This is What’s Trending Today:
Since Facebook Live became a part of Facebook earlier this spring, some people and broadcasters have been making videos.
There are many live videos each day. Some show people test-driving cars. Others show people how to do exercise routines or yoga poses.
Back in April, the website Buzzfeed produced a live Facebook video showing two employees trying to see how many rubber bands they could put on a watermelon before it exploded.
That video had about 800,000 viewers at its live peak. After about 30 minutes, the employees had 500 rubber bands around the watermelon. After almost 45 minutes and 700 rubber bands, the watermelon finally exploded, delighting the crowd.
Once a video ends, it stays on the Facebook user’s page. Until recently, the watermelon video was the all-time leader in Facebook Live views, with about 10 million.
That is until 37-year-old Candace Payne of Texas posted a video last week from the front seat of her car. By Monday, it had over 135 million views.
Payne is unwrapping a box that says “Star Wars,” but she is hiding the rest from the camera. She is laughing and giggling. She can barely get the words out.
At one point, she has trouble pronouncing “confiscate” because she is so excited to make the video showing off her new toy.
What could it be that has her so excited?
It turns out to be a Chewbacca mask from the "Star Wars" movies.
Chewbacca is a wookie who is the partner of Han Solo, the pilot of the Millennium Falcon space ship. He is tall and furry like a dog. Chewbacca does not talk, he just makes different kinds of noises. The noise he makes is somewhere between a roar and a moan.
The Chewbacca mask is not just any mask. It is a special mask that roars when the person wearing it moves her mouth.
Payne tries it on and makes Chewbacca noises with the mask. She is having so much fun. She cannot stop laughing! She says “Oh, I’m such a happy Chewbacca!” and keeps laughing.
The video lasts just over four minutes. She ends by saying, “That is the best birthday present ever to myself. Wow!”
Why did Payne’s video get so many views? A few people tried to explain.
One columnist for Slate.com says “it is impossible to watch the video without smiling.” She also says Payne’s video is special compared to other internet videos because she is not complaining about something.
Another viewer wrote, “Her laugh is so contagious! I love her personality! We gotta have more people like her in this world.”
Apparently the mask is now sold out at most stores because of the video’s popularity.
And that’s What’s Trending Today.
Words in This Story
roar – v. to make the loud sound of a wild animal
moan – v. to make a long, low sound because of pain, unhappiness, or physical pleasure
confiscate – v. to take (something) away from someone especially as punishment or to enforce the law or rules
giggle – v. to laugh in a nervous or childlike way
delight – n. a strong feeling of happiness : great pleasure or satisfaction
routine – n. a series of things that are repeated; a regular way of doing things
pose – n. the position in which someone stands, sits, lies down, etc., especially as a model for a photograph, painting, etc.
peak – n. the highest level or degree of excellence, quantity, activity, etc.