
"We Don't Talk About Pluto"
Just when you think the well of “Encanto” covers has run dry, guess again. There truly is no limit to the amount of bizarre and creative entertainment to be found on the internet.
Musician Jon Pumper hilariously reimagines the iconic “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” song by delving into a subject that continues to baffle '90s kids and enrage astrologers to this very day: Pluto losing its planetary title.
Not to open up old wounds, but who can forget the day that our solar system went from having nine planets, to a measly eight? Pluto might have been demoted to “dwarf planet” (which in retrospect, still sounds pretty cool, right?), but people did not take its abdication lightly. Made for some pretty great memes though.
And hey, if you don't recall any of the story, Pumper sums it all up pretty well in “We Don’t Talk About Pluto,” which feels like something between a "Weird Al" Yankovic video and an episode of “The Magic School Bus.”
Pumper’s song waves its geek flag proudly with its pop culture references, and the musical composition matches the original perfectly, which I think we can all agree are quintessential components to a successful parody.
The consensus was pretty unanimous: people gave the video a 10/10.
“You did so good with this from the lyrics to the visuals and even nailing the overlapping choruses at the end,” one person wrote in the comments.
“We need more educational songs like this that are actually good,” another person noted.
Even those who came in skeptical had a change of heart.
“Really enjoyed this. I was afraid it wouldn't flow but it did. And I love when you combined all the lines in the end and was clear,” said one person.
Can you believe that some youngsters don’t even know about this blemish in history? Sadly, it’s true. Just take it from this person:
“The kids I babysit don't believe me when I say there used to be NINE planets. Now I feel old.”
But it turns out that maybe Pluto will get the last laugh after all, at least if this person is right:
“Fun fact: Some scientists are fighting to get Pluto back on the team, and he might be bringing enough friends, including some moons and asteroids, to bump the total amount of planets up to 150+!”
Either way, this zany video has given the infamous dwarf planet the respect it deserves.
By the way, Pumper clearly has a knack for teaching. You can check out his YouTube channel to find a plethora of fun piano tutorials here.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."