Silence, Brand! 07.16.25
🦀taser knife robot/human fight club + Aura-farming empire + we panic ordered air + Chins are pretty privilege + IKEA Sleepeasy? + Hunter Schafer SNUBBED + BAJA BLASTxPit Vipers + Lava Chicken=CANON🦀
this issue is dedicated to hobama
[iykyk—iydk, we will not be elaborating further]
we spotted a “taser knife competitions at an underground robot and human fight club” on our FYP
… more on the before the paywall!
the piano tiles song is our latest earworm
we’re bummed that Hunter Schafer won’t be in the live action Zelda :(
we’re keeping an eye on the Rock Trap Girl saga (antipasto salad neighbor, who?)
ppl really need to stop traumatizing their kids in an attempt to capitalize on fleeting viral moments (“who did this to you, roger?” OR “who did this to you, rogers owner?”)
and we havent seen superman yet, but james gunn made spotify playlists for the vibe of each character and its such a cute idea [we love a bit]
now trending:
tiktokers are showing off their pretty privilege 💅
bad news and worse news is being presented alongside the phrase, “the good news is theres no more plague. the bad news is theres no more London”
AI selfie prompts are turning up celeb / fictional character x average person family photos — inching us ever closer to AI blending dangerous parasocial relationships with IRL fantasy
but before we get to those links…
🦀🔪 i thought we weren’t supposed to talk about [robot and human] Fight Clubs™…
TikToker Nicole Hsing (@nicolesummerhsing) went viral this week after answering the question, “so what do you do for fun?” with a video showing an MMA-style cage bathed in red light, overlaid with the text: “taser knife competitions at an underground robot and human fight club.”
We weren’t the only ones immediately intrigued by this really dope (non-lethal) taser-knife fight club, as this video garnered enough attention that she has linked an interest Google Form in her bio, which asks questions such as “Mile time? Include date at which this was recorded.”
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To our surprise, Nicole’s feed is *NOT* filled with additional content and info about a dystopian taser knife fight club. She’s actually the founder of an AI-app startup called Arcarae, which defines itself as “a consumer AI and interdisciplinary research company pioneering the exploration of consciousness through immersive technology and introspection.”
Sure.
Turns out this is a sponsored event hosted by Frontier Tower—a “self-governed vertical village” inside a converted San Francisco skyscraper. Per their website, it aims to “house innovators and creators pushing the boundaries of human potential in a post-AI-singularity world,” and you can join them for the modest price of $150/month (billed yearly).
Because, of course, the cool cyberpunk fight club is actually a front for a dystopian, AI-driven tech collective. It’s giving Scientology meets TESCREALism. If that’s your jam, we probably just gave the best free press ever.
As for us, it looks like another day goes by without us realizing our dream of being in a secret club with an NDA. 😔
📲🦀 Viral Topics
Hunter Schafer Wasn’t Cast in the Zelda Movie (Vulture)
Hunter Schafer, known for her role in Euphoria, will not be starring in Nintendo's live-action The Legend of Zelda film as previously rumoured. The roles of Princess Zelda and Link will be played by 21-year-old Bo Bragason and 16-year-old Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, respectively, with the movie set to be released on May 7, 2027.
Boat racing kid’s smooth moves inspired the ‘aura framing’ trend — here’s why Travis Kelce and other celebs are taking part in it (NY Post)
11-year-old Rayyan Arkan Dikha's "aura farming" dance routine, originally performed to boost morale for Indonesian rowers, has taken the internet by storm, with millions of views and celebrity imitations. Dikha's nonchalant expression and charismatic moves have made him a viral sensation, earning him recognition as a cultural ambassador and invitations to meet with government officials in Indonesia.
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‘Trying to go viral’: Funeral worker fired over disturbing casket pictures (Click2Houston)
A funeral home in Highlands, Texas is dealing with a social media scandal after disturbing images and videos taken inside the facility surfaced online. The funeral home has confirmed the authenticity of the content and has taken action against the individuals involved, including termination and potential legal action.
Roger, Who Did This To You? (Know Your Meme)
The "Roger, Who Did This To You?" meme started with a viral video of a young boy grieving his pet chick Roger, asking through tears who was responsible. Originally posted on Twitter in April 2025, the clip quickly spread across platforms like TikTok, where users created dramatic, comedic, and heartfelt tributes, inspiring everything from anime edits to webcomics.
Piano Tiles Animation Trend (Know Your Meme)
Armani West’s indie rap song “Piano Tiles,” which features the lyric, “Damn, why bitches pressing my piano” took off with creators on TikTok animating characters lip-syncing to the song’s lyrics, often set against a scrolling text background. It quickly became a hit within TikTok’s animation community, with millions of views on videos featuring everything from Deltarune sprites to Roblox characters.
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Gen Z side hustles are all over TikTok: The truth about their finances (USA Today)
Gen Z, facing financial anxiety due to factors like student loans and high living costs, is turning to side hustles and social media to cope and find solidarity.
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'I’ve panic ordered air': Melbourne local bamboozled by odd restaurant menu (Herald Sun)
A Melbourne TikTok user shared a video of a minimalist menu at an unnamed local venue, featuring pages filled with singular scribbled words like 'wine' and 'food', prompting confusion and amusement among viewers. Commenters speculated that it may have been a mock-up or proof that accidentally made its way onto the table, which the poster later confirmed.
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Japanese YouTuber with ‘world’s longest chin’ becomes an internet sensation (Dexerto)
Japanese YouTuber Jōnouchi has gained viral fame for his incredibly long chin, amassing over 348K subscribers on YouTube and 410K followers on TikTok. Despite facing challenges and teasing in his youth, he has embraced his unique feature, creating humorous content and memes that have garnered over a million followers across socials.
Is This Lady’s ‘Rock Trap’ Genius or Devious? (102.9 The Buzz)
A woman frustrated with reckless drivers in her parking lot has become an internet sensation after strategically placing a large rock to deter speed demons. Her creative solution has earned her the nickname "Rock Trap Girl" and sparked a wave of support from others dealing with similar issues.
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📈‼️🦀 Trending
How to trick a ____
TikTokers have revived a classic bait-and-switch format: a static image made to look like a multi-image carousel with the text “how to trick a [blank].” When viewers try to swipe for the next slide, they accidentally swipe to the creator’s profile instead. It’s a clever bit of visual misdirection that’s doubling as a growth hack.
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