Some people are natural-born comedians. When and how a sense of humor develops is a fun psychological puzzle, but it’s clear to anyone who’s been around lots of children that some kids tap into their funny bone very early.
Some kids are also natural-born actors, and when you combine those early drama chops with an innate comedic impulse, you end up with a hilarious little baby prankster.
Case in point: This video of a baby seeming to have her forearm stuck in the top of a water jug. It starts with the little darling in distress, crying and fussing for help, with her arm appearing to be lodged into the narrow bottle opening.
Then, when a grown-up comes to help dislodge her, the tears turn to giggles as she pulls her arm out herself, showing she was never actually stuck in the first place. Watch:
From a parental point of view, this is both highly entertaining and slightly terrifying. How are you ever supposed to know when this kid is acting or actually in distress?
People commented on a version of the video on Facebook with their own experiences of baby jokesters:
“Signs of high emotional intelligence.. This is great!”
“I work in childcare and it’s so funny how even really young babies can have a sense of humour!”
“My son does this. He cries cause his foot is stuck in the couch. I pull him out and he sticks it right back in and cries.”
“Babies are so dang funny. My baby was about 8 months he knew that if he ate all his food he would get a treat so he use to hide all his food in his diaper and when I changed him there goes his food lol “
“My son did this. He’d cry big ass tears and everything. We pull his arm or leg out, he’d giggle, and put it right back. Then anyone he hasn’t done that to before he would. They’d be like “omg his arm is stuck” then I’m like no it’s not watch and pull it out so they can watch him do it again.”
Here’s to the hilarious little humans who keep us laughing while keeping their parents on their toes.
In March 2023, after months of preparation and paperwork, Anita Omary arrived in the United States from her native Afghanistan to build a better life. Once she arrived in Connecticut, however, the experience was anything but easy.
“When I first arrived, everything felt so strange—the weather, the environment, the people,” Omary recalled. Omary had not only left behind her extended family and friends in Afghanistan, she left her career managing child protective cases and supporting refugee communities behind as well. Even more challenging, Anita was five months pregnant at the time, and because her husband was unable to obtain a travel visa, she found herself having to navigate a new language, a different culture, and an unfamiliar country entirely on her own.
“I went through a period of deep disappointment and depression, where I wasn’t able to do much for myself,” Omary said.
Then something incredible happened: Omary met a woman who would become her close friend, offering support that would change her experience as a refugee—and ultimately the trajectory of her entire life.
Understanding the journey
Like Anita Omary, tens of thousands of people come to the United States each year seeking safety from war, political violence, religious persecution, and other threats. Yet escaping danger, unfortunately, is only the first challenge. Once here, immigrant and refugee families must deal with the loss of displacement, while at the same time facing language barriers, adapting to a new culture, and sometimes even facing social stigma and anti-immigrant biases.
Welcoming immigrant and refugee neighbors strengthens the nation and benefits everyone—and according to Anita Omary, small, simple acts of human kindness can make the greatest difference in helping them feel safe, valued, and truly at home.
A warm welcome
Dee and Omary's son, Osman
Anita Omary was receiving prenatal checkups at a woman’s health center in West Haven when she met Dee, a nurse.
“She immediately recognized that I was new, and that I was struggling,” Omary said. “From that moment on, she became my support system.”
Dee started checking in on Omary throughout her pregnancy, both inside the clinic and out.
“She would call me and ask am I okay, am I eating, am I healthy,” Omary said. “She helped me with things I didn’t even realize I needed, like getting an air conditioner for my small, hot room.”
Soon, Dee was helping Omary apply for jobs and taking her on driving lessons every weekend. With her help, Omary landed a job, passed her road test on the first attempt, and even enrolled at the University of New Haven to pursue her master’s degree. Dee and Omary became like family. After Omary’s son, Osman, was born, Dee spent five days in the hospital at her side, bringing her halal food and brushing her hair in the same way Omary’s mother used to. When Omary’s postpartum pain became too great for her to lift Osman’s car seat, Dee accompanied her to his doctor’s appointments and carried the baby for her.
“Her support truly changed my life,” Omary said. “Her motivation, compassion, and support gave me hope. It gave me a sense of stability and confidence. I didn’t feel alone, because of her.”
More than that, the experience gave Omary a new resolve to help other people.
“That experience has deeply shaped the way I give back,” she said. “I want to be that source of encouragement and support for others that my friend was for me.”
Extending the welcome
Omary and Dee at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Vision Awards ceremony at the University of New Haven.
Omary is now flourishing. She currently works as a career development specialist as she continues her Master’s degree. She also, as a member of the Refugee Storytellers Collective, helps advocate for refugee and immigrant families by connecting them with resources—and teaches local communities how to best welcome newcomers.
“Welcoming new families today has many challenges,” Omary said. “One major barrier is access to English classes. Many newcomers, especially those who have just arrived, often put their names on long wait lists and for months there are no available spots.” For women with children, the lack of available childcare makes attending English classes, or working outside the home, especially difficult.
Omary stresses that sometimes small, everyday acts of kindness can make the biggest difference to immigrant and refugee families.
“Welcome is not about big gestures, but about small, consistent acts of care that remind you that you belong,” Omary said. Receiving a compliment on her dress or her son from a stranger in the grocery store was incredibly uplifting during her early days as a newcomer, and Omary remembers how even the smallest gestures of kindness gave her hope that she could thrive and build a new life here.
“I built my new life, but I didn’t do it alone,” Omary said. “Community and kindness were my greatest strengths.”
Are you in? Click here to join the Refugee Advocacy Lab and sign the #WeWillWelcome pledge and complete one small act of welcome in your community. Together, with small, meaningful steps, we can build communities where everyone feels safe.
This article is part of Upworthy’s “The Threads Between U.S.” series that highlights what we have in common thanks to the generous support from the Levi Strauss Foundation, whose grantmaking is committed to creating a culture of belonging.
For many, if not most of us, when someone uses the term “Netflix and chill,” we know it to be a euphemism for, well, not much TV watching.
And yet, not everyone knows that this phrase has sexual connotations, apparently. At least one 34-year-old female college professor recently admitted to not knowing. Too bad she had been using the phrase as one of her go-to “icebreakers” in class.
A teacher learns she’s been using “Netflixand chill” wrong
As she shared on Reddit, she would often list “Netflix and chill” as one of her favorite hobbies. Not only that, but whenever students mentioned how stressed they were, she would reiterate: “While it’s important to study, it’s also important to take time to relax and recharge, so I hope they are able to do something for themselves soon, like ‘Netflix and chill.’”
It wasn’t until she visited her husband for lunch at his work and struck up a conversation with two of his co-workers that she discovered her hefty misunderstanding.
“I’m currently on maternity leave and mentioned to his co-workers that I can’t wait for my infant to be older so I can ‘Netflix and chill’ again instead of having to feed and change diapers,” she wrote.
When one of the coworkers had a “shocked look on his face,” the OP was “confused.” She couldn’t believe it when this person explained that it’s a “euphemism for hooking up.” And yet, when the other coworker, a 50-year-old female, said, “Oh he’s right, even I know what that means!” there was really no denying it.
Well, understandably, this woman was “mortified” at having learned the truth and was “now terrified I’m going to be reported for sexual harassment because I guess I’ve been inadvertently telling my students I love to hook up and have been encouraging them to hook up, too??”
In her defense, it’s true that “Netflix and chill” used to mean relaxing while streaming, but that was about 17 years ago. The context we are all familiar with has been around since 2015.
She also noted that she and her husband married young and therefore never spent much time on dating apps, which could help explain why she remained unaware. Plus, she lived at home and worked two jobs during her college years, which meant “Netflix and chill” was literally “Netflixing and chilling,” she quipped.
All in all, she chalked this up to being an “oblivious Millennial.” And by that, she meant a “Millennial who is clearly oblivious” to something “invented by Millennials and has been around for at least 10-15 years.”
Reddit’s reactions
Down in the comments, people tried to ease her worries about the whole accidental harassment thing.
“They either thought you were adorably clueless, or just a very cool teacher. Don’t sweat it.”
“Either people figured she didn’t know and thought it was funny or just assumed they’re very open and sex positive. NBD either way.”
“Rate my professor: 10/10. She told me I can come over and netflix and chill anytime 🥵”
Others didn’t let her off so easily, especially when she surmised that her older coworkers also likely didn’t know what it meant.
“I was shocked when I opened the post and saw OP was 34. I expected her to be 64.”
“I am 38 and have known what it means since it’s been around. This definitely isn’t an age thing, this is a living under a rock thing lol”
“I’m an out of touch millennial but that’s been a saying for like a decade now. lol. You might be under a rock.”
Regardless, the OP has had a good sense of humor despite being mortified. She concluded her post by saying, “Anyone who has lived the past decade+ under a rock like me is welcome to come over to my place and literally chill and watch Netflix with me anytime! I’ll supply the popcorn 🤣”
Listen, it’s bonkers when things like this happen, but they do happen. Is it embarrassing? Sure. But does it remind us that life is about laughing at ourselves? Also yes.
When curling became an official Olympic sport in 1998, it was met with a fair amount of curiosity and confusion, at least among people outside Canada, Scotland, and the Scandinavian countries where it has long been a winter sport tradition. Without an explanation of what’s happening, curling can look downright bizarre: large stones sliding across the ice toward a target, while people vigorously sweep the ice in front of them as the person who threw the stone yells unintelligibly.
It’s not obvious what skills are required for curling just by watching, which initially led people to poke fun at the event. More recent Olympic Games, however, have seen interest in curling grow as people find the sport strangely riveting. Now, curling has reached even greater heights of popularity, as evidenced by satirical curling-at-home videos popping up on social media.
Many of them use a combo of a Roomba and a Swiffer, which works perfectly:
No one knows the exact origins of curling, but there is evidence of the sport (or something like it) being played by monks on frozen lakes and ponds in Scotland in the 16th century. Farmers would join in curling games during the winter months, and as the sport evolved through the 1800s, it became more organized. Rules were formalized, and people began traveling to watch and participate in competitions held outdoors in large Scottish cities. The Scots eventually took the sport with them to other countries, and by the 1900s, curling had transformed from a Scottish outdoor pastime into an international, mostly indoor sport.
How does curling work as a sport?
Curling is played by two teams of four, with each team aiming to get its eight stones closest to the center of a target called a “house.” Teams alternate “throwing” their stones, which really means gliding them along the ice. Sweepers brush the ice to help guide the stones, while the team captain, or “skip,” gives directions, often by yelling, to place the stones where they want them to go.
After all 16 stones are thrown, the team with a stone closest to the center of the house scores one point for each of its stones that landed inside the house. The other team does not score at all in that round, called an “end.” There are eight or 10 ends per game, depending on the event, and the team with the most points after all the ends have been played is the winner.
Here’s a visual explainer that goes through the basics:
Fun facts about curling
Tara Peterson of the USA Curling National Team shared some interesting facts about curling with Columbia Sportswear:
Modern curling stones are made of granite that comes from only two places: a quarry in Wales and an uninhabited island off the coast of Scotland called Ailsa Craig.
Curling is called curling because of the way the stone curves depending on how it’s spun, but exactly how that happens is still a bit of a scientific mystery. Curling stones actually move in the opposite direction of what the turn would normally dictate according to physics.
Despite the yelling, curling is considered a polite “gentleman’s” sport, with traditional etiquette rules observed before and after the game.
Though it may not be immediately obvious, you have to be in pretty good shape to curl. Throwing a 42-pound stone, even on ice, isn’t as easy as it looks, and the person throwing it must remain crouched close to the ground for long periods. Sweeping also requires arm strength and cardiovascular endurance.
Curling requiresu00a0more athleticism than it first appears. Photo credit: Canva
Curlers wear two different shoes, one designed for gripping the ice and the other for sliding. The slider sole is made of Teflon or stainless steel, while the grippy sole is made of rubber.
Curling is called the “roaring game,” which might sound odd, but the sound of the stones gliding over the ice is apparently much louder in person than it sounds on TV.
Every sport is more fun to watch when you actually know what you’re seeing, and curling is no exception. If you’re wondering who to watch, Canada has traditionally dominated the sport, though Sweden trails by only two medals in total Olympic curling medals. And if you’re curious how Scotland fares as the original home of the sport, its curlers compete under Great Britain’s flag.
It was groovy, baby. Chase Hofer woke up one day and decided to hire an Austin Powers impersonator to just, well, come over. And that he did, creating a brilliantly funny and equally awkward exchange between two guys just hanging in an apartment. (Albeit one of them was dressed head to toe as the infamous English ladies’ man.)
For those unfamiliar with the Austin Powers franchise, comedian Mike Myers created and played the character in a series of three films directed by Jay Roach. The gist was that Powers is a British international spy who loved crushed velvet suits and “shagging” and wasn’t ashamed of either. The purposely cringe-heavy dialogue created hours of fun, and the ’60s spy satire was blatant.
In the clip, Hofer opens the door to find “Austin Powers” (as played by actual impersonator Richard Halpern) dressed in his trademark blue velour suit, frilly white shirt, and thick black glasses. They shake hands, and Halpern immediately says, “You must be Chase, baby! What a grip you have. You must live alone!” They laugh uproariously.
Halpern asks, “So what do you want me to do? Like what I would do at a party?” He then begins laughing maniacally, pacing and yelling out some of his catchphrases—most notably, “Oh, BEHAVE.” After turning to his smartphone, he remembers a line that would only work if looking at a woman’s chest area: “Oh, you make a lovely couple.” This lands awkwardly, as he tries to explain that it’s a “boobie” reference. Hofer assures him he got it, though it’s a “different time.”
From there, the awkwardness just gets better. Halpern is now lounging on the couch. Hofer asks, “Did you watch the Super Bowl?” He answers, “Oh yeah, yeah sure I did.” Hofer follows this up with, “Are you more of a soccer guy since… U.K.?” He yells, “Soccer, I don’t even know her!” Hofer attempts to feign a laugh, but it putters out pretty quickly.
The room is incredibly quiet for a bit, followed by a little more forced banter. The clip ends with the two of them watching a rap performance on TV in complete silence.
The comments on both Hofer’s TikTok and Instagram page are also truly observant and funny. One points out the commitment to the bit: “Dude has the car and everything.”
Another jokes, “When the Austin Powers impersonator thinks YOU’RE the weirdo.”
On Instagram, a person references the rap performance they’re watching, noting, “The 2016 XXL freshman cypher at the end is pure gold. PURE GOLD.”
Upworthy had a chance to chat with Hofer, who shares how the idea sparked. “I came up with the idea after doing it with a magician! The magician was a friend of mine. So I thought it would be great to do it with this Austin Powers impersonator that my friends have worked with.”
Said aforementioned impersonator has been playing Austin Powers for ages. “Austin was played by this man on Instagram known as ‘Austin Powers Impersonator.’ He’s been doing this professionally for more than 25 years.”
(Note: On Richard Halpern’s Instagram page, he lets it be known that he’s L.A.-based and “ready for YOUR event.”)
We asked if Halpern had been given a heads up. “Basically, I gave him the rundown that it’d just be us two, and then I rolled non-stop for 30 minutes. So it was basically all improv.”
As for Myers himself, Hofer is a fan. “I have not met Mike Myers! Big fan though. I felt like I was watching him a couple of days ago!”
As popular as this clip has become, some wonder if this cringe humor would be too much for younger generations. On the Reddit thread, “Does Generation Z enjoy the Austin Powers movies or find them offensive and outdated?” the OP writes, “I recently watched Austin Powers with my nephew. He found half of it funny, but the other half he didn’t really get. Some jokes he thought were racist and not funny. This made me wonder, Gen Z, do you like these movies, or do you find them offensive and outdated?”
The OP adds, “Personally, I found these movies really funny. I love that Mike Myers has the laugh-per-minute dialed up in these movies. There’s constant jokes… nonstop jokes. Definitely some of the jokes lost their luster from when I was 19 years old. But the jokes are still there.”
This thread received nearly 3,000 comments. One Redditor wasn’t bothered at all, noting that being offensive is the POINT. “That seems funny to me because Austin Powers is a direct parody of the old Bond movies, so the overt sexual and offensive jokes are part of the satire.”
Another points out that it’s all relative, writing, “The weird thing is that despite Austin being a complete and total horndog, he’s also weirdly more respectful than a lot of characters at the time or since. There’s a scene in one of the movies (I can’t remember which one) where the female co-lead is finally willing to sleep with him after he’s been unsuccessfully hitting on her most of the movie, and he respectfully turns her down because she’s drunk as a skunk and he has the decency to not take advantage of someone who’s inebriated and thus can’t consent.”
Perhaps Dr. Evil (also played by Myers in the Austin Powers films) said it best when he pointed out in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery: “I’ve been frozen for thirty years, okay?”
For many of us, decluttering is a necessary evil. We take no joy in it, other than knowing our lives might run a little more smoothly afterward. It’s sort of like going to the dentist or getting an oil change.
But like so many of life’s mundanities, could decluttering become something we actually look forward to if we found a way to infuse a little playfulness?
For Stephanie Patrick, that meant secretly leaving random items at other people’s houses.
In a mega-viral Instagram clip, Patrick is seen placing a tiny bar of soap, a small creamer pitcher, and a vintage glass tealight candle holder on different countertops, accompanied by the caption, “Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.”
The video has been viewed more than 25 million times, with thousands of people praising Patrick for her “diabolical” yet “genius” idea. Here are just a few of the reactions:
“A clever menace. I love it.”
“This is amazing. They are going to go crazy asking each other ‘where did this come from? Do you know where this came from?’”
“I have never felt so inspired in my whole entire life.”
“UNHEIST”
“Reverse burglary”
This isn’t Patrick’s first, ahem, unconventional decluttering idea. In another video, we see her placing random items—a picture frame, a mini sewing kit, a sequined heart pillow, and yet another tealight candle holder—along the aisles of Hobby Lobby. Retail sticker and everything.
While leaving items for retail workers to deal with isn’t the best option, Patrick clarified in the comments that she only “pretended” to leave the items behind. Still, there’s something to be said for gamifying decluttering so the process itself becomes a bit more enjoyable.
Turn all your hangers the wrong way. When you wear an item, flip the hanger back. After six months, donate anything that’s still reversed.
The “no-thing” prize
Reward yourself with an experience, like a movie or dessert, rather than more items.
Take the 12-12-12 challenge
Locate 12 items to throw away, 12 to donate, and 12 to return to their proper homes. You can customize the challenge however you see fit.
Take before-and-after photos of a small area
Choose one part of your home, like a kitchen counter, and take a photo of a small area. Quickly clear away the items in the photo, then take an after shot. Once you see how your home could look, it becomes easier to start decluttering other areas.
Play the “minimalism game”
Created by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus (“The Minimalists“), this game has you determine how many items you’ll declutter based on the day of the week, such as 20 items on the 20th. You can find a free printable by clicking here.
Decluttering jar
A “declutter jar” contains color-coded sticks for each area of the house. The kitchen might be marked blue, with each blue stick representing a specific area, such as the pantry, under the sink, the junk drawer, or the cup shelf. Whatever stick you draw is the area you declutter. No decision-making necessary.
The “moving method”
Pretend you’re moving into a smaller, but swankier, home and only keep what you absolutely love or need. Tap into your imagination while making room for real life. A win-win.
Lastly, never underestimate the power of simply throwing on a bangin’ decluttering playlist. Whatever route gets you there is the route worth taking. Of course, if you follow in Patrick’s footsteps, you might have some explaining to do to your friends.
“Irish goodbye” is a term for when someone slips out of an event without telling anyone, avoiding the awkwardness of announcing their departure. (Though the Irish didn’t necessarily invent the phenomenon.) But what do we call it when someone decides to turn tail and leave a situation immediately, without any explanation at all? These days, there doesn’t seem to be a name for a sudden, unexpected exit. Back in the 1800s, however, there was one, courtesy of the third president, Thomas Jefferson.
The phrase: “My name is Haines.”
This may sound a bit strange, but it all stems from an unusual interaction Jefferson had while in office with a member of the opposition party. According to Monticello.org, The Weekly Picayune originally published the story in New Orleans on February 17, 1840.
The story behind “My name is Haines”
In 1805, during his second term as president, Jefferson was riding near Monticello, his Virginia residence, when he struck up a conversation with another man on the road. Amusingly, the man had no idea who he was speaking to, and as a rank-and-file member of the Federalist Party, which opposed Jefferson’s Democratic-Republican Party, he had plenty of harsh words for the president.
“Haines took particular pains to abuse Mr. Jefferson; called him all kinds of hard names, ran down every measure of his administration, poked the non-intercourse and embargo acts at him as most outrageous and ruinous, ridiculed his gun-boat system as preposterous and nonsensical, opposed his purchase of Louisiana as a wild scheme — in short, took up every leading feature of the politics of the day, and descanted upon them and their originator with the greatest bitterness.”
Jefferson simply listened, neither in the mood to argue nor to reveal his identity. When the two arrived at Jefferson’s home, the president invited the man inside for refreshments. At one point, the visitor asked the president for his name. Here is how it was reported in The Weekly Picayune:
“Jefferson,” said the President, blandly.
“The [devil]! What, Thomas Jefferson?”
“Yes sir, Thomas Jefferson.”
“President Thomas Jefferson?” continued the astonished Federalist.
“The same,” rejoined Mr. Jefferson.
“Well, my name is Haines!” and putting spurs to his horse, he was out of hearing instantly.
Theu00a0Jefferson Memorialu00a0in Washington, D.C. via Joe Ravi/Wikimedia Commons
Why did Haines ride off so quickly?
There are many reasons Haines may have decided to bail on the president so abruptly. He was likely embarrassed after bad-mouthing the president to his face and may not have wanted to risk any reprisal for his harsh words. And as someone who harbored deep ill will toward the president, he probably had no interest in entertaining his company. Regardless, “My name is Haines” became a popular phrase after appearing in The Weekly Picayune , and it was used whenever someone wanted to leave a situation suddenly and without explanation.
The phrase would be used until around the Civil War, but by the beginning of the 20th century, it, too, had said goodbye. It faded away rather than vanishing in an instant, as Mr. Haines famously did.
Young people today, am I right? Specifically, I’m talking about Gen Z, the age group known for their brutal TikTok roasts (mostly of Millennials) and their attitude towards workplace professionalism that’s just a tad, shall we say, more casual than previous generations. While this attitude might be jarring at times, it also can be delightfully refreshing.
Just ask the company Oilshore, which shared the hilarious “out of office” messages created by its Gen Z employees on their TikTok.
Though the business has since shuttered its doors, its viral TikToks are still up and available for the world to enjoy as a sort of monument to the humor and candor of Gen Z.
Whether they chose a clever, tongue-in-cheek approach, like, “On vacation. Hoping to win the lottery and never return,” or something more direct and borderline threatening ala, “Do not contact me while I’m on leave or I’ll report you to HR,” these Gen Z workers made their message loud and clear.
To no one’s surprise, the responses struck a particularly strong chord with Millennials.
“They are so bold, I love it. As a millennial I be scared to be off of work,” one wrote.
Another added, “I wish I had this direct attitude but my millennial self would never be able to do that.”
Yet another praised these workers, saying, “Xennial here thinking Gen Z’s doing all the things I’ve dreamt of doing. Kings and queens changing work culture.”
Indeed, while Gen Zers might often get labeled as lazy or entitled, they are inspiring some pretty positive disruption. According to a 2024 Stanford Report, this generation prioritizes collaboration, mental health and work-life balance, transparency, and social impact—and are demanding to see these types of changes in the workforce. That’s more than evident in these “out of office” messages.
Here’s another video with even more fun ones. Feel free to use some of these yourself, if you dare.
“Enjoying life! Will be back when I run out of money!” might be the truest sentence ever written.
But wait, there’s more where that came from. These Gen Z workers also have some pretty awesome email sign-offs for when they’re finally back in the office. I will be stealing “mean regards” immediately.
In many ways, Gen Zers’ workplace values don’t differ that much from those of their post-Boomer predecessors. But there are other factors at play, like coming of age in the wake of a historic pandemic and the worldwide threat of climate change. There’s also the unprecedented digital connectivity that make all these events more visible, which undoubtedly influences their relentless intentionality to get their needs met.
And thank goodness for that relentlessness, because it makes work a better place to be—in more ways than one. Luckily, more and more companies are getting on board with the Gen Z way of doing things. One example being the fun trend in which (usually smaller) organizations are letting Gen Zers write their social media content, featuring plenty of “slays,” “no caps,” and that weird way of making heart hands.
With each generation, it seems we get one step closer to reframing how we view work, transforming it from a source of stress to what could be a source of joy for all. Gen Z is certainly doing that in their own sassy way.
This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.
It can be frustrating to be a kid and have very little control over what happens in your life. Case in point: When you’re a kid, you rarely have a lot of say in what you get to eat for dinner. The adult in your house is the one who gets to decide, and you have to eat whatever they put on your plate. But one little boy is simply tired of eating chicken, and he doesn’t care who knows it. Well, he cares if his mom knows.
In a TikTok video, Lacy Marie shows her son taking out the trash while vehemently venting about having to eat chicken “every day for all of my years.”
He rants all the way to the trash can, being sure to get it out of his system before he makes it back into the house. which, you know, kudos to him for healthy emotional processing.
This kid can’t stand eating chicken every night
“Chicken. No more chicken. We have chicken every day. Eat this, eat that, eat more chicken, keep eating it,” the 10-year-old complains. “It’s healthy for you. Like, we get it! We have chicken every day!”
Apparently, the little boy doesn’t think eating chicken every day is good for his gains at the gym, as he says he works out. Nor does he care about lean protein, and likely doesn’t care about the science behind chicken being a healthy food for muscle development. He. Doesn’t. Want. Chicken. And it seems like the commenters under the video are on his side.
“Give that man a steak,” one person says in the comments.
“My dad has been married for 25 years, and he’s had enough,” another jokes.
“Please order him a pizza,” another commenter pleaded.
“When my daughter was 5 yrs. old, ‘chicken, chicken, chicken, pretty soon I’m gonna grow feathers!’” another commenter wrote.
“If they serve chicken at his wedding, please play this as part of your speech. ‘Every single day of his years?! Really, Mom?’ someone laughs.
“I’m thinking you need to give chicken a break. He’s been eating it every day of his years,” another commenter writes.
Even Sam’s Club got in on the jokes, saying, “chickens hearing this,” with two eye emojis with an open mouth. Poor little guy, the internet is on your side, maybe you’ll get some burgers instead.
After the video went viral, Mom changed her ways
From the looks of it, after going viral, Mom was inspired to whip up some non-poultry fixin’s. In a follow-up video, Mom cooks a delicious-looking lasagna that doesn’t appear to contain chicken. She also shared a video where her son eats a homemade cheeseburger. And lil’ bro does seem to take his daily workouts with his father very, very seriously. Dad is pretty yoked, so he could be the reason why Mom cooks so much chicken.
Children’s protein needs vary by age, with a general recommendation being 34 grams of protein per day for kids 9-13 years old. Luckily for parents, there are plenty of protein-rich foods—besides chicken—to keep things interesting.
This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.
When Alisha Michele picked up her phone to record her 5-year-old daughter Azariah singing at a Barbie’s funeral in 2021, she couldn’t have imagined the places their family would go. Sure, she knew the whole family (herself and her two kids) were ultra talented, musically, but that doesn’t always translate to fandom.
Just recently, Alisha (@Alishahasfavor) was digging through old videos and posted a “Barbie funeral” online, garnering millions of likes and tens of thousands of comments on an Instagram Reel. The chyron reads, “One of my daughter’s dolls passed and she had to sing at the funeral.” Realizing that obviously her kids are talented, Michele also noted the humor of it all. “I’m so glad she’s done playing with dolls because somebody was killing them off. Just laugh with me.”
In the clip, one can see a young Azariah in a yellow suit jacket, standing stoically as a doll (dressed similarly) lays in a makeshift “casket” made out of an Air Jordan shoe. Other dolls are seated in plastic chairs with an arm weight standing in as a podium.
Her then 9-year-old brother, Amari, stands behind her wearing purple “deacon” gloves that look suspiciously like dish gloves. As the organ music heats up, he can’t help but giggle while Azariah holds what appears to be a flashlight and sings her little heart out.
There are 2.3 million likes and over 60,000 comments on Instagram. Many are incredibly supportive of how outrageously funny and clever it all was. One writes, “Bro in deacon gloves. The Jordan casket. Her suit matching the casket. The weight as the podium for Pastor Ken.” Another adds, “Not people at the service with crop tops and no shirt.”
Another notes how well attended the funeral was, writing, “The service was PACKED.”
And some are just impressed by how well put together everyone looked. “What a beautiful service!! And look at sista Gloria with them new purple highlights,” they shared.
It’s not surprising how well Azariah can sing. The family are part of a music trio called AMPx3. Merely four years after this clip was shot, their group “got discovered” after a clip of their music went viral.
Upworthy had a chance to chat with Alisha, who gave a little more context about her kids (now 10 and 14). “We went viral in Jan of 2025 singing songs while my son played the keyboard. It caught the attention of a lot of people, including Tamron Hall, and she invited them to be on her show on the “Little Dreamers” segment, where they performed our original song ‘Your Name’ by AMPx3, which is our group name. All of our initials are A M P.”
The kids are still doing incredibly well. Alisha shares, “Azariah is a 5th-grade honor roll student. She is a cheerleader and an amazing singer. Her brother Amari is an 8th-grade straight-A star football player who is in advanced band playing the trombone, and he taught himself to play the keyboard. No formal lessons as of yet.”
And as for Alisha, she is going places too. “I am a single mother who battled alcohol addiction for many years, but I will celebrate 14 months of sobriety 2/16/2026. I have written an e-book that is for sale on our website, titled Crowned In Clarity. It’s about becoming the sober woman and mom you were meant to be.”
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