That One Sound is a weekly column from senior internet culture writer Audra Schroeder that explores the origin of popular sounds heard on TikTok. Suggestions? Tips? Email audra@dailydot.com.
Do you remember the last time something really made you laugh? Not the dead-eyed laughter that accompanies much of the news these days, and the sense that we know the end is near but we’re all still working through it. The kind that wrings you out. Cracks you up, even.
This week, a look at a relatively new (to TikTok) sound that also represents a universal feeling.
The sound
In the audio, a woman asks: “What are you looking forward to most about this film?” A young boy responds: “Well, I think I’m looking forward to cracking up. I hope I can totally crack up. I haven’t totally cracked up in a long time.”
People of course applied it to jokes or pranks.
Others used it on recent films. (Dear Evan Hansen seems to be one popular example.)
Where’s it from?
On Sept. 6, Jake Thomas posted a clip of him being interviewed at age 11, at the star-studded premiere of 2001 animated comedy Osmosis Jones. In the TikTok, he can be seen in present day, confirming with his past self that he did crack up.
In the comments, Thomas wrote: “Show me your best with this audio.”
The TikTok now has more than 9 million views and has been used in more than 22,000 videos. (It was posted to Twitter on Sept. 5 and went viral there, too.) Many of the comments compared Thomas’ vibe to the “Apparently” kid. And quite a few people recognized Thomas as little brother Matt in the Lizzie McGuire series.
In December, when the Lizzie McGuire reboot was canceled at Disney, Thomas posted some behind-the-scenes footage (only two episodes were filmed) and lamented that fans wouldn’t “get to see how Matt grew up. He was pretty chill. Still a bit of a cocky asshole, but a good dude. Lived large. Spoke fluent Japanese. And was a total Elon Musk fanboy.”
Sound off
Thomas has shared some other Hollywood stories on his TikTok, including one about starring as “Jack Jr.,” the son of the Jack in the Box mascot, in a “handful” of ‘90s commercials.
More on TikTok
| Everything you need to know to get started on TikTok |
| A slowed-down song and a slow zoom trend collide on TikTok |
| People have questions about this TikToker’s skull collection |
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