Prompt Cast
Exploring Internet Memes and Conspiracy Theories: From Harambe to Marina Joyce and the Fake Paul McCartney
TLDR In this episode, Alex Goldman and PJ Vogt delve into the world of internet memes and conspiracy theories, discussing the online reaction to the death of Harambe the gorilla, the rumors surrounding beauty blogger Marina Joyce, and the infamous conspiracy theory that Paul McCartney was replaced by a fake. They explore the motivations behind these phenomena and question who is being targeted in the jokes and theories that circulate online.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Alex Goldman and PJ Vogt try to make sense of a tweet about a banana art that references Harambe.
03:44
Harambe was a gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo who was shot and killed after a three-year-old fell into his enclosure, and his death has become a meme on Twitter.
07:04
The hosts discuss the online reaction to the death of Harambe the gorilla and question who is being made fun of in the memes and jokes surrounding the incident.
11:09
The hosts discuss a tweet about a beauty blogger named Marina Joyce who her fans believe is sending distress signals through her videos.
15:01
Marina Joyce, a British YouTuber, gained attention when rumors circulated that she was secretly being held captive and sending distress signals through her videos, but it seems that these theories are not true.
18:51
Marina Joyce's behavior in her videos, including repeating herself, lack of emotion, and strange movements, led to speculation that she was in trouble, with some theories suggesting she was being held captive by her boyfriend or even kidnapped by ISIS.
22:56
Marina Joyce responded to the speculation about her being held hostage by initially tweeting that she was okay, but as the story grew, the police had to confirm on their Twitter that everything was fine, leading to theories that she may be doing it for publicity.
27:21
The hosts discuss the conspiracy theory from the 60s that Paul McCartney died and was replaced by a fake Paul, and how people today have access to more random data points to assemble conspiracy stories.
Categories:
Technology
Society & Culture
