The final debate of the 2012 presidential election season has been auto-tuned. The Gregory Brothers, the duo behind “Songify the News” and “Bed Intruder Song,” has been setting every debate of the presidential capaign season to song. The “songified” videos put notable moments from the debates to song. The first three debates have amassed over 7 million views together. Which one was your favorite? We’ve embedded the prior three below. Auto-Tune The Debates First Presidential Debate Date: October 3, 2012Topic: Domestic policy Location: University of Denver in Denver, ColoradoParticipants: President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt RomneyModerator: Jim Lehrer (Host of NewsHour on PBS) VP Debate Date: October 16, 2012Topic: Foreign and domestic policy Location: Centre College in Danville, KentuckyParticipants: Vice President Joe Biden and Congressman Paul RyanModerator: Martha Raddatz (ABC News Chief Foreign Correspondent) 2nd Presidential Debate Date: October 22, 2012Topic: Town meeting format including foreign and domestic policyLocation: Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York Participants: President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt RomneyModerator: Candy Crowley (CNN Chief Political Correspondent) 3rd Presidential Debate Date: October 22, 2012Topic: Foreign policyLocation: Lynn University in Boca Raton, FloridaParticipants: President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt RomneyModerator: Bob Schieffer (Host of Face the Nation on CBS) Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/10/23/final-presidential-debate-auto-tune/
Simon Cowell all choked up? Hard to believe, but the famously hard-hearted judge got misty-eyed after watching The X Factor contestant Jillian Jensen audition on the talent show. The 20-year-old Massachusetts native sang Jessie J’s “Who You Are” during a round of auditions, which aired during Wednesday night’s season premiere. “That was incredible,” Cowell says, while holding back tears. (Go to the 8:05 mark in the YouTube video above to see his reaction). Record executive L.A. Reid, pop star Britney Spears and singer Demi Lovato, who also sit on the judges’ panel, echoed his praise. Twitter users responded to Cowell’s uncharacteristic emotional display with disbelief. DID SIMON COWELL JUST SHED A TEAR OR AM I DREAMING IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MY WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE — Brrrrrrendan ♔ (@Brendan_Ryan1D) September 13, 2012 Still in shock that Simon Cowell cried lol. #XFactor — Tom M ♫ (@GuitarGuy22) September 13, 2012 Even Lovato poked fun at her fellow judge: “Awwww, you have a heart!”- @ddlovato to @simoncowell. #TearFactor — THE X FACTOR (USA) (@TheXFactorUSA) September 13, 2012 Twitter also exploded with congratulations for contestant Jensen. IF SIMON COWELL IS CRYING YOU KNOW ITS SOMETHING BIG OK — logan ~ (@wutnarry) September 13, 2012 Jillian you made Simon Cowell cry. You’ve officially conquered the world. — Kayla(@Kay_Lahhh) September 13, 2012 In response, the singer tweeted her thanks. I cant even express how touched I am right now,seriously I love you all so much, thank u 4 supporting me. u can do ANYTHING u set ur mind 2! — Jillian Jensen (@ItsJillJensen) September 13, 2012 What do you think of Cowell’s reaction and Jensen’s audition? Tell us in the comments below. window._msla=window.loadScriptAsync||function(src,id){if(document.getElementById(id))return;var js=document.createElement(‘script’);js.id=id;js.src=src;document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[0].parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}; _msla(“//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js”,”twitter_jssdk”); Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/09/13/simon-cowell-x-factor/
By now we’re all familiar with the story: Nebbishy looking guy or gal doesn’t appear to have much going on, but then — boom — that voice slays the audience and the judges. This is what shows like The X Factor were created for and every once in a while, the scenario repeats itself. Such was the case with Curtis Golden, an 18-year-old self-styled “nerd” who worked his magic over the weekend. Will Golden be the next Susan Boyle? Too soon to tell but, like Boyle, you don’t expect that voice to come out of that body. What do you think? Were you as impressed by Golden’s performance as everyone else was? Let us know in the comments. Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/08/20/nerd-wows-x-factor-judges-video/
Just as we’d nearly recovered from Nicki Minaj’s buns-centric “Anaconda” video, Ellen Degeneres’ butt managed to reel us back in. Never one to shy away from dancing, the talk show host tested out some new moves in a Nicki-approved homage to the butt-popping video. And as a bonus gift to us all, she donned a pair of acid wash cutoff jorts. Because if you’re going to act the part, you’d better dress the part, too. Video: YouTube, TheEllenShow Here’s a TED Talk about sounding smart in a TED Talk Is Beyoncé actually an alien? ‘Jurassic Parks and Rec’ is the mashup Chris Pratt fans need This gas station bathroom is nicer than your first apartment Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/09/11/ellen-anaconda-video/
“Here come the balls, big orange balls…” Sound familiar? That’s essentially the NBA‘s take on the classic holiday tune “Carol of the Bells,” as seen in the creative ad embedded above. Featuring five of the NBA’s biggest stars covering the song via basketball dribble, it’s meant to promote the NBA’s special one-color jerseys players will wear Christmas Day and premieres on TV during Wednesday night’s games. The spot was produced by Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, the advertising agency behind the legendary “Got Milk?” spots and other well-known campaigns. Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/11/21/nba-ad-holiday/
You made it through another long off season, football fans. The NFL season officially kicked off last night, so go ahead and breathe a sigh of relief. ‘Tis the season for productivity-starved Sundays, obsessing over fantasy teams and absurd amounts of buffalo wings. SB Nation made a video just for you, person who thinks there is nothing better than freezing your tail off outside in the snow in order to watch grown men repeatedly bash into each other. BONUS: This is every NFL fan in 90 seconds: Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/09/06/nfl-hope-video/
The humble kaleidoscope might not have much on video games, but it’s still a pretty cool toy. Its primary purpose is to take an everyday image and make it a little more magical. Don’t you want yours back right now? No need to go digging through your toy box — we now have a kaleidoscope for the digital age. This time-lapse video from Michael Shainblum begins simply enough — with beautiful, recognizable cityscapes shown alongside their mirror images. Then he flips the time-lapse photography genre upside-down (literally) with dazzling kaleidoscopic effects. Shainblum has been mirroring images for five years and spent four months working on “Mirror City,” using footage from Chicago, San Francisco, San Diego, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. “Many people visit these large cities every day, and all of these places have been shot and filmed, but I wanted to emulate these urban landscapes in a way that nobody has even seen before,” Shainblum’s Vimeo page reads. Click the video above to see a time-lapse like no other. Do you recognize your city through the kaleidoscope’s eye? Let us know in the comments below. BONUS: 10 Videos That Inspired Us in 2012 10 Videos That Inspired Us in 2012 1. Arthur Boorman’s Transformation Arthur Boorman was a disabled, overweight Gulf War veteran for 15 years. Over and over, doctors told him he’d never walk without the support of crutches again. On a bit of a whim, he joined a local yoga program, and ended up achieving what almost everyone had told him was impossible. Watch his story for yourself. 2. Nike ‘Find Your Greatness’ Ad Originally aired during the Summer Olympics, this Nike commercial — featuring a 12-year-old boy named Nathan — is surprisingly simplistic, but carries a big message: “Greatness is not beyond [Nathan’s] reach, nor is it for any of us.” Read more. 3. Procter & Gamble ‘Thank You, Mom’ Ad This Procter & Gamble ad, also aired during this summer’s Olympics, was part of its “Thank You, Mom” campaign. The video shows a number of different kids, all across the world, growing up to eventually compete in the Olympics — with their mothers supporting them during the entire journey. 4. U.S. Olympic Team Tribute To Muhammad Ali This tribute to Muhammad Ali, created by DJ Steve Porter for Team U.S.A., mixes some of the boxer’s best phrases and glory proclamations with a catchy, pump-you-up-to-the-max beat. Read more. 5. The Last Wong Fu Productions created this touching short film about a man, played by Glee‘s Harry Shum, Jr., who is asked by his girlfriend how many people he’s loved before her. Watch it to see his heartfelt answer. Read more. 6. Hey (St.) Jude In celebration of its 50th birthday, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital made a buzzing rendition of the Beatles’ “Hey Jude,” featuring the hospital’s patients singing alongside nurses, doctors and celebrities like Betty White, Michael Jordan and Robin Williams. Read more. 7. Ugly Yet Beautiful Chester Lee Ridens of Dubuque, Iowa describes himself […]
“I only need eight bits to know that this is it,” a lovestruck Luigi croons to Princess Peach in this nerd-tastic ballad that instantly went viral on the social web upon hitting YouTube earlier Wednesday. The green-clad, mustachioed Luigi always seemed to be more a wingman to partner in-crime-Mario — who sported a more passionate red outfit — in the Super Mario Bros. video game franchise. But it seems Luigi was really just the shy, sensitive type and actually had dreams of his own all along. Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/08/22/lovestruck-luigi-pines-for-princess-peach-ballad/
YouTube videos exist so they can be shared. And the Internet, as it always does, delivers plenty — but which ones are the best viral videos? Our new pop culture debate show, Monumental, is all about figuring that out (among other things.) Every Tuesday, we’ll sit down with a group of panelists and determine the top four — a.k.a. “Mount Rushmore” — of a familiar pop culture topic. The panelists will be given eight top contenders to choose from, and through rigorous, totally serious debate, they’ll decide who — or what — should be on the final list. In our first episode, above, YouTube legends Shane Dawson and Roman Atwood sit down with host Elliott Morgan to debate which viral videos are the viral-ist(?) of all time. Here are the eight contenders: 1. Gangnam Style Psy’s dance-heavy classic, released over the summer of 2012, became the first YouTube video to reach one billion views in December 2012. “Gangnam fever” soon followed, with notable figures like Barack Obama, David Cameron and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon offering their own interpretations of the dance. 2. Chocolate Rain 3. Rick Astley: “Never Gonna Give You Up” You’ve heard of this one. More appropriately, you’ve fallen victim to this one. English singer-songwriter Rick Astley released the love ballad, “Never Gonna Give You Up,” in 1987. In the early 2000s, it quickly spread as a prank meme: victims would open up a link, supposedly about something completely unrelated, and be surprised with Astley’s video. At least it’s catchy. 4. Sneezing Baby Panda 5. Evolution of Dance Comedian Juddson Laiply (perfectly) performs 12 different popular dances in a row. Enough. Said. 6. Grape Lady Falls 7. Charlie Bit My Finger Maybe it’s their perfect, English-accented diction. Or maybe it’s just because they’re freaking adorable. “Charlie Bit My Finger” hit the web in 2007. At 56 seconds, it’s the most bare-boned video of the bunch — but, come on, it’s a cute kid playfully biting the finger of another cute kid over cute, British-y dialogue. It wins. 8. Leroy Jenkins These are just our top picks. Any you think should have made the cut? Let us know in the comments! Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/08/19/monumental-viral-videos/
Lisa Frank has colored our worlds with rainbows, hearts and teddy bears since 1979, but rarely do we hear much about the woman behind the magic. But the woman really exists, and her office is just as amazing as you’d imagine it to be — filled with giant puppies, waving mascots and, of course, rainbows galore. A crew of filmmakers stepped inside the Lisa Frank headquarters in Tucson, Ariz. to interview the founder herself. The video, shown above, is part of Lisa Frank’s recent partnership with Urban Outfitters. Frank requested to remain visibly out of the frame, in the interest of privacy. In the interview, Frank reveals tidbits about her childhood that should come as no surprise to fans, like her fondness for coloring books. Perhaps the most unexpected moment in the video is when Frank very openly admits “I’m a lunatic.” “We have to stop me and say, ‘Okay, it’s enough,’” says Frank about the hundreds of hours put into one illustration. Urban Outfitters has more of the interview on its blog. Many Lisa Frank fans are upset about the partnership, due to increased price and speculation over Urban Outfitter’s past controversies. Lisa Frank responded to the concerns on Facebook, saying that the price was appropriate because “these items are very limited and rare. And, this will be the very, very, last time they will ever be available.” Lisa Frank has also requested an official statement from Urban Outfitters, which will be posted on the Facebook page. BONUS: 12 Tumblrs for ’90s Nostalgia Radical! 12 Tumblrs for ’90s Nostalgia 1. Oh, It’s The 90s If you’re a fan of ’90s music reviews, this site features write-ups on all of the biggest celebrities via hundreds of scans from magazines like Spin, Q, Rolling Stone and Select. 2. Fuck Yeah Ugly ’90s Clothes! The 1990s were a decade of polyester, denim-short overalls, skorts, JNCOs, puff paint and stupid hats. All of these styles and more can be found at this site 3. Fuck Yes JTT Johnathan Taylor Thomas was a National Treasure in the 90s, and it’s no surprise there’s an entire blog dedicated to him. 4. ’90s Are All That If you were a child of the 90s, the SNICK lineup was a big part of your weekend routine. Teen Nick created this Tumblr as part of its comeback. 5. Buffy Confessions Buffy the Vampire Slayer was such a hit show, there is an entire site today where you can share confessions about the show. 6. Those Were the 90s If you’re nostalgic for ’90s culture — whether that’s food, toys, games, films or books — this site has you covered. It’s been organized so that you can easily find your favorite TV show or celebrity from the decade as well. 7. I Love 90s R&B If you’re into ’90s R&B and hip hop, this site has playlists, movie soundtracks, GIFs, photos and quotes. 8. Lisa Frank Party Of course, the ’90s wouldn’t be complete without the colorful, glittery world […]
