FROM VIRALITY TO MEMETICISM

Case Study: Double Rainbow

“Double Rainbow” is a viral video that was uploaded to Youtube in 2010. The video rapidly gained popularity due to its lighthearted content and captivating rhetor. Below is a link that briefly explains the origin of “Double Rainbow”

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/double-rainbow (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Now that you know a bit about the video, give it a watch!

After the video went viral, it became memetic. People began making their own interpretations, repackagings, and remixes of the video. One such remix came from a pair of young men who called themselves the Gregory Brothers, and who used a program called Autotune to make spoken words follow musical patterns. Maybe it’s easier to show an example of this than to try to explain it. Here is their version of the video: The Double Rainbow song. Enjoy!

You probably laughed at that video. Why was it funny? Really, what made it funny?

What these brothers accomplished was a rhetorical shift: they altered aspects of the original rhetorical situation to produce a new effect. It’s super important to note that rhetorical shifts can be intentional or accidental, and if that seems confusing, don’t worry, we’ll be looking at an unintentional rhetorical shift next week!

For now, let’s think more about this particular rhetorical situation and connect it back to Shifman’s viral framework. You might recall this framework includes the following aspects.

1. Ordinary People

2. Flawed Masculinity

3. Humor

4. Simplicity

5. Repetitiveness

6. Whimsical Content

Reply to this discussion post by examining how 2 of the 6 aspects of Shifman’s framework appear in the “Double Rainbow” video. Write about 50 words on each aspect and explain how they affect your viewing experience.

Then, in 100-150 words, explain how the Gregory Brothers’ repackaging of this video changes how we engage with the rhetorical situation! Do they emphasize or alter any of the 6 aspects above? Tell me about it.

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