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Pop Culture

Two brothers Irish stepdancing to Beyoncé's country hit 'Texas Hold 'Em' is pure delight

The Gardiner Brothers and Queen Bey proving that music can unite us all.

Gardiner Brothers/TikTok (with permission)

The Gardiner Brothers stepping in time to Beyoncé's "Texas Hold 'Em."

In early February 2024, Beyoncé rocked the music world by releasing a surprise new album of country tunes. The album, Renaissance: Act II, includes a song called "Texas Hold 'Em," which shot up the country charts—with a few bumps along the way—and landed Queen Bey at the No.1 spot.

As the first Black female artist to have a song hit No. 1 on Billboard's country music charts, Beyoncé once again proved her popularity, versatility and ability to break barriers without missing a beat. In one fell swoop, she got people who had zero interest in country music to give it a second look, forced country music fans to broaden their own ideas about what country music looks like and prompted conversations about bending and blending musical genres and styles.

And she inspired the Gardiner Brothers to add yet another element to the mix—Irish stepdance.

In a TikTok that's been viewed over 17 million times, the Gardiner Brothers don cowboy hats while they step in time to "Texas Hold 'Em," much to the delight of viewers everywhere.

Watch:

@gardinerbrothers

Beyoncé 🤝 Irish dancing #beyonce #countrymusic

Michael and Matthew Gardiner are professional Irish-American stepdancers and choreographers who have gained international fame with their award-winning performances. They've also built a following of millions on social media with videos like this one, where they dance to popular songs, usually in an outdoor environment.

The melding of Irish dance with country music sung by a Black American female artist may seem unlikely, but it could be viewed merely as country music coming back to its roots. After all, country music has its roots in the ballad tradition of the Irish, English and Scottish settlers in the Appalachian region of the U.S. And despite modern country music's struggle to break free from "music for white people" stereotypes, it has roots in African-American traditions as well. For instance, the banjo, which has long been used in bluegrass and country music, was created by enslaved Africans and their descendents during the colonial era, according to The Smithsonian.

People are loving the blending of genres and culture that the TikTok exemplifies.

"Never thought I’d see Irish step dancing while Beyoncé sings country," wrote on commenter. "My life is complete. ♥️"

"So happy Beyoncé dropped this song and exposed my timeline to diversified talent 👏🏽👏🏽," wrote another.

"Beyoncé brought the world together with this song 😭," offered another person.

"Ayeeee Irish Dancing has entered the BeyHive chatroom… WELCOME!! 🔥🔥🔥" exclaimed another.

"I don’t think I can explain how many of my interests are intersecting here," wrote one commenter, reflecting what several others shared as well.

The Beyoncé/Gardiner Brothers combo and the reactions to it are a good reminder that none of us fit into one box of interest or identity. We're all an eclectic mix of tastes and styles, so we can almost always find a way to connect with others over something we enjoy. What better way to be reminded of that fact than through an unexpected mashup that blends the magic of music with the delight of dance? Truly, the arts are a powerful uniting force we should utilize more often.

And for an extra bit of fun, the Gardiner Brothers also shared their bloopers from filming the video. Turns out stepping in the rain isn't as easy as they make it look.

Beyoncé Bloopers #texasholdem #gardinerbrothers

@gardinerbrothers

Beyoncé Bloopers #texasholdem #gardinerbrothers

This article originally appeared on 2.26.24

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Pop Culture

Do you have a 'crispy R?' A podcast interview has everyone down a rabbit hole about 'Rs'

Is this a real thing?

greg.plus.coco|TIkTok and Mary Elizabeth Kelly|TikTok

A podcast interview has people wondering about 'Crispy Rs'

"Crispy Rs" are taking over social media. The phrase has sent many curious people down a deep, dark rabbit hole of confusion while they try to decipher what a "crispy R" is and if they have it. It's supposedly some sort of leftover Mid-Atlantic or Transatlantic old-school Hollywood actor dialect, which conjures the image of someone like Humphrey Bogart scolding some poor doe-eyed woman.

Is that what it is? Seems like everyone is trying to figure it out. Just about every part of the country has a different dialect, and words sound different depending on the region in which someone grew up. In some cases, words may be completely different for the same item—for instance, Northerners and Southerners argue over if soft drinks are called "pop" or "soda," and some people in the South just call it all "Coke." (Yes, all soft drinks, not just one particular brand.)

Some people say "worsh" instead of "wash" and "ruf" instead of "roof." Regional dialect really shapes the way we all speak, and I'm assuming has a hand in shaping the muscles that help us say certain words.

I recall moving from Pennsylvania to North Carolina, where I developed more of a "lazy tongue," unintentionally picking up a slight southern drawl. But when I would visit home, I would get literal cramps in my tongue as my normal dialect quickly returned.

It was fascinating, and yet with all of my dialect acrobatics, I've never been told I had "crispy Rs." What the heck is a "crispy R," and who's responsible for thrusting the internet into a tailspin of dialect semantics?

@greg.plus.coco

#fyp #fypシ #🏳️‍🌈 #foryoupage #unhhhh #trixieandkatya #trixiemattel #katya #katyazamolodchikova #dragqueen #rupaulsdragrace #viral #funny #queer #queertiktok #gay #gaytiktok #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtqia #trending #podcast

Brian Firkus, better known by his stage name, Trixie Mattel, mentioned his disdain of "crispy Rs" on his podcast, The Bald and the Beautiful, and the clip went viral on TikTok. Firkus co-hosts the podcast with Brian McCook, who goes by the stage name Katya Zamolodchikova. McCook was initially confused by what a "crispy R" was until Firkus demonstrated, causing the other to react dramatically.

This 36-second interaction about "crispy Rs" set off a firestorm of people in the comments either thanking them for finally giving the sound a name or being confused about the difference. It didn't take long for people to attempt to explain the difference between a "non-crispy R" and a "crispy R," including a couple of speech pathologists.

@mare_kell

#stitch with @greg.plus.coco thank you @trixiemattel for putting a name to this! they mention sarah michelle gellar in the vid but any other celebs that do this?

What constitutes a "crispy R" is difficult to explain, which causes people to get lost in explainer videos to figure out what it is and if they have it. One consistent example of this speech dialect is Kourtney Kardashian, which would make sense if it truly is a leftover from old Hollywood.

After climbing out of the deep hole of comparative videos that include speech experts, it would seem the "crispy R" sound comes from an air pocket that forms on the tongue of people that use the tip of their tongue to produce the "R" sound when pronouncing words. A "noncrispy R" happens when the speaker uses the middle of their tongue to pronounce the "R" sound in words. It seems very subtle, but for some people hearing someone use the "crispy R" is a pet peeve. Although dialect isn't typically a choice, some would like to never hear that sound again.

Are your "Rs" crispy, or are you one of those that are annoyed by the sound?

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Joy

Howie, social media’s favorite crab, celebrates her last birthday with cake and party hats

Howie just turned 8 and is living her best crab life.

Howie the Crab|TikTok

Howie the crab celebrates her last birthday with a party.

Bet you didn't know a crab could capture the heart of millions of people. If you did, you've likely met Howie, a rainbow crab that has grown a social media following on TikTok where her owner, Laura Porter, showcases her life. The crab doesn't just spend her life in a tank, she goes on walks using an actual leash, she has toys that she plays with and she has other animal friends in the house.

Howie also loves cheese and knows just the way to get her owners to feed it to her. She even knows sign language. Yes, somehow Porter taught the crab how to use basic signs, so when Howie is feeling a bit famished, she simply signs "eat" and a snack appears.

Countless people are obsessed with Howie and fans waited anxiously for her last molt, which was difficult for the crab. Rainbow crabs only have a lifespan of 5 to 8 years in captivity and Howie just celebrated her 8th birthday.

Porter and followers of Howie know that she likely won't be able to complete the molting process again, which is essential for a crab's survival. That's why Howie's human threw her the sweetest birthday party for her milestone big day. Howie ate cake, wore a party hat and was surrounded by friends. The crab even got a tiny piñata full of her favorite treats.

"Howie has begun 'premolt,' which can last a couple of months. During this time, she will snub food and eat infrequently because she has run out of room in her shell," Porter wrote in the caption.

Porter calls the birthday bittersweet but is hopeful that Howie will successfully molt again, ending the video with "#Moltwatch2023."

"Not me sobbing for Howie's birthday. This is the most loved crab in the world. Thank you for sharing her life with us. You are the best crab mom," one commenter wrote.

"A crab birthday during cancer season could not be more perfect," another said, complete with a sobbing emoji.

"Happy Birthday Howie!!! We are praying for a fast molt, so we can celebrate your 9th birthday next year," someone wrote.

@howiethecrab

Happy 8th Birthday Howie. It's such a bittersweet milestone! 8 is considered to be her species' maximum lifespan. Howie has begun "premolt," which can last a couple of months. During this time, she will snub food and eat infrequently because she has run out of room in her shell. When she stops eating entirely, the clock will be ticking. Howie has to regenerate her mouth parts, stomach, esophagus, intestines, and gills before she starves or becomes too weak to molt. Until then, we will continue making every day count. If you would like to show support, I made shirts on Amazon. Just search Howie The Crab or find them in my bio. No pressure, just pinches ♥️ We love you Howie 🦀 #howiethecrab #birthdaycrab #moltwatch #moltwatch2023

Everybody is rooting for Howie to have a successful molt, and while the last one was difficult, some rainbow crabs do make it to 10 years old. Here's hoping Howie breaks that record and continues to brighten our day with her funny hats and caviar dates.

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Internet

Someone created the most bop-worthy ADHD anthem that's beyond relatable

It's an "Animaniacs" flashback in the best way possible.

KT Photography|Canva / Brave Dave|TikTok

There's an ADHD anthem that's beyond relatable

If you have ADHD or know someone who does then you're probably aware that living with the disorder can be a bit debilitating at times. Important dates get missed, there feels like a constant state of disorganization and unfortunately forgetfulness can extend to forgetting the existence of entire people. But sometimes having ADHD feels like a fun superpower when you're suddenly hyper-focused on the correct thing that needs to be done.

It's also something that presents differently in different people but there are some common threads that every person with ADHD can relate to. That's what makes this song Brave Dave made and uploaded to TikTok such a banger. The TikTok creator managed to take a tune most Millennials are familiar with from the cartoon "Animaniacs" and change the lyrics to perfectly encapsulate ADHD symptoms.

The song is impressive in general because if you're familiar with Yacko, Wacko and Dot, then you know they talk and sing at a pace seemingly inhuman.

Brave Dave seems to have no issues keeping pace with the fast tongue twisting nature of the song, even with the new lyrics it seems near impossible to sing. But Dave masters it and has united ADHDers across the globe...well, at least the ones in his TikTok comments.

"I need this on my phone to listen to randomly throughout the day when I remember it exists," one person says.

"I'll just show this to my doctor," another person writes.

"I have now listened to this 15 times.... Just chasing the serotonin," someone else says.

"This was FANTASTIC. Such a fun, spot-on description of the realities of ADHD. Thanks for your creativity and for posting," another commenter writes.

Without further delay, you too can get your dopamine hit from the increasing speed of the song as it goes on. Check the video out below.

@brave.dave

just a throwback to a little ditty I forgot I made 😂 #adhd #adhdtok #adhdtiktok #humor #song

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