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Hello fellow citizens of the internet! Andrew here. Welcome to today’s edition of Internet Insider.
It’s Friday, which means it is time for our Culture Editor Tiffany Kelly to break down the dominant online discourse of the week in her “This Week On The Internet” column and share with us her pick for the meme of the week.
Besides that, we’ve got key reports on Star Wars, a viral burrito man, and more.
Let’s get to it!
— A.W.
CULTURE: The Star Wars spinoff shows on Disney+ like Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, and The Mandalorian all extensively used a visual effects device called “The Volume” that is essentially a replacement for greenscreen. However, as our Culture Reporter Gavia points out, the use of the technology is dragging Star Wars closer to the “murky, lifeless aesthetic we see elsewhere” in movies and television. Check out her full breakdown about the problem with “The Volume” here.
ROE V. WADE: A man who was “blocking cars for protesters to march” during a reproductive rights protest while eating a burrito is being hailed by people online, with a video showing him generating more than 6 million views on TikTok. As one person put it: “Man has his priorities in order.”
VIRAL: It’s not often that a divorce attorney goes viral. But that has happened after a video was shared this week on TikTok that showed a divorce attorney’s hold music for their phone line was the infamous break-up revenge song “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood. Many people found the use of the song hilarious and provided many witty jokes about why the supposed divorce attorney might use the music. Check out our full report here.
POLITICS: From Twisted Tea to far-right vloggers, our report from Contributing Reporter Tina-Desiree Berg dives into how the San Diego district attorney is waging an absurd war against antifacist protesters. You can read more about it here.
The ‘Barbie’ set photos have take on a life of their own
This week, photos from an upcoming 2023 film juxtaposed reactions to the extremely dire news on my social feeds. I’d see posts about abortion rights being stripped away from people in the U.S. and then bright, almost too bright, images of Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in matching outfits on the set of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie.
As we pointed out in a recent newsletter, the first photo of Gosling as Ken already became a meme. Now, the set photos have taken on a life on their own as the internet experiences the filming of Barbie in real time.
The rolling skating scenes, which were filmed in Venice Beach, California, received the most attention. Robbie and Gosling are shown decked out in neon ‘80s outfits with neon yellow skates. The photos have already led to service articles on where to buy Barbie-esque skates.
And, of course, there are memes. But no one actually knows much about the plot of Barbie. Based entirely on the photos, it appears Barbie and Ken travel from a fantasy world to the real world, à la Enchanted. Other reporters have started coming up with their own guesses. But really, I don’t want to know what this movie is about.
I loved Gerwig’s previous films, including Little Women and Lady Bird. The way she writes complex women characters is… very good. So I don’t want Barbie ruined for me.
I also am obsessed with all of these set photos so far. I believe these set photos immediately increase the serotonin levels of everyone who sees them. All I ask is that none of them show major plot points before the trailer comes out.
Good work to everyone snapping these photos, though.
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👀 TODAY ONLINE
Here are some key dispatches from across the ‘net.
📦 You’re not the only one thinking your package is getting stolen. A TikToker posted a clip where he claims that he witnessed all types of theft from fellow employees while working at UPS.
☕ A former worker at Dunkin’ went viral after claiming that drinks are ‘sh*t at Dunkin‘ because no one gets trained.
💼 Are anonymous work surveys truly anonymous? One person online is getting a lot of attention for claiming they aren’t.
😲 Being stood up by a date is never a fun experience. But a video has gone viral for detailing how they were stood up when they were already at someone’s house.
🎁 If you have a type A BFF with a taste for elevated classics who is celebrating their birthday soon, here is the ultimate guide to out-of-this-world presents.*
📜 When you think of the early days of the internet, what does that look like to you? In “The Lost History of the Internet” the Daily Dot explores the online communities and events that shaped us.
*The Daily Dot may receive a commission in connection with purchases of products or services featured here.
📅 MEME OF THE WEEK
A couple holding up a sign that read, “We Will Adopt Your Baby” was instantly memed with bad parents from pop culture. (The kicker: The couple are not U.S. citizens and believe “the adoption process is costly.”)
Now Playing: 🎶“Movies” by Conan Gray🎶
