You know. I used to think those ‘Don’t try this at home’ disclaimers that came with ads or the ‘smoking is injurious to health’ disclaimers in the middle of movie scenes were really stupid. I mean, of course, WE KNOW! But these viral internet challenges that have been popping up over recent years has changed my mindset completely. Apparently, we really are that stupid.
Take the #InMyFeelings Challenge, for example. A pretty addictive song from Drake, which has now morphed into a viral internet meme challenge. And it all started with one video….
An Instagram comedian @TheShiggyShow posted a video of himself dancing on the street on Drake’s ‘In My Feelings’ song. However, note that there is no car featured in this video, even though there are some passing by besides the dancing Shiggy.
American footballer Odell Beckham Jr. decided to #DoTheShiggy in his own way, by getting out of a very slowly moving car. And thus, the #InMyFeelings Challenge as we know it was born.
The challenge has a lot of names: #DoTheShiggy #InMyFeelings #TheKekeChallenge or #TheKikiChallenge, and well you get the gist?
Pretty soon, the trend caught up with a lot of American celebs, including Will Smith, who posted a video of his own.
The challenge has gone quite viral in India too, with many celebs attempting it, adding their own touch.
1920 actress Adah Sharma did the challenge dressed as a Naagin, with classical dance steps to boot!
And here are some more:
Nora Fatehi and Fukrey‘s Varun Sharma did one in an auto rickshaw.
TV actress Karishma Sharma too attempted the whole ‘getting out from the car’ bit for her #InMyFeelings challenge video.
And so did Nia Sharma….
Now here’s where the challenge goes horribly wrong.
First, ‘jumping out of the car’ was not a part of the original challenge but was picked up after Odell’s video went viral and other celebs copied it. And mind you, not everyone was doing it jumping out of the car!
Second, what many ‘smart’ people failed to realise was that while these celebs were shooting the challenge video, there was possibly a BTS team who was keeping the street clear of possible cars that could cause accidents!
Basic common sense, guys! It was professionally shot, with a lot of takes!
And third, notice how the car slows down almost to a halt when the celeb gets out to do their thing?
However, these ‘relevant’ requisites to shooting the video have been put aside by people when making their own videos. And that has turned the #KikiChallenge into a dangerous disaster waiting to happen….
Oh wait, it has happened!
Like this video of a guy who was run over by a car during his video.
Turns out, the original plan was to jump on the hood of the car, which was being driven by a friend. You know, to make the video more edgy. But a wet spot on the road made the guy slip!
Thankfully, he only sustained minor injuries. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that this could’ve gone way, way worse!
Take a look at some more failed challenges and you’ll see what I mean.
i almost died #Kekechallenge #KIKIDOYOULOVEME pic.twitter.com/ZkEExvN9ep
— 𝔟 𝔞 𝔯 𝔟 𝔞 𝔯 𝔞 (@baabsxx) July 15, 2018
Isn’t it so macabre that they acknowledge how they ‘almost died’ while doing the challenge?
#InMyFeelingsChallenge the video speaks for itself pic.twitter.com/m5uZ099q9g
— victoria simone (@tori_simone_13) July 24, 2018
The number of incidents that have been reported of people getting injured or run over by cars has worried law enforcement authorities across the world.
I agree, challenges like these seem fun to do, and make you feel part of a big online community sometimes. Of course, who doesn’t want to go viral, right? But is it really worth risking your safety, or worse, looking stupid as you fail at it? Weren’t our future generations supposed to get smarter?
So here’s a challenge that you can attempt: How about we try and avoid going viral at the cost of our lives?