by Terrence O'Brien on March 18, 2011 at 06:30 AM

A boy from Sydney, Australia has gone from victim to Internet hero practically overnight. A recently posted video shows the 16-year-old Casey Heynes absorbing abuse from a much smaller (and younger) bully before finally snapping, lifting the other boy in the air and slamming him to the concrete -- hard. The footage has made the rounds not only online, but onto mainstream media news shows in the ...
by Leila Brillson on March 15, 2011 at 12:37 PM

We bring out the costume a lot. I think we wear it once a year, for Halloween. But I think this might come as a shock, but I don't think dogs like wearing clothes. I think they hate it, actually. It may be wrong to do it, but I love my dog, and if she really didn't like it, I wouldn't put her through it. We have done a hot dog. The dog's aspect ratio is 7:1, so you get all these cool costumes ...
by Terrence O'Brien on February 24, 2011 at 04:20 PM

You might have seen the teaser for 'The Chronicles of Rick Roll' already, and thought to yourself, "This is a really bad joke." But you'd be wrong!
The creator of the clip, Andrew Fischer of Nurv.com, told Business Insider he is very serious about making a feature-length film. He assured the publication that "the movie is not a prank," and said he's hoping for a theatrical release. Even ...
by Amar Toor on February 24, 2011 at 02:55 PM

Samsung's new commercial for the Galaxy Indulge smartphone isn't just a commercial. It's a bona fide work of art, built around Snoop Dogg (in various iterations), Warren G, and a dating show from a bygone era. There's an overt emphasis on all the G's, a clever 'Regulate' reference, and narration from Ted Williams -- the formerly homeless man with the Golden Voice. Unfortunately, the spot ...
by Leila Brillson on February 23, 2011 at 03:55 PM

Some say you can learn all you want about art -- technique, history, theory -- but, if you don't have that certain je ne sais quoi, your work won't be exquisite. Viral videos, perhaps, are kinda the same. So when Gawker.TV's Richard Blakeley sets out to teach a class to marketers on "how to go viral," it may be a little pointless. Sure, corporations have most certainly gotten it right, like the ...
by Leila Brillson on February 9, 2011 at 12:50 PM

Whatever happened to Tubgirl and Eel Girl? (If you have never seen these things, worry not!) There was also, a few years back, some website that was supposed to be the future of the Internet, devoted to tabloid play of death and destruction video. Now I can't even remember what it's called and can't even Google it up. Choire Sicha ponders the loss of gross-out sites like Rotten.com and videos ...
by Warren Riddle on January 22, 2011 at 09:01 AM

With her identity finally revealed, the infamous fountain lady should be joyously reveling in an undoubtedly fleeting moment of Internet fame. Instead, Cathy Cruz Marrero (who actually works, or worked, at the mall where she fell) has hired a lawyer and is publicly crusading for sympathy and an apology. Speaking with George Stephanopoulos, Cruz Marrero and her attorney recently explained the ...
by Warren Riddle on January 5, 2011 at 07:00 PM

The memories of 2010's viral stars still remain fresh and frustratingly ingrained, but a 'Net newcomer named Ted Williams has arrived to help expunge any thoughts of ephemeral heroes like Antoine Dodson, Sad Keanu and the Old Spice Guy. Discovered on the side of the road by a Columbus Dispatch reporter, the homeless and gifted Williams has instantly attained iconic status.
A video detailing ...
by Terrence O'Brien on December 31, 2010 at 11:30 AM

2010 introduced us to countless new memes. But only a few were clever and culturally pervasive enough for consideration for this list. For every 'Double Rainbow' there were a dozen 'Standing Cats' and 'Salsa Dogs' that may have proved good for a quick chuckle but lacked staying power, depth and versatility. [Ed. Note: Disagree. 'Salsa Dog' is tops.] As viral videos and other Web phenomena ...
by Warren Riddle on October 17, 2010 at 11:00 AM

Only two short weeks remain for indecisive Halloween revelers to prepare relevant, timely and hilarious costume conversation pieces. Fortunately, the Internet provides an unceasing slew of costume ideas, and Nerve has selected a few of the Web's trendiest memes to inspire procrastinating masqueraders.
The list includes the expected offerings of Double Rainbow Guy, Sad Keanu (with ample time ...
by Amar Toor on October 4, 2010 at 12:41 PM

Keanu Reeves may know a lot of things, but when it comes to his online presence, he seems pretty clueless. In a recent interview with the "actor," New York Magazine's Vulture asked Reeves about his innermost thoughts on 'Sad Keanu.' The image of Keanu eating a sandwich has become a meme, complete with a ton of requisite, creatively photoshopped versions. Reeves, perhaps not surprisingly, had no ...
by Caleb Johnson on September 8, 2010 at 09:10 AM

While the University of Mississippi students' campaign to elect Admiral Ackbar as the school's new mascot has been squashed, ESPN isn't ready to let the rebellion die. The sports network recently filmed a commercial featuring students lobbying for and against the Star Wars Supreme Commander. "We are in need of a new Rebel leader," one student pleads. However, Lucasfilm claims Ackbar is too busy ...
by Matthew Zuras on June 30, 2010 at 08:45 AM

Since President Obama's campaign for the Oval Office began back in 2007, we've known that politicians have been made aware of this whole Internet thing, and have found that it can be a useful tool for spreading their truths, half-truths and lies. We've written recently about Obama's new iPhone app, and even how the septuagenarian Senator Ike Skelton has taken to the "Twitters" (Obama's coinage) in ...
by Matthew Zuras on June 26, 2010 at 09:00 AM

Who is Horse-Boy? Internet mystery! You can debate your iamwhoiams all night, but Horse-Boy is a true conundrum. How do we know? Why, the BBC told us so.
Britain's biggest news organization is baffled by Horse-Boy, a shadowy figure dressed in what could only be described as a perplexingly purple button-down shirt, who has a horse's head in his human head's place, and has made surprise ...
by Terrence O'Brien on June 24, 2010 at 11:15 AM

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In celebration of... well, we're not sure what exactly (perhaps to raise awareness of migraine sufferers), Google has added a vuvuzela button to YouTube. Just click the soccer ball icon to overlay a loop of the blaring World Cup staples over almost any video on the site. It's great for transforming seemingly harmless clips (of bunnies staring, for instance) into terrifying, Stanley ...