http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XebG4TO_xss
This video is one of my favorite YouTube clips, because I think it perfectly Encapsulates the aspects of a meme that makes it effective and entertaining. This clip by John Oliver talks about whitewashing in the media, which has been a hot topic for the past few years especially in terms of award shows. it uses a variety of examples of why actor is being cast in non-white roles from both today and the past. Some examples include Emma Stone being cast as a half Asian character in Aloha and British and Scottish actors being cast in Egyptian movies.
One aspect this video uses that’s really important in memes is humor. the monotone voice in addition to the cursing and funny examples throughout make the audience react positively. while whitewashing isn’t necessarily as contentious of a debate as other political issues, there definitely are people who believe it doesn’t exist. the narrative that this video stitches together by showing so many examples helps to deflate that argument. It also uses persuasion tools by making the opposition look unintelligent and making the actors who played these roles also look dumb by trying to play a race and identity that they are not. Because of the nature of the video he also doesn’t give his audience any room for rebuttal to his ideas which makes them seem more cohesive. the overall professionalism adds to his credibility, because even though he’s being funny he still presenting argument that has to be trusted.
John Oliver whose show normally runs on HBO has capitalized on YouTube’s algorithm and gained extreme popularity on the website. his content is produced professionally but through its relevance on YouTube appears more laid back and real. this video alone has over 4 million views and some of his videos have well over 25 million, Like his video about Donald Trump. Because the video is short and easy to digest it’s able to maximize YouTube’s algorithm and increase its reach. Do not specifically to say this video was the sole reason, but a combined pressure from similar voices has made award show nominees much more diverse in the years since it was published, showing that it can still have a relevant voice even when combining with old media. The only thing to be cautious of with the video like this is potential rabbit hole leaning away from this point but with similar keywords that actually speaks against it and says that whitewashing isn’t an issue or that Hollywood’s forcing too many actors color into the spotlight. this is a greater issue that deals with YouTube’s algorithm and is currently a problem we don’t have a great solution for. However, this video still maximizes its humor and how its audience is receiving it to spread its message far and wide.
Citations
Burroughs, Benjamin. (2020). Fake Memetics: Political Rhetoric and Circulation in Political Campaigns.