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Hello fellow web crawlers! Andrew here. Welcome to today’s edition of web_crawlr.
Our top stories today are about: MAGA being obsessed with a Christmas jingle they warped to be Trump-themed, a look at why locals think there is a serial killer in Austin, Texas, a ranking of the best (and worst) celebrity lookalike contests that have gone viral recently, and a video about peeling bananas that has some people having an existential crisis.
After that, our Assistant Newsletter Editor Kira has a “Decoding Fandom” column for you.
See you tomorrow! We’ve got something fun planned, so keep an eye on your inbox!
— A.W.
⚡ Today in Internet Culture
🎅 VIRAL POLITICS
‘Gonna find out who’s deported by ICE’: MAGA’s new Christmas jingle cheers Trump’s immigrant crackdown
The MAGA crowd is getting in the Christmas spirit—with a twist on a classic song that celebrates President-elect Donald Trump’s mass deportation plans.
😨 WTF
‘That’s the last footage we have of him’: 14 people disappeared on Lady Bird Lake. Now Austin’s convinced it’s the Rainey Street Ripper
Something is happening in the waters of Austin, Texas.
🎭 POP CULTURE
Ranking the celebrity lookalike contests going viral online from worst to best
What celebrity do you look like? If someone comes to mind, keep an eye out for one of the local contests that are going viral online lately. Here’s a ranking of the celebrity lookalike contests.
🍌 THE MORE YOU KNOW
‘I’m questioning everything I have done for past 51 years!’: Grocery store shopper shows the right way to peel, eat a banana
The simple banana-peeling video is leading some viewers to have an existential crisis.
By Kira Deshler
Assistant Newsletter Editor
How is the fanfic community responding to artificial intelligence?
In each edition of web_crawlr we have exclusive original content every day. On Wednesdays 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.
🥩 This Subway worker showed what really happens behind the scenes when they prepare your steak sandwich.
🚬 Here’s the (chilly) history of the ‘Asian Girl Smoking In The Snow’ meme.
💬 A concerned DoorDash customer turned to Reddit for advice after receiving threatening texts from a Dasher unsatisfied with their tip.
🥣 More than two years after Kellogg’s launch of a product promising an instant bowl of milk and cereal with the addition of water, the Instabowl is still a marvel for some consumers.
🥚 A PetSmart worker found eggs in one of the bird cages, and decided to take matters into his own hands. His actions earned the approval of fellow TikTokers.
⚰️ From the Daily Dot archive: Here are the real-life stakes of faking your death online.
📝 Question of the Day
Everyone’s got opinions, and we want to know yours. Just click a button below to answer the question, and tomorrow we will let you know how fellow web crawlers like you answered.
DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THE TECHNIQUE USED TO PEEL THE BANANA IN THIS VIRAL VIDEO?
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🤳 Today’s Viral Video
The internet reacts to the viral haka! 🔥
