If I had to choose the biggest one hit wonder of modern popular music (I have to be fair to that hack Perotin) it would be, without a single doubt in my head, Daniel Powter and his ridiculously catchy “Bad Day” that once dominated the airwaves. After that song, though, Powter was never heard from again, except in NFL.com commercials. His name is simply a reminder to all of the aspiring pop artists out there, especially all of you autotuning cheaters.
But Daniel is back this week thanks to the greatness that is viral video. A certain historic event helped one person reincorporate Powter’s famous song and jam it back into our skulls for a few more days. At least this time we’re laughing with Powter and not at him. Then again, it’s tough to laugh at a guy who made a small fortune from one song. Either way, can you guess which historic event it was? I bet you can’t!
You would have to be living in the caves that we originally believed that Osama Bin Laden was living in to have not heard the news that Navy SEALS located and killed the infamous terrorist, Al Qaeda leader and mastermind behind countless horrific events including 9/11. Bin Laden was holed up in a mansion in Abottabad, Pakistan, despite constant claims by the Pakistani government that he was definitely not in the country. Simple mistake, I guess. You can check out the always hilarious coverage by the Daily Show and Colbert Report, or you can take in Warming Glow chief Matt Ufford’s heartfelt insight into what this meant to an American soldier, or you can check out the various Facebook and Twitter responses, including my collection of Tweets from prominent sports figures.
Or you can even go to the next page and check out my favorite new coverage clip.
(Video via Videogum)
What a tongue twister that was, eh? There must be a point in a television news journalist’s early career when she realizes that she might not be cut out for the gig if she can’t handle similar names. And this is a significant self-discovery if you can’t differentiate the names of the leader of the free world and the most notorious terrorist of the last century. Granted, there’s only a one letter difference between Barack Obama’s last name and Osama Bin Laden’s first name, but if it becomes a problem like it was for this anchor, just say “president” or “dead terrorist”. Then upload a new resume to Monster.
(Via Reddit)
Harlem’s PS 161 middle school received one hell of a special treat this week, as a group of students were performing a flash dance to a Beyonce song as part of the school’s physical fitness campaign. While the students danced, Beyonce snuck into the auditorium and joined them in dancing. A weaker middle schooler may have lost her cool, but these kids kept on going, fired up by their new dance partner. In all, it’s a pretty good story, since most pop stars won’t let their own family members near them, let alone teenagers. It’s pretty much the exact opposite of the time that Madonna came to my middle school and spit on us during a fire drill*.
*May not have happened.
(Video via Buzzfeed)
Eleven women competed for what most men are calling the greatest championship in the history of anything that has a championship – the 2011 Pole Dancing Championship. Ultimately, Natasha Wang proved to be the best pole dancer in America with a Black Swan-inspired routine. The competitors participated under the belief that pole dancing isn’t just a means for cheap thrills for guys wearing bicycle shorts and waving dollar bills in the air. Sure, take all the fun out of it.
(Via With Leather)
We celebrate memes here on Uproxx as much as the next guys, and we know that the point of a meme is typically to create humor from something normal, like Business Cat or Emilio Estevez. Then along comes the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and now memes might be ruined forever. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for bringing awareness to violence against innocent animals, especially puppies, koala bears and hybrids of puppies and koala bears. But did PETA really have to take on this meme campaign? Couldn’t they find another Major League Baseball or NFL player at a cockfight in the Dominican Republic and give them hell again? Nope. Instead we get clubbed baby seal meme.
(Via Canada’s Shame)
Not that I condone theft, but times are tough and a guy needs to have his beer one way or another. If you’re going to result to theft to get that beer, though, don’t be a schmuck. You’re risking your prison virginity by turning to a life of crime, so you need to protect your proverbial investment. This guy didn’t get that memo, unfortunately. This is also a good time for us to talk about saggy pants. Cut it out, losers. Maybe next time steal a belt or a fashion sense.
(Via Tastefully Offensive)
We saw plenty of craziness before, during and after the Royal Wedding, and I’d be happy if England took its time before it has another. But one man takes the cake for the most inane piece of wedding memorabilia – a tattoo. It’s not like Stephen Nesbitt (right) had the faces of William and Kate tattooed on his chest or anything, but it’s strange enough that a man would get any sort of Royal Wedding tattoo in the first place. It’s a bit stranger that he’d get a good luck message to the new husband and wife tattooed on his hip. And it’s completely bizarre that he actually enjoys the fact that the tattoo artist screwed up the date of the wedding. Billy and Kit-Kat, as they’ve asked that I call them, wed on April 29. Stephen’s tattoo recognizes April 28. Whoops, said everyone else on the planet but Stephen.
(Via Metro UK)
Attention seeking fame leech lawyer Gloria Allred held a press conference earlier this week after a father of twin girls claimed that Atlanta Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell made derogatory homosexual comments at the man and his friend, while making a sexual gesture with a baseball bat, all in front of the man’s daughters. At the press conference, Allred and the father picked up a baseball bat and repeated the gestures that he claims McDowell made. And they did it in front of his daughters. Because that makes perfect sense. Case closed, shouted an insane Allred.
(Via Best Week Ever)
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- According to Billboard, there have been just 12 actual, by-the-book one hit wonders in modern pop music history. The last true No. 1 single to achieve one hit wonder status was… Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day”, which peaked at No. 1 on April 8, 2006. (Billboard)
- Powter’s “Bad Day” is one of only three songs to reach No. 1 on the Billboard charts, win Billboard’s Single of the Year recognition, and become a one hit wonder. The other two are “Volare (Nel Blu Di Pinto Di Blu)” by Domenico Modugno and “Stranger On The Shore” by Acker Bilk. Powter was the only artist of the three to never reach Billboard’s Hot 100 again. The song now seems a tad ironic. (Wikipedia)
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