The End of Weird Vibes Summer Postponed Indefinitely

Issue #260 | August 1, 2024

Presented by:

Don’t give me an award for originality yet, but this has been one wild year. What’s that you say? It’s not over yet? Are you sure I can’t convince you to reconsider the possibility that it’s Christmas? No? “Or anything else for that matter?” Okay bestie.

While it’s certainly true that the last eight years has seen us double and tripling down on our positions, be that on politics, sports or a third thing (you pick! It’s that kind of Mad Libs Thursday!), there are some things that–as Jane Austen once suggested in her Reagancy Wattpad– transcend the hot take to become a truth universally acknowledged. Not all of them great, but at least they establish a baseline.

For example, we’re now in August, it’s 95 days out from an election that may decide the fate of American democracy, and in the matter of choosing a vice president, it appears a slight majority of the country would prefer “no one” to J.D. Vance and his extremely weird “anti-cat-lady, pro-upholstery” ticket. (You know, the DNC has a chance to do the funniest thing ever here.) That is true regardless of what reality you think you live in, even in one of those “Deadpool & Wolverine” MCU multiverse situations where Spoiler is played by Spoiler Spoiler (though without their trademark spoiler, which is property of New Line).

THE COMMENTS SECTION

“‘Presidential candidate Robert Kennedy meets Hawk Tuah girl at Nic Carter’s Karate Comba-‘

You bolt awake in the mountains of Carthage. You are not online. It is 217 BC. You are the general Hannibal, and you have changed your mind. The future cannot come to pass. Rome must burn.”
– X user Sophie (@netcapgirl)

Sorry, no politics or Ryan Reynolds at the newsletter table, please pass the coconuts. So, has anyone seen any good Olympics lately? I haven’t been watching, has anyone caught a Mesosic Era bacterial infection from swimming in the Seine yet? Well, give it a day.

And as we prepare to enter Feral Fall in a blaze of California wildfires, remember: Breakdancing is a sport and America, somehow, sucks at guns. Writer Lon Harris ponders the throwback era of internet celebrity Hawk Tuah Girl’s cultural phenom represents, not seen since the days of Chocolate Rain.

But unlike Daniel at the Dentist and his ilk, Ms.Tuah exists in a moment when she can actually translate 15 seconds of viral fame into CAA representation, $30k club appearances and…hanging out with RFK, Bill Maher and Barstool Sports? Scratch that, there’s not enough money in the world.

The channel that uploaded the original video that made her famous is only getting the AdSense for their YouTube video, which is…actually, that’s fine with me. Let her cook! Weird vibe summer marches on.

– Drew Grant, Editorial Director

CULTURE

Hawk Tuah Girl’s Viral Journey Reflects a Changing Internet Landscape

There are no more clearly defined paths for viral influencers.

By Lon Harris, Passionfruit Contributor

Hawk Tuah girl over illustration of people on their phones

→ READ THE FULL STORY

Ready to expand your reach—and earnings? Turn your knowledge into an online course today.

Teachable creators average six figures in lifetime earnings, thanks to the platform’s easy, customizable digital products. From courses and coaching to memberships and community, start generating income you can count on today.

Explore Teachable

IN THE BIZ

Meta has launched a new AI Studio for Instagram creators in the US that allows them to create AI versions of themselves or fictional characters to interact with users.
Twitch has revamped its mobile app to prioritize discovery and cater to its growing mobile user base, possibly in a bid to boost profitability.
TikTok was reportedly paying Microsoft a significant sum to access OpenAI’s models, potentially to develop its own large language model.
YouTube has changed its Partner Program appeal process, allowing creators to appeal suspensions before they take effect.

PLATFORMS

Bleeding Red: Twitch’s Viewership Declines as Ads Plague the Platform

At this point, Amazon’s goodwill is the only thing keeping Twitch from going under.

By Steven Asarch, Passionfruit Contributor

READ THE FULL STORY →

CULTURE

Senate Passes Landmark Bills To Protect Children Online

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called it a “momentous day.”

By Charlotte Colombo, Passionfruit Contributor

READ THE FULL STORY →

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

What’s Trending host Shira Lazar sat down with digital media sensation Adam Rose.
Some More News covered how the Olympics organization is corrupt and needs fixing.
The guys from Blind Wave reacted to the announcements Marvel made at San Diego Comic-Con.
The folks at CineBinge put together this video of reactors reacting to mean comments.

YOUTUBE MADE ME DO IT

In the most recent episode of Internet Today, Eliot and Ricky dive into everything from how weird the Republican party is to how strange some of the commentary at the Olympics has been.