Social Media Off The Wall: Taxidermy Goes Viral & The Old-Fashioned Reporter

Social Media Off The Wall is a post every Friday where I will share funny and entertaining stories or digital media clips that are trending & being shared frequently on social networks.  If you have a great story or media bit that you think I can use in SMOTW, please feel free to share it with me via Twitter (@mlewii | #smotw).

Death of the Newspaper

We have all watched the steady decline of most of the large market Newspapers across the country.  As digital becomes the norm, most print copies of the Newspapers will seize to exist (unless stored in a Library). Stephen Colbert who is well known for his satirical take of the news, politics, and current events; seems to have a good grasp on social media and the way it’s changing the way the world works. Watch this hilarious video of Stephen reporting on the “old-fashioned” reporter in Athens, Georgia:

It’s hilarious that the story made the national news as seen when Colbert takes a jab at The New York Times in the clip. I still can’t decide if the scientist or the convict is the funniest part of the video.

Taxidermy Goes Viral

“It’s just Chuck Testa with another realistic mount!” I always wondered how funny it would be to be a Taxidermist and have people request the wildest animals to be stuffed & mounted (like pets). The video below was shot for Ojai Valley Taxidermy by Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal of Commercial Kings; a show on IFC that chronicles their quest to make “epic local commercials for some of the nation’s most deserving local businesses.”

The video which began trending on YouTube yesterday afternoon already has over 500,000 views.  It is a viral gem and will be great for Chuck Testa’s business.

Webcam 101 for Seniors

I cannot imagine my Grandparents ever figuring out how to Skype or use a webcam (they just learned the cell phone). This video features Bruce and Esther Huffman accidentally filming while trying to take a picture to send to their family on their computer.  Their granddaughter got a hold of the video and posted it to YouTube turning her Grandparents into instant celebrities.

The video which began trending Wednesday morning already has over 4 million views on YouTube.  I love this video and it shows that seniors are trying their best to be current with technology!

I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable weekend!

Michael F. Lewis II is a Social Media Consultant and Marketing Analyst for Social Strategy1.  He contributes several blogs weekly to the SS1 site.  Connect with Michael on Twitter via @mlewii.