Hello fellow citizens of the internet! Andrew here. Welcome to today’s edition of web_crawlr.
Our top stories today are about: A woman filming a man on her flight who took manspreading to the extreme, a (long) list of the weirdest things we learned about Ron DeSantis in 2023, an explainer of the Charlie Day meme, and how a haunting internet legend from a decade ago is getting revived in creepy TikToks.
After that, our Assistant Newsletter Editor Kira has her “Decoding Fandom” column for you.
A few other things: If you didn’t take our weekly news quiz yesterday, there’s still time! Just open yesterday’s newsletter and answer the question. If you guess correctly, you might win our brand new “Jingle Blogs” shirt!
Also, keep an eye out on your inbox today where we’ll unveil the winners of the 2023 Daily Dot Hall of Fame.
See you next week!
— A.W.
⚡ Today’s top stories
✈️ WTF
‘Across the side aisle is crazy’: Man on flight takes ‘manspreading’ to a new level
A TikTok user posted a video of a man on her flight taking manspreading to the extreme. The video has gone viral, prompting a frenzy of angry responses from viewers.
🗳️ POLITICS
The weirdest things we learned about Ron DeSantis in 2023
🗺️ MEMES
The famous Charlie Day meme, explained
Here’s how the infamous “Pepe Silvia” scene has come to be immortalized as a meme.
📱 INTERNET CULTURE
‘The lamp story is WILD’: Haunting internet legend revived in creepy TikToks
Over the last month or so, a decade-old story first posted on Reddit has enchanted TikTok. It’s been dubbed the “Reddit lamp story” or the “lamp story.”
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⭐ Decoding Fandom
By Kira Deshler
Assistant Newsletter Editor
Beyoncé’s Renaissance movie is a love letter to fans
In each edition of web_crawlr we have exclusive original content every day. On Saturdays our Assistant Newsletter Editor Kira Deshler dives deep into the world of fan culture in her “Decoding Fandom” column. If you want to read columns like this before everyone else, subscribe to web_crawlr to get your daily scoop of internet culture delivered straight to your inbox.
🕸️ Crawling the web
Here is what else is happening across the ‘net.
🔒 Do you have internet security questions you want answered? You’re in luck! Just fill out the submission form here and our Tech Reporter Mikael might pick your question to be answered in a future “Your Password Sucks” column!
💼 A certified career coach is warning people about putting their trust in managers, co-workers, or the jobs they’re in.
👛 A woman who said she thrifted a purse with a gun embellishment on it was excited with her find—until it was time to take it home. TSA flagged her over it.
🧀 Walmart shoppers are exposing Kraft Mac and Cheese for “shrinkflation.”
🤝 As the creator economy continues to grow, collaborations between brands and influencers have become commonplace. But what happens when these collaborations turn sour?
📦 In a viral TikTok, a woman claims she caught her Uber Eats driver stealing a $500 Dyson Airwrap she ordered from Ulta.
🐈 Almost every cat owner has dealt with their feline friends scratching up their furniture. A fellow cat owner revealed which type of fabric to buy your furniture to prevent your feline from ruining it.
👮 From the Daily Dot archive: A background check company is secretly paying cops on TikTok to push its services.
*The Daily Dot may receive a commission in connection with purchases of products or services featured here.
👋 Before you go
A shipping mistake by Stanley has just solved the problem of holiday shopping for one lucky customer.
Holiday shopping can be a stressful experience, especially in a difficult economy. But sometimes, the perfect solution materializes out of nowhere.
Earlier this year, the craze of the Stanley Quencher tumbler skyrocketed the heritage camping brand to frenzied interest from influencers, selling out the cup at a variety of retailers and creating a third-party reseller market.
To order just one of the now-iconic cups runs about $50 for the trendy 40 oz version. One customer says she ordered herself just one of the expensive beverage holders—and received a whole case of them.
🎶 Now Playing: “PURE/HONEY” by Beyoncé 🎶
