This week in viral videos we have been watching Chris Eubank realise the dream of a fictional radio presenter from Norwich, a four-year-old scoring a try against professional rugby players, killer bees, Americans slamming Father Ted and a blue whale with the timing of a professional.
There have been plenty of odd videos doing the rounds this week, including Boston Dynamics’ latest attempt to make humanoid robots a reality.
But if robots charging through the woods aren’t your cup of tea, then we have plenty more entertainment to sate your appetite this weekend.
Father Ted, as told by American first-time viewers
Sacrilege. Utter sacrilege. Buzzfeed’s latest ‘for the first time’ video shows Americans sitting down to tear into an Irish treasure.
With their cynical attitudes in tow, pairs sit down in overt boredom, it seems, with pretty much all of the humour lost on them.
The opening credits font doesn’t impress, with it all going downhill from there. Bishop Len Brennan appears and one asks, “Do priests have bosses?”. “God,” responds another.
At least some of them took a shine to Fr Dougal.
Video via BuzzFeedVideo/YouTube, uploaded Aug 17
Youth Hostelling with Chris Eubank
Many moons ago a wise, if satirical, BBC local radio presenter came up with an idea. Well, in truth, Alan Partridge came up with many ideas.
In pitching a new TV show, he suggested Arm Wrestling with Chas and Dave, appealing to fans of questionable music, Knowing M.E, Knowing You, highlighting a misunderstood illness and Inner-City Sumo, for fat people to wrestle in nappies.
Then a gem emerged, Youth Hostelling with Chris Eubank!
Now, many years later, his dream has become a reality.
Video via Hostelworld/YouTube, video uploaded on Aug 19
4-year-old boy scores heartwarming try
Sport isn’t often in the news for positive reasons, so when things like this happen it’s nice to make note of it.
In a charity Rugby League match in Australia, a four-year-old boy called Laiken wandered onto the field, hardly the safest place to take a stroll. But, rather than putting the kid in danger, New South Wales players passed him the ball.
Queensland Legends players, though, just can’t quite catch the little scamp as he runs the pitch to score a fantastic try. He missed the conversion, which just goes to show how difficult a sport rugby can be.
Video via RLHL Extra/YouTube, uploaded on Aug 13
Killer bees are coming to get us!
Sometimes you need a double-take when you see a project on YouTube. For instance, this hands-on investigation into just how aggressive African honey bees (killer bees, to most) are was not undertaken by Johnny Knoxville, but rather the Smithsonian Channel.
The Secrets of the Hive film crew face up to, and film, 40,000 killer bees.
“Why do they call them killer bees?” rightly asks one cameraperson. “Because they are dangerous,” plainly responds another. Go science.
There’s actually some pretty amazing slow motion footage of the bees in full-on killing mode, too. Go science.
Video via Smithsonian Channel, uploaded on Aug 13
BBC’s surprise at blue whale’s brilliant entrance
Timing, they say, is everything. So when a downbeat BBC zoologist, Mark Carwardine, discussed the difficulties of spotting a blue whale surfacing, there really was only one thing the whale could do.
Just as Carwardine finished his laboured warning citing that often “you know they’re there, you just jolly well can’t find them”, this happened:
Video via BBC Earth Unplugged/YouTube, uploaded on Aug 18
Gears of War Ultimate Edition – Mad World Trailer
Computer game trailers have almost become art forms in themselves and, just like in the art world, repetition is king. This week Microsoft released with the Gears of War: Ultimate Edition launch trailer, with a throwback to the original title’s Mad World promo.
There’s something brilliantly soothing about the juxtaposition of a wonderful cover of a Tears for Fears song, and gunshots and bloodshed. Don’t you think?
Video via XBox/YouTube on Aug 17
Josh Groban sings Donald Trump Tweets on Jimmy Kimmel
Considering Donald Trump is running for president in the US, and he’s pouring out controversial soundbites by the hour, he’s become a figure of fun amongst many sections of the media.
So Josh Groban appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live during the week to show off his latest musical masterpiece.
“Hi I’m Josh Groban, and I have the voice of an angel,” announced the singer, before sitting in front of a piano and singing out some of Donald Trump’s tweets.
Video via Jimmy Kimmel Live/YouTube, uploaded on Aug 18
Main image via Richard Cabrera on Flickr
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