Weekly Internet Roundup: Shein Apologist Influencers, Barbie Vs. Oppenheimer, and the Miranda Sings Ukulele Apology

Welcome to this rollercoaster journey of things that have happened on social media recently. In case you missed it, or you just want an update, here is a summary of the basics. It's been a blockbuster week for both unavoidable memes and ridiculous internet controversies. Let's get into it.

Grimace's Revenge

McDonald's finally acknowledged the highly amusing Grimace Shake trend a few days ago, and that doesn't seem to have dulled peoples' enthusiasm for it. TikTokers have allowed their imaginations to run wild with this limited edition beverage, creating entire horror movie-style productions around the premise that it is a bad idea to drink it. While we're not ones to celebrate a massive corporation getting free advertising, we've got to applaud the creativity. Things have come a long way on that platform from those annoying dances.

The ‘Apology’ Video to End All Apology Videos

At this point, it's hard to single out a golden era YouTube celebrity who hasn't gone through some kind of cancellation process. If they weren't pumping out ethically questionable content back in the day, they were probably up to shady things behind the scenes. Or they were doing both! 

The latest high profile figure to be added to a Youtuber-themed Death Knocking on Doors meme has been Colleen Ballinger, made famous as Miranda Sings. The allegations against her are serious, involving bullying and multiple instances of her grooming underage fans, as well as encouraging them to act in inappropriate ways at her live shows.

In a truly demented example of celebrity hubris, Ballinger recently decided to address these mounting accusations in the most baffling, millennial cringe way possible: she posted a ten minute long video of her singing with a ukulele.

To nobody's surprise (except maybe Ballinger's), her response was immediately ripped to shreds for just about everything it involved. This is a true watershed moment in internet history, folks. It even rivals the infamous Tati Westbrook and James Charles feud.

Independent Thinkers Shop at Shein

The joys of mindless, unethical consumption! We've all been guilty of it now and then. There are different levels to this, however. Guiltily paying for an Amazon Prime subscription is not the same as doing viral PR for one of the world's most controversial fast fashion companies. 

Much of the internet remained unconvinced when a bunch of influencers went on a trip to China that was all about boosting the brand image of Shein. The factory floor they showed us may have been glossy, but the investigations into the company's environmental impact and working conditions are anything but.

Barbenheimer Forever

When we look back on the summer of 2023, one thing we will remember is the distinctive color scheme. Pink and black have been everywhere lately, thanks to the memes being spawned by the joint release date of Barbie and Oppenheimer. Taking an interest in both kid's toys and atomic bombs seems an appropriate summation of the post-ironic internet attitude, so perhaps it's not so surprising that these two movies have been such fertile ground for memes. There are still a few weeks to go to see if this continues after they're out in theaters.

Here ends another week of the roundup. Fingers crossed that the internet provides just as bountifully for next week. I'm sure it will do its best not to disappoint. See ya!