. A lot of things are just uploaded because they sound funny, though. I think that's the reason people use [the] Death Grips song so much.

“Also, I think Skrillex is more of an inside joke than anything since he's like a go-to electronic non-music ‘this sounds like someone puking’ musician for everyone on the planet.”

Angular, white DJs like Martin Garrix, Skrillex, and Avicii are fair game in the Cloud, and there are a lot of music-nerd revelations, like that Boards of Canada and Super Mario Brothers actually go together.

Weird SoundCloud is a very young, mostly male place, populated with users who’ve possibly only known life with an Internet connection. Much of it is deconstructing and reshaping memes and popular music, recontextualizing the sacred texts of millennial chat rooms.

It’s an in-joke looping forever, and it’s easy to get lost in the loop.

Illustration by Jason Reed

Last year’s most disturbing viral video was Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, a stop-motion animation that combined a children’s TV aesthetic with the ominous mood of a David Lynch movie.

If the Fine Bros’ Kids React and YouTubers React videos are anything to go by, it was way creepier viewing for adults than for kids. And since then, its nonsensical children’s TV-style artistic advice, “Green is not a creative color,” has become something of a Weird Tumblr catchphrase.

The new sequel video, Time, takes a similarly weird tone, with the puppet characters listening to an animated clock sing a song about the passage of time. It starts off like Sesame Street, but, well... we wouldn’t want to spoil the ending. 

Yes, perfect for teaching your children about existential dread and the horrors of mortality. 

The creators of Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared and Time are a pair of British artists named Becky Sloan and Joseph Pelling. The first video screened at the sundance Film Festival and won a short film award at South by Southwest. 

In other words, not your typical viral YouTube fare. Not that that stopped it from going viral, though: Don’t Hug Me has been viewed more than 13 million times.

Screengrab via YouTube

Every year, when the Coachella lineup is announced, there’s an outcry. Earlier this week, it was revealed that rap duo OutKast would be reuniting and headlining the April festival. And then it was revealed that a lot of people don’t know who OutKast is.

The Tumblr Who Is OutKast? has been collecting some of the more oblivious responses. As Coachella’s demo gets younger and younger, the gap between generations becomes more apparent. Remember when Jimmy Kimmel sent a reporter to Coachella to ask about fake bands, and nearly everyone took the bait? Remember in 2011, when people were tweeting about not knowing who Arcade Fire was?

i'm only going to coachella for lorde and ellie goulding... i mean why is outkast headlining and who is muse? i hate 80's music...

— carloS Santolalla (@carloSantolalla) January 10, 2014

There’s also been a strong response to the people who are willfully ignorant of OutKast’s musical legacy beyond that “shake it like a Polaroid” song. It’s olds versus youngs on Twitter.

ok if you don’t know who Outkast is i honestly can not and will not hang out with you ever

— DJ Catalyst (@djcatalyst) January 10, 2014

IDC. There is NO excuse for not knowing who Outkast is, not when they're still doing guest verses, dropping solo albums, etc. #GetOffMyLawn

— ANNA ⚓ JOHN (@suitablegirl) January 10, 2014

That 'Who Is Outkast?' link I posted last night was tough to read. They were so important to me growing up & the new generation is clueless!

— DJ OBSCENE (@DJOBSCENE) January 10, 2014

Of course, this happens with every generation. But seriously, have you seen the Coachella lineup? Who is Duck Sauce? There’s a band called The Internet? #whoistheinternet?

The Who Is OutKast? Tumblr is taking submissions. if you see something, say something.

Image via Tulane Public Relations/Flickr

Laugh it up, fuzzball.

Earlier this week, Peter Mayhew, the actor best known for playing Chewbacca in the original Star Wars trilogy, treated his Twitter followers to a series of rare photographs from the set of A New Hope. The pictures offer an uncanny look at the elaborate costumes, set pieces, matte paintings, and bushy 1970s haircuts that all went into the making of George Lucas's first masterpiece.

We've compiled together some of the more memorable images, starting with Han Solo and his trusty gun. Hopefully, he doesn't shoot first this time.

We all go a little crazy, sometimes. pic.twitter.com/TJpxRk9YaG

— Peter Mayhew (@TheWookieeRoars) January 10, 2014

Gary Kurtz, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Irvin Kershner pic.twitter.com/6Vl7h6CyOE

— Peter Mayhew (@TheWookieeRoars) January 10, 2014

Celebrating Sir Alec Guinness's birthday in Southern Tunisia. April 2nd, 1977 I believe. pic.twitter.com/hjgx7FK4yK

— Peter Mayhew (@TheWookieeRoars) January 10, 2014

The Falcon fixing to dive into the Asteriod belt. pic.twitter.com/GTun8a08Fz

— Peter Mayhew (@TheWookieeRoars) January 10, 2014

I love this picture. Stuart Freeborn and Yoda having their makeup done by Irvin. pic.twitter.com/OsRfP7866O

— Peter Mayhew (@TheWookieeRoars) January 10, 2014

Anthony getting relief from the blazing sun. pic.twitter.com/JLQDdjicCx

— Peter Mayhew (@TheWookieeRoars) January 10, 2014

Ok, you lot really like pics of a certain princess! Here's one of Carrie and her stunt double. You're Welcome. pic.twitter.com/CmHYPPvIpM

— Peter Mayhew (@TheWookieeRoars) January 8, 2014

Some of the incredible matte painting that were used in the film. Such amazing talent! pic.twitter.com/GAJmnyZ1Mu

— Peter Mayhew (@TheWookieeRoars) January 10, 2014

Yup, this is how it was done a long time ago, in... pic.twitter.com/Prhcj4DY6l

— Peter Mayhew (@TheWookieeRoars) January 8, 2014

Sometimes the pressure of performing weighed heavy. Should I say "AWWWROOO" or "AARRAGH-ROOO? pic.twitter.com/dZPK1hZf9d

— Peter Mayhew (@TheWookieeRoars) January 8, 2014

H/T Uproxx | Photo via Peter Mayhew/Twitter

The 71st annual Golden Globes air this Sunday at 8pm EST. The thing everyone wants to know (besides how precisely Jennifer Lawrence and returning co-hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will continue to charm her way into our hearts) is who is going to win. Will Breaking Bad finally pick up a Best Drama-TV Globe for its last season? Which Christmas-release period piece about greed will triumph for Best Comedy or Musical-Film, American Hustle or The Wolf of Wall Street?

I looked at Google Trends and Twitter analytics service Topsy to see who the frontrunners are, according to the Internet hype machine.  

Best Actress, Comedy or Musical-Film

Amy Adams, American Hustle or Meryl Streep, August: Osage County

Adams surpassed Streep on Google Trends, but Streep definitely gets more Twitter love.

Best Actress, Drama-Film

Sandra Bullock, Gravity

Sandra Bullock is by far the most searched-for actress on this list, and considering Kate Winslet is in second and the movie she’s nominated for, Labor Day, isn’t getting very good reviews, it looks like Sandra will win handily (even though the dialogue in Gravity was extractable.)

Best Actor, Comedy or Musical-Film

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street

Leo is way out front on this one, with Christian Bale in second. Google Trends tells me that, at one point, Bale and Joaquin Phoenix were searched for almost the exact same amount, and a lot more than Leo, back in 2009 (when Joaquin was pretending to be a crazy person and The Dark Knight was the thing). Google apparently liked the controversy-courting Phoenix better. And Twitter is all about DiCaprio over the past month.

Best Actor, Drama-Film

Tom Hanks, Saving Mr. Banks

Woah, Tom Hanks is ridiculously popular. He beats everyone by a county mile. That’s too bad, because he’s far from the most deserving actor on this list for the award this year.

Best Director-Film

Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave

McQueen dominates this section, although Alfonso Cuaron makes a good showing on Twitter and David O. Russell holds his own on Google Trends. I’m honestly a little surprised at Russell’s lack of Twitter gravitas, considering how legendarily weird his film sets are. 

Best Comedy-TV

The Big Bang Theory

People really digThe Big Bang Theory. It’s leagues ahead of everything else on Google Trends. Even on Twitter, the wholesome sitcom about big old nerds is beating HBO’s much-blogged-about Girls.

Best Drama-TV

Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad may have never won a Golden Globe, but it’s way ahead of its competitors when it comes to Internet buzz. Even though it’s been off the air for months, people are still talking about Breaking Bad on Twitter more than Downton Abbey, although the period drama about rich Brits briefly eclipsed the meth masterpiece a few weeks ago, around its season premiere.

Best Drama-Film

Gravity

Gravity’s buzziest period is over, but it’s still attracting more interest than the other contenders. 12 Years a Slave makes a good showing (and IMO is a much better movie).

Comparing 12 Years a Slave and Gravity on Topsy, Gravity comes out on top again.

Best Comedy or Musical-Film

The Wolf of Wall Street

The Wolf of Wall Street takes this category, with American Hustle in second and everything else left trailing these two tales of American greed, according to Google Trends. Topsy shows a closer race with Her, as it has eclipsed American Hustle in Twitter buzz over the past week. It should be a close one.

So what can we learn from asking Google and Twitter? First of all, Google popularity doesn’t necessarily equal critical acclaim. Tom Hanks is an American treasure, sure, but does anyone think his performance topped Chiwetel Ejiofor’s star-maker turn in 12 Years a Slave?

No one. Well, maybe a few people at the academy.

Google Trends is ultimately not the best way to predict the Globe winners but… it’s not the worst way. Coupled with the insights from Twitter, I’d say about half of these will turn out correct, which isn’t a terrible average. I suppose we’ll have to wait until the awards to know for sure.

Photo via American Hustle

The Golden Globes are today, and that means that awards season is officially upon us! While the rest of America is suffering from arctic temperature drops, Los Angeles is being heated by thousands of kilowatts of solar energy being exuded by the gargantuan fake smiles plastered across the faces of anyone currently campaigning for a gilded statue.

While your recluse friends who have seen Nebraska three times already thank you very much made their winning prognostications well before nominees were even announced, it’s okay if this season’s golden age of television was so overwhelming you fell behind (we won’t tell anyone the real reason: you watched Thor on Netflix upwards of 23 times in one month). Whether you’re a person who loves TV and just hasn’t seen any, or one of the insufferable sorts who is too high-brow to pretend a marathon of Bar Rescue won’t suck you in, we have your ballots covered (along with a full list of nominees below). You may not be the most correct person at your Golden Globes party, but you will be by far the most interesting.

The Guy Who Pretends To Only Watch Arthouse Cinema, But Still Hasn’t Seen Blue Is The Warmest Color

You know this guy. He is the worst. He probably just got promoted out of the assistant ranks at an indie feature film company, and is convinced that because he read a PDF copy of Dave Egger’s latest a full week before it was released on Amazon, he is intellectually avant garde. (Spoiler alert: he’s not.)

Best Motion Picture, Drama:Philomena

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy:Inside Llewyn Davis

Best Director: Alexander Payne (Nebraska)

Best Actor, Drama: Robert Redford (All Is Lost)

Best Actress, Drama: Judi Dench (Philomena)

Best Actor, Comedy/Musical: Bruce Dern (Nebraska)

Best Actress, Comedy/Musical: Greta Gerwig (Frances Ha)

Best Supporting Actor: Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips)

Best Supporting Actress: June Squibb (Nebraska)

Best TV Drama:Breaking Bad

Best TV Comedy: Parks & Recreation

Best TV Miniseries or Movie: Top Of The Lake

Best Actor, TV Comedy: Jason Bateman (Arrested Development)

Best Actress, TV Comedy: Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie)

Best Actor, TV Drama: Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)

Best Actress, TV Drama: Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black)

Best Actress in a TV Miniseries or Movie
: Elisabeth Moss (Top of the Lake)

Best Actor in a TV Miniseries or Movie
: Chiwetel Ejiofor (Dancing on the Edge
)

Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture
: Jacqueline Bisset (Dancing on the Edge
)

Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture
: Corey Stoll (House of Cards
)

The Girl Who Never Saw A Documentary Before Blackfish, And Is Now Obsessed With Social Justice

While you admire her ex post facto pluck, her zeal to save the world is seriously interfering with your ability to order in a side of sea urchin with your spicy tuna delivery. Don’t worry, much like January gym resolutions, she’ll give up her crusading when the last of the trophies are handed out this season.

Best Motion Picture, Drama: 12 Years A Slave

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy: Her

Best Director: Steve McQueen (12 Years A Slave)

Best Actor, Drama: Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years A Slave)

Best Actress, Drama: Sandra Bullock (Gravity)

Best Actor, Comedy/Musical: Joaquin Phoenix (Her)

Best Actress, Comedy/Musical: Julie Delpy (Before Midnight)

Best Supporting Actor: Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips)

Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years A Slave)

Best TV Drama:Downton Abbey

Best TV Comedy:Girls

Best TV Miniseries or Movie: Behind The Candleabra

Best Actor, TV Comedy: Michael J. Fox (The Michael J. Fox Show)

Best Actress, TV Comedy: Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)

Best Actor, TV Drama: Kevin Spacey (House Of Cards)

Best Actress, TV Drama: Taylor Schilling (Orange Is The New Black)

Best Actress in a TV Miniseries or Movie
: Helena Bonham Carter (Burton and Taylor)

Best Actor in a TV Miniseries or Movie
: Chiwetel Ejiofor (Dancing On The Edge)

Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture
: Jacqueline Bisset (Dancing on the Edge)

Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture
: Corey Stoll (House of Cards)

The Guy Who Just Showed Up To See Amy Poehler And Tina Fey Look Hot, But Stayed For the Booze

He also probably really liked Seth Macfarlane’s Oscar tune “We Saw Your Boobs.”

Best Motion Picture, Drama: Rush

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy:Wolf of Wall Street

Best Director: David O. Russell, American Hustle

Best Actor, Drama: Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Actress, Drama: Sandra Bullock (Gravity)

Best Actor, Comedy/Musical: Leonardo DiCaprio (Wolf of Wall Street)

Best Actress, Comedy/Musical: Amy Adams (American Hustle)

Best Supporting Actor: Bradley Cooper (American Hustle)

Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)

Best TV Drama
: Masters of Sex


Best TV Comedy
:Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Best TV Miniseries or Movie:American Horror Story: Coven

Best Actor, TV Series Comedy: Don Cheadle (House of Lies)

Best Actress in a TV Series, Comedy: Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)

Best Actor in a TV Series, Drama
: Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad
)

Best Actress in a TV Drama
: Kerry Washington (Scandal
)

Best Actress in a TV Miniseries or Movie
: Rebecca Ferguson (White Queen
)

Best Actor in a TV Miniseries or Movie
: Idris Elba (Luther)

Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture
: Sofia Vergara (Modern Family)

Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture
: Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad
)

The Girl  Who Actually Did Watch Thor 23 Times In One Month

She’s unashamed of the fact that her taste in movies and television lines up perfectly with the viewing sensibilities of teenagers who also swear by Ryan Seacrest’s Top 40 countdown. If it works for most of Middle America, it must be good, right?

Best Motion Picture, Drama:Rush

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy:Her

Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity)

Best Actor, Drama: Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips)

Best Actress, Drama: Sandra Bullock (Gravity)

Best Actor, Comedy/Musical: Leonardo DiCaprio (Wolf of Wall Street)

Best Actress, Comedy/Musical: Meryl Streep (August: Osage County)

Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Supporting Actress: Julia Roberts (August: Osage County)

Best TV Drama
:House of Cards

Best TV Comedy
: The Big Bang Theory


Best TV Miniseries or Movie:Behind the Candelabra

Best Actor, TV Series Comedy: Andy Samberg, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Best Actress in a TV Series, Comedy: Zooey Deschanel (New Girl)

Best Actor in a TV Series, Drama
: James Spader (The Blacklist)

Best Actress in a TV Drama
: Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife)

Best Actress in a TV Miniseries or Movie
: Helen Mirren (Phil Spector)

Best Actor in a TV Miniseries or Movie
: Michael Douglas (Behind the Candelabra)

Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture
: Hayden Panettiere (Nashville)

Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture
: Josh Charles (The Good Wife)

Full List of Golden Globes Nominees, 2014:

Best Motion Picture, Drama: 12 Years a Slave / Gravity / Philomena / Rush / Captain Phillips

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy:Her / Inside Llewyn Davis / Nebraska / Wolf of Wall Street / American Hustle

Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity / Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips / Steve McQueen, 12 Years A Slave / Alexander Payne, Nebraska / David O. Russell, American Hustle

Best Actor, Drama: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years A Slave / Idris Elba, Mandela / Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips / Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club / Robert Redford, All Is Lost

Best Actress, Drama: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine / Sandra Bullock, Gravity / Judi Dench, Philomena / Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks / Kate Winslet, Labor Day

Best Actor, Comedy/Musical: Christian Bale, American Hustle / Bruce Dern, Nebraska / Leonardo DiCaprio, Wolf of Wall Street / Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis / Joaquin Phoenix, Her

Best Actress, Comedy/Musical: Amy Adams, American Hustle / Julie Delpy, Before Midnight Greta Gerwig, Frances Ha / Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Enough Said / Meryl Streep, August: Osage County

Best Supporting Actor: Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips / Daniel Bruhl, Rush / Bradley Cooper, American Hustle / Michael Fassbender, 12 Years A Slave / Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Best Supporting Actress: Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine / Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle / Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years A Slave / Julia Roberts, August: Osage County / June Squibb, Nebraska

Best TV Drama
: Breaking Bad
 / Downton Abbey
 / The Good Wife
 / Masters of Sex
 / House of Cards

Best TV Comedy
: The Big Bang Theory
 / Brooklyn Nine-Nine / 
Girls
 / Modern Family / 
Parks and Recreation

Best TV Miniseries or Movie:American Horror Story: Coven / Behind the Candelabra / Dancing on the Edge / Top of the Lake / White Queen

Best Actor, TV Series Comedy: Jason Bateman, Arrested Development / Don Cheadle, House of Lies / Michael J. Fox, The Michael J. Fox Show / Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory / Andy Samberg, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Best Actress in a TV Series, Comedy: Zooey Deschanel, New Girl / Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie / Lena Dunham, Girls / Julia Louis Dreyfus, Veep / Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

Best Actor in a TV Series, Drama
: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
 / Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
 / Michael Sheen, Masters of Sex
 / Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
 / James Spader, The Blacklist

Best Actress in a TV Drama
: Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
/ Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
/ Taylor Schilling, Orange Is the New Black 
/ Kerry Washington, Scandal
 / Robin Wright, House of Cards

Best Actress in a TV Miniseries or Movie
: Helena Bonham Carter, Burton and Taylor
 / Rebecca Ferguson, White Queen
 / Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Coven
 / Helen Mirren, Phil Spector
 / Elisabeth Moss, Top of the Lake

Best Actor in a TV Miniseries or Movie
: Matt Damon, Behind the Candelabra
 / Michael Douglas, Behind the Candelabra
 / Chiwetel Ejiofor, Dancing on the Edge
 / Idris Elba, Luther
 / Al Pacino, Phil Spector

Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture
: Jacqueline Bisset, Dancing on the Edge
 / Janet McTeer, White Queen
 / Hayden Panettiere, Nashville
 / Monica Potter, Parenthood
 / Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture
: Josh Charles, The Good Wife
 / Rob Lowe, Behind the Candelabra
 / Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
 / Corey Stoll, House of Cards
 / Jon Voight, Ray Donovan

Photo via BoiseWeekly

As we’ve pointed out before, the world’s a little bit betterwhen you’re watchingit through the lensof a GoProcamera. That’s a truth that applies twice over when you attach said GoPro to a hula hoop that just spent the past few weeks circling around a harem of Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders outside the Hotel Cozumel in Mexico. 

The combination came to be thanks to Blue Star Media, who outfitted the hula hoop with the GoPro, and the ineptitude of team quarterback Tony Romo, whose inconsistent play meant that the iconic Cowboy cheerleader squad could split for Mexico a few weeks early.

As one redditor chauvinistically noted, “technology is truly amazing.”

Photo via Blue Star Media/YouTube

Hey Girls fans, don’t be too bummed if you don’t have an HBO subscription to watch the premiere of Season 3 tonight.

You can catch the first two episodes, which are playing back-to-back on HBO starting at 10 p.m. (EST), on YouTube just 12 hours later at 10 a.m. Monday.

HBO has announced the plan to release the premiere episodes on YouTube in an effort to engage the show’s active Internet fan base. HBO’s vice president of social media and marketing, Sabrina Caluori, told Mashable that it’s an “increasingly challenging demographic to reach with traditional means.”

That’s a challenge HBO has been attempting to meet head-on. It has already been teasing Season 3 with clips on its YouTube channel. There’s also been considerable effort put forth on a variety of other social sites platforms including Twitter, Tumblr, and even Snapchat.

Just can’t wait for more of this.

H/T Mashable | Screengrab via HBO/YouTube

At last night’s Golden Globes, Jennifer Lawrence once again captured our hearts by giving an awkward acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress for American Hustle. She then further sealed the deal by photobombing Taylor Swift, then joking that she was going to push her down the stairs. Acting!

However, her black-and-white Christian Dior gown made the rounds on Twitter and Instagram last night, inspiring countless humans and animals to replicate the look under the hashtag #lawrencing. Arrow and Teen Wolf star Colton Haynes indulged his own version of Who Wore It Better, by replicating the photobomb look:

And then everyone found an old comforter and started #lawrencing:

Who wore it best? #GoldenGlobes#lawrencingpic.twitter.com/AiP53dUPC0

— Ari Solomon (@VeganAri) January 13, 2014

Jennifer Lawrence's dress was clearly a hit at the Golden Globes http://t.co/l4ok7B0Hn0pic.twitter.com/d9ew6ju9Hs

— HuffPostUK Pic Desk (@HuffPostUKPics) January 13, 2014

#lawrencinghttp://t.co/CvrMD3hKUmpic.twitter.com/IP65a4Di1E

— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) January 13, 2014

O Link gostou tanto do look da Jennifer Lawrence no #GoldenGlobes que resolveu imitar pic.twitter.com/QMgEM9SOD3

— Gui Moraes (@guiimooraes) January 13, 2014

Jennifer Lawrence's #GoldenGlobes dress is starting to look rather familiar... pic.twitter.com/4lm7lR9Yd5

— Sugarscape (@sugarscape) January 13, 2014

The #lawrencing hashtag was created after Lawrence tripped on the stairs during the Oscars last year, on her way to an acceptance speech for Best Actress, and Twitter began recreating that scene as well. The dress meme has even carried over into the morning show circuit. Lawrence is currently a model for Dior, so it seems like their brand synergy plan worked out. 

Photo via Adam Rifkin/Flickr

Who thought that one of the best parts of the Golden Globes would have been a commercial?

Muppets Most Wanted doesn’t come out until March 21, but it didn’t stop the movie from being outraged that it wasn’t nominated for one of 247 awards. In a one-minute ad that aired in the middle of last night’s ceremony, it perfectly skewered the argumentative and often outrageous cries of Internet commentators courtesy of an old-fashioned Twitter feud.

Considering the watercooler-talk nature of Twitter, the conversation sounded just like something that would have actually appeared online, typos and all. It probably did happen if you switch out Muppets Most Wanted with that person, show, or movie that should have won last night.

And you can’t forget that one spam account that comments whenever you use just the right keyword.

Even better? The Twitter accounts mentioned in the ad are real, although they were likely set up by the studio for the ad in the chance that someone decided to verify it.

Muppets shoulda been nominated Best Picture for realz.

— Doc Teeth (@HotFudge1218) January 10, 2014

.@hotfudge1218 It can't be, it's not out yet…your ignrent

— Alyssa Mayhem (@Babybean1128) January 10, 2014

I made $2000 bucks just sitting at home. Click this link to find out how http://t.co/TcDtAMf4Fe. BTW, when iz Muppets Most Wanted?

— George Lew (@RICHPLAYA33) January 10, 2014

Don’t worry, Muppets. There’s always next year to win another Oscar.

Photo via MuppetsStudio/YouTube

In the wake of last night’s 71st Golden Globes ceremony honoring Woody Allen, Mia Farrow and her son are speaking out to remind everyone that while he may be one of Hollywood’s idols, the acclaimed director also has a dark side few people like to remember.

Mia Farrow pointedly reacted to the segment of the awards show last night by noting on Twitter that she was changing the channel. It was a stilted way of calling attention to a part of Allen’s history the Globes chose to ignore: his alleged abuse of Mia Farrow’s 7-year-old daughter, Dylan.

Her son, Ronan Farrow, a noted journalist and open critic of Allen, was less circumspect:

Missed the Woody Allen tribute - did they put the part where a woman publicly confirmed he molested her at age 7 before or after Annie Hall?

— Ronan Farrow (@RonanFarrow) January 13, 2014

This morning, Mia took to Twitter again to link to a recent Vanity Fair article about Allen’s alleged abuse of her daughter, stopping just short of labeling him a pedophile. She also lashed out at the Golden Globes for honoring him:

A woman has publicly detailed Woody Allen's molestation of her at age 7. GoldenGlobe tribute showed contempt for her & all abuse survivors

— mia farrow (@MiaFarrow) January 13, 2014

Is he a pedophile ? Read this VanityFair article and make up your own mind. http://t.co/k2nyrMpjAt

— mia farrow (@MiaFarrow) January 13, 2014

Mia’s daughter Dylan spoke to Vanity Fair in October about the family’s long-held allegations that Allen targeted and abused her for years. When Vanity Fair first delved into Dylan’s story in 1992, she was only beginning second grade, but already she would allegedly go to great lengths to escape Allen. According to the story, she locked herself in the bathroom, feigned headaches, and even pretended to be an animal. Allen was allegedly in therapy for his behaviors towards the girl. Although there wasn’t enough evidence to bring Allen to trial, a judge roundly denied Allen’s request for visitation rights to Dylan in 1993, noting Allen’s “serious parental inadequacies.”

Two decades have passed, but Dylan’s memory of the events remains clear—as does her “fear” of Allen.

“I remember what I was wearing and what I wasn’t wearing,” she told Vanity Fair’s Maureen Orth.

As for Ronan, known in his childhood as Satchel, Allen was given supervised visitation rights, but they seem to have left him with no affection. He reportedly never spoke to Allen again, and, on Father’s Day two years ago, he left no doubt about his feelings:

Happy father's day -- or as they call it in my family, happy brother-in-law's day.

— Ronan Farrow (@RonanFarrow) June 17, 2012

Ronan was referring to the “scandal” that destroyed Allen and Farrow’s 10-year-relationship. In 1992, Farrow discovered that the then-56-year-old Allen had been having an affair with Farrow’s 21-year-old adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn. Allen and Previn have been married since 1997. And although Previn, adopted by Farrow and classical pianist Andre Previn, asserted at the time that Allen hadn’t been a father figure to her, Ronan clearly feels differently.

It’s hard to miss that by extension the Farrow family’s tweets indict not just the Golden Globes but Hollywood itself. While the industry is not exactly known for boldly denouncing famous directors accused of sexual abuse, there’s an element of autobiography in Allen’s films—which frequently feature an older man falling in love with a much younger woman—that undoubtedly makes the Farrows’ allegations something few people want to think about too closely.

Fortunately, the family has all awards season long to remind the public about the parts of Allen’s storied career they’d rather not remember.

Photo by michal barel/Flickr

Since the surprise release of Beyoncé in December, we’ve all been mulling over the themes of the album, and the roles she inhabits: artist, mother, wife, sister, sexual being. But mostly we’ve been debating whether Beyoncé’s a feminist, or whether she's "allowed" to be. Now we have a new text to mull over.

The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Pushes Back From the Brink—an annual published study by Maria Shriver and the Center for American Progress—was released on Saturday, and features an essay by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, as well as pieces by Hillary Rodham Clinton, LeBron James, and Sheryl Sandberg, among others, with an emphasis on gender roles, work, and economic issues.

Mrs. Knowles-Carter’s piece, titled “Gender Equality Is a Myth!,” was released as a preview on Monday, and though it’s not groundbreaking news or a controversial stance, it’s an important topic that isn’t exactly being addressed by pop stars of an elevated status. Here’s the piece:

We need to stop buying into the myth about gender equality. It isn’t a reality yet. Today, women make up half of the U.S. workforce, but the average working woman earns only 77 percent of what the average working man makes. But unless women and men both say this is unacceptable, things will not change. Men have to demand that their wives, daughters, mothers, and sisters earn more—commensurate with their qualifications and not their gender. Equality will be achieved when men and women are granted equal pay and equal respect.

Humanity requires both men and women, and we are equally important and need one another. So why are we viewed as less than equal? These old attitudes are drilled into us from the very beginning. We have to teach our boys the rules of equality and respect, so that as they grow up, gender equality becomes a natural way of life. And we have to teach our girls that they can reach as high as humanly possible.

We have a lot of work to do, but we can get there if we work together. Women are more than 50 percent of the population and more than 50 percent of voters. We must demand that we all receive 100 percent of the opportunities.

That Beyoncé’s essay was released as a preview is telling, and smart; the publishers of the report know which name will draw the most clicks and start the most debate. Much like no other pop star is singing about the pleasures of oral sex with her husband, or effects of body shaming, no other female pop star is addressing the income gap in this medium. 

Beyoncé’s not exactly stating an unpopular opinion. This issue has existed for centuries and we’re still inching towards a solution. But hers is a voice that carries weight beyond academic discussion on gender inequality, and edges into the court of pop culture, where talk of income inequality is often downplayed. As the Wire noted, despite criticisms of her message in light of her class status, it’s more than other pop stars are “willing” to say about feminism and income inequality. She’s become an aspirational figure.

And, as Twitter confirms, she got men and women talking about the issue, which is the important part of moving a discussion forward and possibly affecting change.

You can download the 500-plus pages for free through Jan. 15, via Kindle or the Kindle app.

Photo via BeyonceVEVO/YouTube

In the age where late night’s Jimmy Kimmel fooled us all into thinking a girl set herself on fire while twerking, it’s hard to believe this isn’t a set up by Conan’s people.

A 20-year-old New Jersey boy is claiming in a new YouTube video that late night host Conan O’Brien is his father. Keating, who looks shockingly like the red-haired Conan, posted the video claiming his mother worked at 30 Rock in 1993 and was fired promptly after getting pregnant.

The video is called “Conan? Dad?” and it’s the only video Keating’s posted to his channel. Dressed in a suit, Keating recreates Conan’s famous pants-string dance, shows a photo of himself as a redheaded baby, and says his mother worked for News At Sunrise three floors above Conan’s studio. He also says he says he needs “an easier financial path through college” which is one reason he’s coming forward.

Could be the kid is a viral plant by Conan’s people, the way Kimmel likes to mess with the media but that is Kimmel’s style and not really Conan’s. Could be the video is a joke by Keating, because he does freakishly resemble Conan—which seems most likely.

Or he’s Conan’s illegitimate son. In which case, what a crazy way to come out about it. Zany. Like a late night host.

H/T Gawker / Screengrab via YouTube

There was a lot of levity at last night’s Golden Globes, as well as a few cringe-worthy moments, oh-snap jabs, and walking memes. And then there was actress Gabourey Sidibe.

What people — women especially — wear to awards shows is now so easily absorbed, dissected, and snap-judged in 140 characters. Predictably, people indulged in a round of body-shaming, and concern trolls commented on Sidibe’s weight and health.

This morning, Sidibe, who currently stars in American Horror Story: Coven, addressed those who found the need to shame, and put everything in perspective:

Proof that Gabby Sidibe was the real winner of last night's Golden Globes: pic.twitter.com/Ke2xSn2wDr

— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) January 13, 2014

This isn’t the first time she’s had to fend off trolls. Last fall, fans of American Horror Storyridiculed Sidibe on Twitter after an episode of the show. Many viewers were surprised and even offended that she didn’t attempt to lose weight to fit the mold of every other actress on television. How rude of her to not conform to outdated standards of beauty. 

She also had a good zinger last night, which many women will understand:

My underwear hurts..... Need more booze. Send help! #GoldenGIobes

— Gabourey Sidibe (@GabbySidibe) January 13, 2014

Put ‘em on blast, Gabby.

Photo via Greg Hernandez/Flickr

Imagine a world where Jennifer Lopez, our high-gloss patron saint of celebrity couple name mashups and slinky Versace numbers, personally wrote you a letter and sent it in the mail asking you to send her pictures of your nude body. Can you imagine that happening? No, you cannot? Not in any world? Even if you were a taut-bodied backup dancer, because even if Jennifer Lopez did want to see naked pictures of you, why would she ask in such a way when the Internet is a thing? Why would Jennifer Lopez have to solicit nudie shots from strangers? Jennifer Lopez doesn’t solicit anything, let alone junk shots from plebes. Jennifer Lopez probably only looks at porn that rich people know about. This story makes no sense, none at all.

Congratulations, you have determined the utter impossibility of a situation in which Jennifer Lopez sends letters to randoms asking for pictures of their funky bits. You are officially more sane than Rico Rodriguez, a Los Angeles man who is either delusional or just making a wild bid to make a quick buck.

Rodriguez filed a $10,000 lawsuit against Lopez, alleging the multitalented Selena star had sent him a series of letters demanding naked photos, which caused him so much psychological trauma that he had to seek expensive counseling. TMZ traced these letters back to a P.O. box in L.A. run by a 53-year-old woman who is emphatically not Jennifer Lopez.

TMZ got ahold of some of these letters and printed excerpts. Here’s a taste of the crazy:

"I just wanted to let you know that I do remember you and that I am interested in you. I have plans on leaving my husband. But I can't say much right now so that's it for now. Send me pictures of you both with clothes and without clothes."

"This is Jennifer Lopez writing to you again and just to let you know that I got your packages, music, and demos. And just to let you know you need to send me pictures of you with and without clothes."

"This is Jennifer Lopez and as you can tell its been a while since I last wrote and as you can see I have a new boyfriend which means your in for the long haul and you have to put up with the fact that I am f**king him and sucking his d**k."

TMZ contacted the woman who runs the P.O. box, but it didn’t go well: “she nervously concocted a lame explanation about operating a Jennifer Lopez fan mail exchange ... and hung up on us,” they wrote.

These letters are so blatantly fake and this lawsuit is so exquisitely crazy that I suspect that Betabeat is on to something with this theory: “it’s possible the letters are legit and Mr. Ruiz is being blackmailed by Jennifer Lopez after all. It’s even more possible that he and the owner of the P.O. box are in cahoots and they think they’ll succeed in extorting $10,000 from everyone’s favorite triple threat.”

People fall for hoaxes all the time, which is why there’s a term for lying about your identity on the Internet (catfishing). And even though this incident happened through the United States Postal Service and not the World Wide Web, it’s still a classic Catfish — or a poorly-thought-out scheme intended to snooker Jennifer Lopez out of her money. I’m not even sure which is crazier.

H/T Betabeat | Photo by Ana Kley/Flickr

The Bit-52s are the best all-automated band you've never heard of. Almost half a million other people have, though, because the YouTube video of this Rube Goldberg contraption playing "Mock Lobster" has racked up 436,000 views and counting. Read on to meet the meat behind the music. 

By day, James Cochrane is an ordinary-seeming Torontonian. By night, he's bd594, a mad genius in the workshop, crafting musical delights on a mad scientist's assortment of vintage computer parts assembled from garage sales, electronics stores, and trash heaps all over Hogtown. In a radio interview with Canada's national broadcaster the CBC, he admitted to having set his rig on fire a few times. "The voltage doesn't kill ya: it's the current!" he said.

In the About section of each YouTube video (all recorded live) he outlines the components of each assemblage. The Bit-52's, for example, are composed of: 

• Male vocals - TI99/4a computer, speech synthesizer and terminal emulator ii module
• Back-up female vocals - Two HP Scanjet 3C scanners (Not Printers), UBunto and sjetplay written by NuGanjaTron
• The Guitar, Keyboard, Cow Bell, Cymbal and Tambourine are all controlled by various types of push/pull solenoinds for a total of 23. The Solenoids are powered by four ULN2803 darlington drivers and everything is controlled by two PIC16F84A microcontrollers.

The Daily Dot spoke with Cochrane via email to find out why a family man with a day job spends his nights putting together cover versions of pop hits on hardware that was current when Madonna was still on her first face.

What's your background?

name:  James Cochrane

location:  Toronto, Ontario, Canada

job: network engineer

education:  Electronics Engineer, Radio College of Canada

Do you see yourself as a music hacker? Are you trained in music?

I do not see myself as a hacker rather a "repurposer" of any throw away old electronic stuff.  I have no musical training; however, I do play keyboards.  Always wanted to join a band but suffer from stage fright so I have built machines that play actual instruments.  Some day I may take them on the road.

When did you start making music on computer parts? Did someone inspire you?

I started back in 2009 and my main influences are

James Houston

pieplateindustires

How do you put together your music?

This answer can go on for 100 pages so I will keep it short.

I like to use old computers such as the Amiga 600, Yamaha CX5M and other legacy computers to create music. I also build a lot of custom circuits which allows me to interface between different types of equipment. For example, I use sheet music or MIDI files to extract the notes from a song and use a microcontroller such as the PIC16F84A to execute the task. For example creating a PWM squarewave which generates a musical note in such things as a stepper motors. Stepper motors can be found in floppy drives, printers and scanners. Each device has a certain range of notes so I have to keep that in mind when putting together a song.

Of all your songs, which is your favorite, and why? Which took the longest? Have any musicians approached you about working together? I can totally see you working with They Might Be Giants.

My favorite song is EOL Robot Band covers The Beautiful People by Marilyn Manson,  and it took me 6 months to complete. [Note: that's one month of work per 100,000 views, for those of you counting.]

This is my favorite video because I could never play a guitar or cello so I built a machine that could play for me.

Are you planning any tours?

I have been asked to visit to Chicago, New York, and Athens (Georgia) but my job prevents me from touring. Some of my videos have been used in trade shows, cable access channels and even the Belgium KORT film festival. Companies such as Epson and Audi have also expressed interested in working together but I could not find time to travel overseas.

Is there a song that you'd love to do but just haven't managed to get it done the way you want? A "great white buffalo" if you will?

"Mad World" was really complicated. I could never get the cello to play long sustained notes. This is how I stumbled across one my songs "Beautiful People."

[In the remarks on YouTube, Cochrane explains the process:

One night I was working on the Cello and the stepper motor started to jitter almost ripping the Cello string and Bow apart. As I was jumping over to the power switch I noticed that the jittery sound reminded me of a song. That song turned out to be The Beautiful People by Marilyn Manson. I programmed a small part for the Cello and it sounded great. Who would have ever though to use a Cello for that song? 2 months later.... my video was complete. So Enjoy. I may follow up with a another video showing what circuits, parts and tools that were used to make these robots.

Muting the guitar strings was a bitch but if you look at the solenoids on Fret 4 and 8 you will see that I covered the pads with foam and velvet. It is soft enough to stop the strings from vibrating.]

I am currently working on The B-52's - "Private Idaho" with my robot band The Bit-52's.  It will be another YouTube video for the Art Rocks Athens Event in Athens, Georgia (May 2014). I am also working on a top secret project. All I can tell you it is a song from the late 60s–early 70s. 

What is your favorite piece of machinery to make music with, and why?

HP Scanjet 3C because it has the warmest sound and is great for vocal tracks.

How long have you been doing this? Have you made any money with it?

I have been doing this since 2009 on a bet that I could not make a viral video with over a million hits, and it is my goal to reach over 100 million views. Please note you may see advertising on some of my videos but I have not made one penny. YouTube has offered to pay me $200 which is a slap in the face when you consider I have accumulated over 10 million views. Maybe I need a manager.

•••

With 10 million views, an international reputation, and offers from major brands, at the very least, he needs a good agent. 

Image via Bill Abbott/Flickr

First, the original Star Wars trilogy was told using icons. Now, Quentin Tarantino's epic breakout film Reservoir Dogs is being told through tweets.

In what had to be a painstaking endeavour, an anonymous user uploaded the entire Reservoir Dogs script to Twitter. The main account, @ReservoirDogs_, tweets out the screenplay's descriptions and stage directions. 

Eight men dressed in BLACK SUITS, sit around a table at a breakfast cafe.

— Reservoir Dogs (@ReservoirDogs_) January 1, 2014

In addition, each and every character, from Mr. Pink (@MrPink_z)  to Nice Guy Eddie (@eddiecabot_) to even the cops (@reservoircops), has an account. The movie's dialogue is tweeted out from the respective characters and retweeted by @ReservoirDogs_ at the appropriate places in the script. 

You know what this is? It's the world's smallest violin playing just for the waitresses.

— Mr. Pink (@MrPink_z) December 30, 2013

Are you going to bark all day, little doggie, or are you going to bite?

— Mr. Blonde (@MrBlonde_z) December 30, 2013

Since @ReservoirDogs_ tweeted the script in reverse, the screenplay is able to be read simply by scrolling down through the Twitter feed. The upload was finished on Jan. 1. It is a work of beauty, as Twitter's 140-character limit gels perfectly with Tarantino's signature quick-paced dialogue.

Currently, more than 5,000 users follow the main account. Of the four main characters, Mr. Pink understandably has the most followers, totaling 139. Mr. Orange has the least, with 99 followers.

We can only hope similar feeds are being worked on for Pulp Fiction and Django Unchained. In fact, why stop at Twitter? Perhaps the future will see Mean Girls told through Facebook status updates or Love, Actually narrated using Craigslist posts.

Photo via R!Q-STENCILOVE/Flickr

One of the first big viral YouTube hits of 2014 is here. It’s revelatory. It’s controversial. It’s called “White People Crazy.”

The auteur behind this four-and-a-half minute dive into cinéma vérité is Atlanta rapper Rawcus. At least that’s what he says in his amazing bio. Not much is known about Rawcus pre-”White People Crazy,” except that his mother was allegedly a drug dealer, his father a bank robber. Rawcus apparently served six years in prison for killing his stepfather, with early release in 2013. In the video, his face and hands are covered, obscuring his true self.

The video is framed as a sort of a Mystery Science Theater 3000-esque trolling of YouTube fail videos—plus a list of celebrity names with “crazy” added after each—over a decent Southern club beat. Some names on Rawcus’s list: will.i.am, Walter White (also Heisenberg), TMZ, Martha Stewart, Ron Burgundy, and Nick Cannon. Rawcus also spends the 30-second outro soliciting a dollar on iTunes.

Rawcus, who wishes to remain anonymous, said via email he included the YouTube fail footage because it’s become a modern plot device of the online experience and much of reality television.

“I have determined after years of TV and the Internet mind programming that 'crazy behavior' is putting yourself into harm’s way to look cool to your peers,” he said. “What's really crazy is the people never actually expect to get hurt; they expect the footage to be ‘epic,’ as y’all white people would put it. No offense.”

When asked if he thinks white people excel in genre of the YouTube fail, Rawcus did not hold back:

“Excel is an understatement. If you could receive a college degree that had pay on the other end which was upwards of $60,000+ a year for doing crazy things, only white people would attempt to complete the courses and get the degree. What's more sad is that it would be for bragging rights to friends as opposed to self-satisfaction and furthering themselves in life. I mean, look at the Guinness Book of World Records. All of those stupid a** records are held by white people.

1) Most rattlesnakes held in mouth

2) Most lit fireworks strapped to the body

3) Heaviest car balanced on head

All white people. Crazy white people.”

He further addresses MTV’s role in perpetuating the theme/meme that informs his song.

“MTV really messed up society, from Beavis and Butt-head to Jackass, Jersey Shore, and Teen Mom. It's basically pushed into society that it's OK to have lives full of drama and problems because everyone on TV is having the same issues, so it must be OK and cool.”

Rawcus’s song extends beyond YouTube. He’s been tweeting at white people on Twitter, and you can now buy the ringtone on iTunes. The reactions to his song since its release have been strong—many people agree white people are indeed crazy. Others don't get his satire. Rawcus claims some members of certain white power subcultures have been upset by his parody.

“I doubt these people would go to extreme measures, such as hurting an individual for something that is obviously a partial joke and just a fun poke at society,” he says. “But hey, I could be wrong. White people crazy."

For now, he adds, it’s imperative that he remain anonymous, free to mold more of his keen early 2014 observations on society. 

“Plus my probation officer might use my lyrics against me somehow. Until I'm in the clear, I’m under here.”

H/T BuzzFeed | Screengrab via Rawcus WPC/YouTube

Nicholas Gray, a senior at Owensboro Catholic High School in Owensboro, Ky., is setting his sights high for a prom date. No, he is not angling for the head cheerleader or student council president; instead, he wants Jennifer Lawrence.

Yes, that Jennifer Lawrence.

On Jan. 12, Gray uploaded a video to YouTube in which he asks the 23-year-old Oscar winner and Hunger Games star to be his senior prom date. Sporting a tuxedo, he proposes the date with a poem riddled with cringe-worthy rhymes like "We've got lots in common; we're both from Kentucky and we both feel that school is kind of yucky." 

So far, Gray's video has racked up 3,500 views.

Whether you find it endearing, unintentionally hilarious, or creepy, one thing is for certain: Gray's request is proof that the public date proposal is not going out of style anytime soon. His video follows in the footsteps of Jake Davidson, a Los Angeles student who asked supermodel Kate Upton to his prom in 2013. There was also Minnesota teen Mike Stone, who used Twitter to ask several porn stars to his prom in 2012 (adult actress Megan Piper eventually agreed). And, of course, no one can forget the spring of 2011, when celebrities like Mila Kunis, Justin Timberlake, and even Betty White were solicited by Marines for dates to Marine Corps Balls.

While certainly far-fetched and rarely successful, such requests nevertheless put the celebrities themselves at a great disadvantage. Unlike fan mail, which can be easily and discreetlydealt with, YouTube requests like Gray's have the power to gain public support as they go viral. As the Facebook shares, retweets, and mainstream media coverage pile up, a positive response is eagerly anticipated from the rather busy celebrity. And, if the celebrity declines for any reason, they risk widespread backlash and negative headlines.

In essence, the celebrity is not being asked for a positive response, but rather guilted into one.

Now that Gray's video has been posted, effectively putting Lawrence—and her image—on the spot, perhaps the question she faces is not "Will you go to the prom with me?" Instead, it is more along the lines of "When can I pick you up?"

Screengrab via Nicholas Gray/YouTube

Spend your Valentine’s Day with YouTube’s finest Hannah Hart, Grace Helbig, and Mamrie Hart.

The trio’s film Camp Takota finally has a release date so grab your sweetheart and sit down for a Valentine’s Day viewing of the Holy Trinity’s very first feature film.

Camp Takota, about a hapless woman (Helbig) who goes back to her all girls summer camp as a counselor and teams up with childhood friends (Hart and Hart) to prevent an evil man from buying the camp and turning it into a Digital Interactive Camp.

The movie, written in part by Mamrie Hart and based on her time as a camp counselor, will be released on the Internet for download on February 14, 2014 and stars three of the web’s biggest celebrities—so while some will be out with their partners celebrating love, probably many more will be inside curled up ready to watch three funny ladies at their funniest.

Here’s the official trailer for Camp Takota, posted on Helbig’s old channel:

Fans will be able to purchase a DRM-free download of Camp Takota on Valentine’s Day via VHX at CampTakota.com for $9.99. They can also spend up to $300 on “Care Packages,” which include a download of the flick plus limited-edition extras like Camp Takota t-shirts, handmade friendship bracelets, private cast and crew Google Hangouts, cast-recorded personalized voicemail messages, custom videos, and more.

And in the meantime, gear up by reading the Daily Dot’s interviews with the ladieson the set of Camp Takota this summer.

H/T Tubefilter