In my medium of art (film/tv/theatre/literature) the hype/flop game is the norm more times than we care to admit. Sending art to the masses is always a gamble. And every gamble has a loser.
I'll do Diet!
90s 1990s GIF by PepsiGiphy"Crystal Pepsi."
- cujokila
"Crystal Pepsi taught me that everything is a lie. If they can make Pepsi clear or whatever color they want, then what other lies have I been led to believe?"
'the thing'
"When the Segway came out I remember an expert on Good Morning America saying that they would design cities around it in the future, instead of cars. Before it was called a Segway it was referred to as 'the thing' and new information about it was treated like freaking nuclear codes."
It's a Negative....
"Google+. It stayed in invitation only phase for way too long. By the time it was open to everyone, people forgot about it and it flopped."
"They also forced you to use it if you had any other kind of google account so people naturally resisted it. What they didn't understand is that people use other social media websites if they have something unique to offer. Unfortunately now it seems like every social media site is copycatting each other."
- antivn
3D
"I still remember 3D TVs were supposed to be the next "technological leap" or something. Even the World Cup was broadcasted in 3D. Then it just died out."
"Not just TV, but that era where every movie had a 3D version in theatres. As someone who wore glasses and is nearsighted, I was never able to watch them."
Cats GIF by Kitty Is Not A CatYeah I gave up on cat toys early on, and dog toys. My dogs have never really been into stuffed animals, or squeaky balls. Thank God. And I always thought the Segway was weird and unstable.
Bad Moves
Taylor Kitsch What GIFGiphy"The Nivelle Offensive It was hyped to win WW1 for France in 48 hours. Instead it was so bad that it started a mutiny, got Nivelle fired, and had casualty numbers an order of magnitude higher than expected."
Bad Diet
"Atkins diet-esque food items at fast food restaurants in like 2008 or whatever it was. They came and they went like the wind I remember KFC tried to get in the game at the time by claiming their chicken was healthy because it was low in carbs. That went down like a lead balloon."
Senseless...
"Juicero. The ultimate culmination of unicorn companies that make no sense."
"It was partially bankrolled by GOOGLE and I heard that people speculated that the DRM thing it had was so Google could harvest user data. That's gotta be the dumbest way to do that ever why would Google care about people's organic glorified juice box preferences."
"Ooooh. When I read that word, it rang a bell so I looked it up. I remember seeing advertisements for that thing. I think I remember seeing a video of someone opening up their packets and showing it was just... A mush. That you pressed to get a drink out of."
Not so Slender...
"The 2018 Slender Man movie... I remember before it came out it had like a 92% want to see on rotten tomatoes after it came out it got a 17% liked it."
"Honestly the movie shouldn't have been PG13. An R rating (which as far as I know was actually the original focus) would've been much better, as then the movie would've been more like the creepypasta and not like a child's fanfiction. It sucks the R rating was cut but "wOUlD sOMeOnE tHiNK oF tHE ChIlDrEN?????????????"
Foreigners Explain Which Parts Of American Culture Seem Strange | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
America, land of the free... and oversized portions and cars. That's how the saying goes, right? There are some baffling quirks about the United States. That...The Hunt
geraldo rivera man GIF by South Park Giphy"Geraldo Rivera's special Mystery of Al Capone's vault in the 1980s. 💩"
He Lies
"That David Copperfield special where he "made the statue of liberty disappear." Forget that crap."
"The one thing I'll never forget from that: they interviewed some older women and she said, "I've never seen a Statue of Liberty disappear like that one did!"
"If I remember correctly, the camera and the bleachers with the audience were on a stabilized platform. They just trucked both a few feet to the side until the statue was out of camera shot, then pulled back the curtain."
Universal Fail
"The dark universe (the mummy)."
"I saw that movie with absolutely no idea they were trying to start this off and was so frigging confused when Dr Jekyll turns up out of nowhere for no reason."
"The cast that did that photo shoot before they even had one successful film is pretty cringe to see. The marketing for the failed universe is more entertaining than the actual movies."
Bad Pitch
"Ouya."
"To this day I cannot believe it even got that much hype and money during the kickstarter campaign. Even in the initial pitch it didn't seem that impressive or interesting so thankfully, I decided to wait until it was out. Never ended up buying one, obviously."
coke cola dancing GIFLet me see...
"I remember google glasses were supposed to be the next big thing but let me tell you I haven't seen a single pair out in the wild."
"I think Google got a big whiff of the vast majority of the population being really mad that people could film with the glasses without anyone ever knowing. I think it scared them off. People did not want this, and there were many people who seemed ready to fight people who wore these glasses."
Keep your baby...
"TY beanie babies. Everyone thought they were going to be rich when I was in high school."
- NXTsec
"I put a new coat of some all-weather sealant on this lady's playground set for her little kids. I was 13, it was summer, got, and she asked my dad if I could help her out. 6 hours later, she pays me with one single beanie baby. "This is gonna be worth a lot of money one day. Your afternoon of work has made you rich as an adult." Freaking bullcrap."
- boydboyd
"Is anything happening?"
"The end of the world in 2012."
"My cousin texted my the day that we were all supposed to die. She said "is anything happening?" And I was like "what do you mean? No. Nothing is happening" she really said "oh, well you live in a time zone ahead of us by 2 hours. I thought stuff would happen over there on the east coast first." I freaking died. The thought of the world imploding on itself but still following time zones is fantastic."
Disaster
"Quibi. That streaming service with nothing over 10 minutes. Launched about 3 weeks after the world shutdown."
"Did anyone other than the company hype up Quibi? That thing had disaster written all over it the moment it was announced and everyone seemed in agreement about that."
- MumrikDK
Oh Garth
Country Music 2018 Cmas GIF by CMA AwardsGiphy"In the life of Chris Gaines. The project where Garth Brooks created a grunge icon that would premiere in a movie."
Flames
"Fyre Festival is the ultimate "hyped but flopped". It's a cautionary tale of what NOT to do when organizing and/or promoting something."
"It's really just a cautionary tale not to scam people. It's organization and promotion worked totally efficiently, but it was a scam from start to end. Otherwise it wouldn't have worked and we wouldn't be talking about it today."
Well on paper they all sounded like good ideas. Maybe the issue lies in the execution. Try again perhaps? Except Slender Man and Geraldo. No, just no.
Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
Robert Woods, 33, spent three hours replacing a broken door on his Peugeot 206 before realizing the new door he had replaced it with was a foot too small.
Newly qualified driver, Robert, tried to save himself some cash by fitting a brand new passenger side door himself because the old one had a faulty wind-up window.
Robert Woods / SWNS
He said he even went to a specialist Peugeot parts dealer, back in May 2017 when the ordeal happened, to source the right part.
But Robert somehow managed to walk away with a door for a five-door model rather than his three-door version of the car.
And when he came to replace the broken door with the brand new one, father-of-two Robert said he was baffled to see the "massive gap."
Robert has said ever since the blunder his mates have poked jokes - forcing him to sell his beloved motor.
Robert Woods / SWNS
Robert, from Manchester, England, said:
"I didn't realize it was too small until right at the very end. It took me three hours to do. I shut the door after fitting it and started to walk away."
"But I didn't hear it click so I turned around. I noticed this massive hole in the side of the car."
"I was baffled but realized straight away what had happened. I felt really daft but saw the funny side by the end of it."
"I sold the car not long after. Every time I picked a mate up in my car they'd make jokes about it. I haven't heard the end of it since it happened."
Robert, who lived in Blackburn at the time, passed his test in May 2017 and parted with £600 (~$780) to pick the Peugeot as a "cheap runaround" to get him on the road.
But after making the purchase he soon realized the passenger side window would not wind down and was completely broken.
Robert got a quote for £60 (~$78) to fix the window but he said he soon worked out it would be cheaper to buy a new door all together and fit it himself.
He thought he managed to find himself a quick and easy replacement door for just £30 (~$39) from a local garage specializing in Peugeot car parts.
Robert Woods / SWNS
Robert, a courier driver, said:
"The window wouldn't wind up and it was cheaper to just get a new door. I went along to pick this new door up and the color was bang on. The guy in the warehouse said it would fit my three-door model."
"I thought I was quids in and was saving a bit of money. All I had to do to replace it was take out two bolts and disconnect the wiring."
"A friend helped me replace it and it was quite straightforward. We reconnected everything and to begin with I was quite pleased with myself. But then I closed the door and noticed what had happened."
Robert, who has a partner, Sarah Donohue, 33, said he didn't bother trying to replace the door for a second time and continued to drive the car with the broken window.
Robert Woods / SWNS
He added ever since the incident his friends have made fun of him.
The torments got so bad that Robert sold the car later the same year after growing sick and tired of being laughed at, he said.
"Every time I went somewhere in the car someone would say something or make a joke."
Former firefighter Robert now drives an Audi A3 and said he can now fix most mechanical problems, but still hasn't dared to replace another car door.
Twitter user @DaddyAllDay recently shared his bro tip of keeping a "lady drawer"—but the contents of his own drawer drew ire and confusion from actual females.
I feel like every guy needs a “lady drawer” if you plan on having frequent guests. https://t.co/wgjExZOlIt— ClawDaddy BLM (@ClawDaddy BLM)1578783016.0
The controversial tweet reads:
"I feel like every guy needs a 'lady drawer' if you plan on having frequent guests."
Included was a picture of his own drawer- filled with strange items that may or may not be helpful to women.
While the drawer did have some useful things, such as tampons and pads, it also includes an open pregnancy test, two bottles of nail polish remover and a dildo.
Fantastic.
While the sentiment is kind, sort of, the contents of this drawer are truly bizarre, and weirdly sexist. Women aren't all the same—and definitely don't want to share certain items with or even be reminded of the women before them.
@DaddyAllDay, who lists his name as BassFather, wrote a follow up Tweet.
"For the record, I'm not saying to go buy all this sh*t. You really just need makeup wipes, tampons, hair ties, and a hair brush. I just had all that laying round so I designated a drawer for it."
For the record, I’m not saying to go buy all this shit. You really just need makeup wipes, tampons, hair ties, and… https://t.co/Xen0ZKdUFH— ClawDaddy BLM (@ClawDaddy BLM)1578807354.0
Cool.
Plenty of Twitter users replied to the man's tweet with pure confusion.
@DaddyAllDay Imagine using the same brush as other random females.. that’s disgusting— . (@.)1579039585.0
@DaddyAllDay yes, because women love being reminded of all the women who were there before us— marisa ronis (@marisa ronis)1579116667.0
@DaddyAllDay Nothing makes a girl feel more warm and fuzzy about a guy than being told she's welcome to the feminin… https://t.co/Istdps8XfL— debbie...(just sayin') (@debbie...(just sayin'))1579237276.0
@DaddyAllDay Honestly, no one needs to be sharing hair brushes. They probably have their own anyway. But, no one… https://t.co/Fe6WR96M6c— Pat 🌊🌊🌊🌻🌻🌟🌟🌊🌊🦉🦉🌺🌺🌴 (@Pat 🌊🌊🌊🌻🌻🌟🌟🌊🌊🦉🦉🌺🌺🌴)1579232104.0
Others capitalized on the Tweet, turning it into a meme.
I feel like every guy needs to have a “lady drawer” if they plan on having frequent guests https://t.co/qb72R4xwaL— Carol (@Carol)1579142542.0
I feel like every guy needs a “lady drawer” if you plan on having frequent guests. https://t.co/AA7elsNOIw— but doctor, i am (@but doctor, i am)1579147046.0
I feel like every girl needs a “fella drawer” if you plan on having frequent guests. https://t.co/fMyLZ2sWMm— faith🦕 (@faith🦕)1579141374.0
I feel like every guy needs a “lady drawer” if you plan on having frequent guests. https://t.co/Ms3bc35Xr4— JER (@JER)1579149400.0
I feel like every guy needs a “lady drawer” if you plan on having frequent guests https://t.co/YCvP8Pj9Ga— TJ (@TJ)1579195189.0
I feel like every guy needs a “lady drawer” if you plan on having frequent guests. https://t.co/P4kzRnEa7K— ✦ eve ✦ (@✦ eve ✦)1579140168.0
Try again, BassFather.
The Cues...
Not realizing how much can be lost in the absence of voice inflection and physical social queues. ealoft
This is what so many people can't seem to grasp when I explain to them I don't do online dating. If they've never experienced what it's like to have this happen they just can't understand it no matter how much I try to explain it. And, to me, it's a huge part of my attraction (or lack of) to a person.
Edit: it's not like I don't date or have issues getting dates, I just don't do online. I still meet people in real life, I just don't like online and feel my real life connections tend to work out better for me. seh_23
I still cringe.....
Oh man, the first time I contacted someone (it was via The Onion personals, which were really a thing in 2005), I just made fun of a band she said she liked. I wrote something like, "My only problem is that you are into (band)" She replied (as she should have), "My only problem is that the only thing you offer is a criticism". I still cringe. dinnersateight
Poof. Gone.
GiphyGetting hundreds of matches on tinder but not going on a single date with someone I initially met from the app.
Edit: I am a male. I've set up many dates, but get ghosted the day of. alaf44
but good lord was I a naive fool....
Matched with someone on a dating website (before Tinder). Got to talking, seemed like a chill dude, even though there were red flags (he insisted we were dating before we met and I wasn't allowed to talk to anyone). Agreed to meet up with him at a cafe by work. Organized with my receptionist she would ring me at an allotted time and tell me I had to come back to work, so I had an out. Met with the guy for coffee, it seemed well enough, then my girl rang me, so I told him I had to get back. His response was "I've got my work van here, do you want to jump in the back and have a quickie?" I noped out of there and went back to work.
A couple of months later he ended up coming into my work to see my boss. I made polite small talk with him then when he left my boss called me into her office to ask how I knew him. Turned out he was married to my bosses niece and I dodged a bullet.
Update: sorry to leave you all hanging. Boss believed me, and we never spoke of it again. I was too embarrassed to raise the subject again because I keep my private life private, and her because i assume she kept that crap between her and her niece. My boss was also a black belt in jujitsu so not the person to mess with.
Yes, i should have known better when he got possessive straight out the gate, but I was young, insecure, and lonely. It's not a crime to want to be wanted, but good lord was I a naive fool. Fen_Misting
Googled.
Dated a guy who was in a Poli-sci PhD program (confirmed) who had a law degree (confirmed) but had "left practice because he didn't enjoy it." Nope. Had been arrested for a federal hate crime as a neo-Nazi and was ineligible to practice. Thank god for google. doctaliz
Sounds Off.
GiphyWhen I connected Spotify my bumble profile and unbeknownst to me, 3 of my top 10 artists were the wiggles, hi-5 and blippi. Pretty sure I missed a few connections because of that! kwisssy
What's Your Password?
Not trying it sooner. At the end of the day, we're all just people looking to connect and share a Netflix account. toaster_jack
Same! Spent 9 years trying to find a girl going to parties & the club. Turns out I'm fairly crap at that which probably wasn't all that good for my self-esteem either.
A female friend then thought it would be fun to create a tinder profile & swipe for me during a party. Spend the next few days being mind blown at getting matches, sucking at texting, progressively getting better at it. A few months later going on a ton of dates, getting better at that as well, and finally finding my current girlfriend of soon 2 years. Developed more at flirting & understanding dating in those 6 months than from birth up until that point. Sairony
Rotten Fish.
GiphyUsing Plenty Of Fish, the free dating site. It was like the Netto of dating sites. I chatted briefly with one woman before telling her I was going out for a few drinks.
Next day I checked my messages and she had sent some. It started with "why don't you come round to mine and get drunk together", progressing to "why are you ignoring me", then to "I think you're gorgeous and we will be good together" and finally "don't you ignore me".
I sent her a message the next day to never contact me again. zetecvan
Match to browse.
I used the free version of Match to browse, then decided to sign up. Quickly realized it didn't have anything to offer me, so I cancelled and got a refund. I then had 20 different emails about different women interested in me. Way too coincidental. cowbellhero81
3 Days In.
I once told a guy (via text) I had to go because my lunch break was over. When my shift ended there were tons of angry messages from him asking where I was and why I left so suddenly. I told him it was because my break was over and I can't text when I am at work. He then started apologizing to me and told me he was afraid he had lost me and that I hated him. We had "known" each other for 3 days and we had never met in real life. AtWarWithEurasia
She was way hotter than me.
GiphyI met with this very attractive woman off Upper middle class tinder (Bumble).
She was way hotter than me.
At some point during the evening, she leans forward on her bar stool, narrows her eyes and goes "I know there was some reason I swiped right on you".
Because at this point she could not remember 😂. ThatsASaabStory
crap happens mate....
Met with a girl at a bar in Philadelphia on a Friday night around 6PM. It was fun and we drank a lot, but I noticed that she was pacing MUCH faster than me. I had around 4 beers in the time it too her to drink 7 martinis ($15 a glass). We are getting along well and she says that she needs to use the rest room. She took her jacket and purse to the restroom. I didn't think much of it but after an hour of sitting at the bar alone waiting I realized that I got used for a heavy pregame.
The bartender kinda realized it. When I asked for the tab he shrugged and was like "crap happens mate. I took two drinks off your tab." djm2491
Since I'm a weirdo.....
I had about given up on dating in general after I broke up with another loser I had met on there. But I decided to revamp my profile a little and put exactly what I was looking for. I.e. looks don't matter, but you have to have a job, and not live on your mom's couch at 33, and have some goals regardless of how big or small they are, etc. I included that I am a professional with my own place, car, full time job, and college degree and though education isn't a deal breaker I just want someone I can have a conversation with. It was pretty straightforward.
I included that I like fun stuff too, because I am not a very serious person I just was tired of getting involved with losers. I went from getting several messages a day from guys to maybe a message a week.
Since I'm a weirdo, I made a second profile. I had zero pics of my face, and only partial body pics. I had pics of me with boxes on my head, wearing weird masks, etc. I put how I only read the necronomicon and I have antlers, and I glow in the dark or some weird shit. I got a crap ton of messages to that profile.
One of them ended up being my current partner of 6 years. Lol... once I sent him an actual pic of me he said he recognized me from my other profile. I asked later why he didn't message me on that one and he said I seemed scary or something.
Now I know that asking for a guy with goals is scarier than potentially being an antlered necromancer. jahlove24
Mix It Up.
Putting all my eggs in one basket. Once I start a conversation with one person, I just stick with that person until I know it's not going to go anywhere. I can't deal with trying to remember stuff about two+ people at the same time. I don't mind though if the person I'm talking to is talking to more than one person as long as if we're on a date, they're not on the phone to them or mix us up. hotchocolatelover
So Vain....
GiphyAgreeing to meet someone with a topless profile pic. My God he was vain. Sinnes-loeschen
From the Bots.
I matched a girl who looked really cool and complimented her hair. She responded with something along the lines of "I'm so glad you messaged me, most of these guys just match and never message." I've seen almost exactly the same line before from bots, so I assumed she was a bot and said something snarky about it.
She replied, upset, and then unmatched me. D_Thought
Be Wittier....
Not being exciting or witty enough in the text game. In real life my expressions and demeanor save me, not so much online. brucekeller
I'm the opposite, I'm so smooth over text but super awkward in person. My texting personality and in person self are basically two different personas, which is probably off putting. Lightning_Larry_
Freak On.
She was being flirty but I just kept asking "how's your day going" "what are you up to" and other generic questions until she stopped and never messaged me back. hayisforhorses101
Step yo freak game up son. satanvacation
Close Encounters....
Chatted with them a year by phone, once we met we had nothing to talk about and it was the most awkward encounter of my life. MattSouth
Sometimes chemistry fails to translate to IRL. If it was a good fit, you would still have had topics of conversation. greywolfau
Her What?
GiphyHer husband.
You have no idea how many neglected wives are out there online and they love to omit the fact that they have husbands. Watch out for the milfs. She'll break your heart and her husband will break your neck. syringelol