YouTube

[mojogirl]

National Anthem at CPAC - someone posted it on Twitter last night, and I couldn't believe how awful it was.

Then in that chain, someone posted a new video with a (fake) backstory of the piano accompanist trying to keep up with her and I could not stop laughing.

Note: the National Anthem is notoriously difficult to sing, and normally I would not mock an amateur attempting it, except this person
1) Agreed to sing at CPAC and
2) Is obviously quite proud of herself (Land of the Freeeeeeeeeeeeeee)

[Carolinian]

This is a Facebook post, but someone did a transcription of the CPAC version of the nation anthem. I can barely read music and I was laughing.

[eclair]

Drummer at the wrong gig

Have you guys seen this video? It is hilarious! The drummer has moves the rest of the band lack, plus I think he is fighting his sequined evening jacket.

[Ginger]

I learned today what ASMR is! I had to Google it several times because I didn't think the results I was pulling up were what I was looking for.

I stumbled upon this after watching this ASMR video of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills fighting in Amsterdam. I have never seen a moment of a Real Housewives show, so it took me few seconds to figure out why they were whispering, and why they all sounded the same.

I then found this Mashable explanation of ASMR. I don't know if I find it to be soothing, I just found it to be funny.

[mojogirl]

I started following Dr. Glaucomflecken on Twitter, he's an ophthalmologist and a comedian and has a series on the "Critical Care Opthalmologist" his hospital has brought in because of the COVID spike. Better to laugh than cry, right?

Critical Care Opthalmologist:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

[boxofrocks]

Does anyone follow The Try Guys? Drama has exploded over the past 2 days. Variety, CNN, and NPR are covering it, for heaven's sake!

They are four Youtube creators (Ned Fulmer, Eugene Lee Yang, Keith Habersberger, and Zach Kornfeld) who originally met at Buzzfeed, then successfully struck out on their own in 2018. As of today, they have 7.84 million subscribers. Their schtick is "trying" new experiences, whether it be hobbies, clothing, or food. Each has their own onscreen persona and all of their significant others and employees are highly enmeshed both in their work and personal relationships, with many appearing onscreen or in company podcasts. In addition to the channel, each has side ventures and they recently debuted a show on Food Network. To say that The Try Guys benefit from parasocial relationships from their followers is putting it mildly.

Ned's persona back to his Buzzfeed days has been a dedicated family man who worships the ground his wife Ariel walks on, to the point where he is occasionally mocked good-naturedly for how many times he mentions "my wife" in videos. They have two young children ages 2 and 4. Their home (and the Try Guys' office, which Ariel designed) has been featured on Architectural Digest's channel, they have released a date night cookbook together, and Ariel appears with regularity in videos and co-hosts a podcast with other TG partners and spouses.

Over the past month, posters on their subreddit noticed that he had not appeared in any videos or advertising. TG also announced that they would be temporarily be reducing their posting schedule from two to one video weekly. One to two days ago, a Redditor quickly posted and deleted a message with a fuzzy screen grab of what appeared to be Fulmer at a club kissing Alexandra Herring, a TG employee. The poster claimed they had been sent the video in early Sept. and notified Ariel Fulmer; this person is allegedly Herring's presumably now ex-fiance, who she dated for 10 years. At this time, other posters noticed that of the videos posted in September were awkwardly cropped or framed, suggesting Fulmer's presence was edited out. Yet another poster posted a selfie with Fulmer taken in early Sept. at Madison Square Garden; this poster claimed she and her friends were going a Harry Styles concert, and saw and recognized Fulmer and Herring. She assumed they were meeting other people and thought nothing of them being alone at the time. Fulmer's shirt in the MSG selfie resembles the one in the fuzzy screen grab and the purse Herring was holding also resembles a purse she has been photographed with in previous Instagram posts. The conclusion was that they went to the concert together, then clubbing afterward.

Cue a social media firestorm! In addition to regular social media speculation, notables such as Chrissy Teigen, Seth Rogen, John Green, and Lynda Carter tweeted about it (although most asked "Who are these people?"). Yesterday, TG issued an official announcement that they had severed the relationship with Fulmer. Fulmer posted right afterward confessing to "a consensual workplace relationship"
although Herring was not named. Ariel Fulmer posted thereafter asking for privacy.

So the assumption is that Fulmer, as one of the TG co-owners, has both damaged his own image and that of TG collectively, and created a possible liability by having an affair with a subordinate. The affair came to light internally in early September and removing Fulmer's presence was probably preparation for ending the business relationship. The social media activity could have forced their hand and they announced the termination perhaps earlier than they originally desired. Unwinding the business and friend relationships is going to be terribly messy for a while and rebuilding the business will be challenging. I don't envy them.

Former Buzzfeed coworkers have also tweeted or posted pics or stories to IG about the matter. Some are airing misgivings they had about Fulmer's character when they knew him and others are capitalizing on the affair to plug their own projects. There has been the months-old odd video or pic from random posters with Fulmer and Herring in frame alleging that their relationship has gone on for a while.

[Auroranorth]

Aww, I'm sad. I enjoy their videos and thought Ned and Ariel's relationship was really sweet.

[Gigiree]

So he torpedoed not only his relationships with his wife and children but also his entire career. Well done, moron.

[Ladybug]

Back in my day, you could have a workplace affair and no one would find out on social media! *shakes cane in the air*

[Auroranorth]

Try Guy's statement on Youtube

They're sad and pissed off, they also made it clear that Ned is gone for good.