It’s hard to keep up with internet culture, but don’t worry: Each week we’ll tell you the best of what you need to know.
“Oh Shit” Moments From Zoom
With millions of kids all over the world participating in online classes instead of in-person school, there’s bound to be a ton of “unscripted” activity. If that’s your bag, check out this often-hilarious, sometimes-poignant Reddit thread that features thousands of “oh shit” moments from Zoom, including poorly timed farts, overheard arguments between teachers and their spouses, and tons of unfortunate wardrobe malfunctions.
Celebrities You’ve Never Heard of: The D’Amelio Sisters
Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t recognise the names Charli and Dixie D’Amelio. They are massively famous, but no one over 20 has heard of them, because that’s how teen stardom works.
Charli’s slog to teenage stardom began in March 0f 2019 when she started uploading dance videos to TikTok, and within the year she was the most popular account there, with over 87 million followers. Not bad for a 16-year old.
Older sister Dixie got started into the family business later in life: She’s nineteen, but like her younger sister, Dixie gained millions of fans across social media seemingly within minutes of starting her accounts, including 18 million Instagram followers and more than five million YouTube subscribers. Dixie is a singer, and her first single, “Be Happy,” has been played 80 million times since it was posted on YouTube two months ago.
The sisters have already made enough money to last several lifetimes, but they probably shouldn’t worry about spending it too quickly; like all teenage stars, the money and fame will surely continue for the rest of their lives.
Internet Danger of the Week: Filing Your Own Teeth
The users on TikTok and YouTube are trying to kill your kid…or at least mess up their teeth. The newest trend that has parents and sane adults in a twist: Teens with ugly chompers are filing their own teeth, with nail files, and sharing videos of it. If it hurts your mouth just to think about it, do not watch these videos.
Luckily, there is a counter-balancing force of sanity on social media, including Bentist, an actual dental professional on Instagram and YouTube, whose shocked reaction video is priceless.
“Oh, no,” the nearly speechless orthodontist sputters, “You can’t do this to yourself…I do not condone doing this.”
Dentists maintain that taking a file to your teeth can result in sensitivity, pain, nerve damage, and cavities, but on the other hand, what do they know? Have you seen how expensive braces are these days? Maybe these kids are onto something here. (They’re not. Seriously, this is bad.)
The Week in TV: We Are Who We Are and the Return of Baby Yoda
The biggest new release for teens this week is HBO’s We Are Who We Are. This coming-of-age drama is set at an army base in Italy, where two 14-year old Americans fall in love, question their identity, and otherwise learn about themselves in the way that only people who don’t have jobs can. It stars Kid Cudi, Chloë Sevigny, and Mia Goth, and it’s directed by Call Me By Your Name filmmaker Luca Guadagnino.
If your kid is less into tender, real-life histrionics, and more about space battles, bounty hunters, and baby Yodas, this week saw the release of the trailer for season two of The Mandalorian, coming soon to Disney+.
Internet geek-detectives have carefully scoured the trailer and some are predicting season two will feature an appearance from legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett. Uh, not likely, Nerdlinger…everyone knows Boba Fett is being digested in the Sarlaac Pit at this point in the Star Wars timeline. I mean, do you even Original Trilogy? Anyway, check out The Mandalorian Season two trailer.
This Week in Video Games: PlayStation 5 Details and Super Mario 3D All-Stars
This week Sony dropped the details on the upcoming release of their PlayStation 5. The console comes out on November 12, and will cost either $749 or $599, depending on whether you opt for the “real” system or the Digital Edition that doesn’t have a disc drive. Six PS5 exclusive titles will launch with the PlayStation 5 — including a new Spider-man game and a redone version of Demon Souls — as well as a slew of annual “available on every system” releases like Call of Duty and Assassin’s Creed. Interestingly, Sony has bumped up the price of exclusive games to around $100 each.
If you’re more about looking backwards in gaming than forwards, September 18 sees the release of Super Mario 3D All-Stars for Nintendo Switch. This bundle of three games will let you relive classic 3D games Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy.
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