While I’m Relieved My Son Wasn’t Radicalized by Right Wing Youtubers, His King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard Obsession Isn’t All That Ideal Either

Posted on by Mimi Kenny

Being a parent in this day and age means constantly being aware of the internet’s ability to direct your impressionable children towards hateful ideologies and your own powerlessness against its ever-present influence. I’ve heard more than my share of stories of others whose children started spouting white nationalist talking points weeks into following the wrong gaming channels. It’s no small comfort to know my 17-year-old son Caden was never led down such a path. Still, I’d be lying if I said his hyperfixation on prolific Australian rock band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard didn’t have its downsides.

It all started when I kept hearing him talk about something called “Nonagon Infinity,” and frantically googled it, fearing it was some kind of Christofascist apocalypse death cult, only to find out it was some tripped-out rock album that you can play on an endless loop. I couldn’t even get through one full listen, so I don’t want to know what kind of federally illegal substances one would have to partake in to want to hear it multiple times in succession.

Admittedly, Caden had been withdrawn for so long, and I always encouraged him to find a positive community to help him get out of his shell. So, maybe this is partially on me. But while I know it could be worse, I also know that his going on about microtonality and dressing up like something called “Han-Tyumi” wasn’t what I had in mind. For the love of god, it wasn’t even close to Halloween when he started doing that. And it’s definitely affecting his academic performance. The 29 he got on his first ACT attempt speaks for itself.

I thought that this would be a phase that he would just grow out of after a few weeks, but then I saw his sketch of their logo under the header “Future tat”. Do I need to tell him about my Spacehog tattoo I got lasered off just two years later? At this point, I’m glad he’s not registered to vote because he’d probably just write in “Stu MacKenzie” for every election.

At the very least, I wish he’d admit that “The Silver Cord” sucks and that these guys have no business making electropop.

Embarrassing: Black Metal Headliner Plays Song About Satan Even Though Opener Already Did That

Posted on by Steve Packosky

TRENTON, N.J. — Black metal band Kald Syk completely humiliated themselves by playing a song about Satan after opener Speared Side had already covered the same subject matter, sources report.

“We decided to add the song ‘Praise for the Goat’ because it embodies all that is evil and impure,” Kald Syk frontman Erik Trondhelm said before the band’s encore. “The good people of Trenton deserve to be washed clean of the blood of the lamb, and I look upon it as a duty for Kald Syk to perform such a cleansing. It seems we have received some negative feedback because one of the openers already played a song about the Dark Lord, but we cannot bother ourselves with such trivialities. We do not waste our time worrying about what other bands are doing. As far as we are concerned, we are the only black metal band that writes songs about Satan.”

Speared Side guitarist Darren Riddle was shocked and enraged at Kald Syk’s transgression.

“I can’t believe they thought they could get away with that,” Riddle said. “Everyone was here when we played ‘Soldiers of Lucifer,’ and I even saw some members of Kald Syk in the audience. They need to get some ideas of their own, man, or at least check Encyclopaedia Metallum before they write their songs to make sure the idea hasn’t already been covered by another band. Can you imagine what black metal would be like if every band just covered the same subject with their music?”

Audience member Cora Brenhardt was taken aback by what she saw.

“I never thought I’d see something like that at a black metal show,” Brenhardt observed. “To be completely honest, I was really embarrassed for the members of Kald Syk. Weren’t they paying attention during Speared Side’s set? I can’t imagine being a headliner and doing something like that, even by accident. And they haven’t even apologized for it or anything. They’re just continuing on with their set as if that didn’t even happen. If I were them, I wouldn’t even feel comfortable showing my face around this place after that. I was a huge fan of theirs before this show, but I think I’m going to have to find some other black metal bands to idolize going forward.”

At press time, Kald Syk was criticized further when their drummer used blast beats after Speared Side’s drummer had already done that.

New Study Finds Nation’s Millennials Still Recovering From “The Brave Little Toaster”

Posted on by Reuben Blanchard

NEW YORK — A new study from Columbia University revealed that millennials are still recovering from the trauma caused by the 1987 animated Disney film “The Brave Little Toaster.”

“9/11, unending school shootings, record low wages, a global pandemic, along with the refusal of generations before them to retire have made things hard for millennials. And yet all the evidence shows that ‘The Brave Little Toaster’ is at the core of many millennials’ existential dread,” said lead researcher Dr. Akello McGarry. “Their overall inability as a group to get over the air conditioner shorting out and essentially killing himself has led to a lifetime of anxiety and dread. But it doesn’t end there. When asked what they think about the film ‘All Dogs Go To Heaven,’ 97% of millennials responded, ‘Why would you bring that up, you absolute fucking monster?’”

Jenna Clark saw the film on the Disney Channel back around 1990, but the Brooklyn-based graphic designer says that since that day, nothing has ever been the same.

“How the hell am I supposed to figure out how to buy a house when all I can think about is the heartbreak my appliances feel when I don’t use them, or move to a new apartment?” said Clark. “You want me to have and raise kids? I can’t even get Lampy’s death out of my head! And yeah, I know he doesn’t actually die. Why do you think I have trust issues? This is my fourth attempt at a career! On top of that, I’m still trying to heal my trauma from the horse’s death in ‘The NeverEnding Story.’”

Chester Wentworth, the 65-year-old baby boomer CFO of a defense contractor corporation, who was given the job 45 years ago due to his “masculine handshake and Anglo-Saxon bone structure,” says that millennials are just big complainers who want a handout.

“In my day, we didn’t whine about toasters and lamps and whatnot. We were real Americans. We watched ‘Old Yeller’ get shot then went about our day. We may have beaten our wives and flipped out at cashiers, but surely that doesn’t have any correlation,” said Wentworth. “And yes, obviously, we resent millennials for wanting to talk about trauma. All I ask is that you don’t make me think about self-growth or admit that we’ve ever made any mistakes. You know, the way life is supposed to be.”

As of press time, the nation’s millennials were seen collectively huddled around a TV watching “The Iron Giant,” saying, “What’s even the point anymore?”

How That Navy Commercial With the Godsmack Song Failed To Prepare Me for My Dishonorable Discharge

Posted on by Steve Packosky

I still remember it to this day. I was sitting in homeroom, bored out of my fucking mind, when I heard my favorite band, Godsmack, on the TV during Channel One. I snapped to attention and was completely enthralled for the next minute. That Navy commercial made me think I’d be flying planes off aircraft carriers while listening to “Awake” if I enlisted, so much so that I dropped out that day to sign up. Little did I know that I’d be in for a rude awakening. Who thought that the Navy makes you do stuff like exercise and shave? It’s total bullshit.

They really should have provided more information in that little clip. Apparently, the Navy is all about hard work, discipline, and respecting authority, and these are definitely not where my skill sets lie. At no point did narrator Keith David mention just how seriously they frown upon a serviceman leaving his base without permission to do whippets in the parking lot of a nearby TGI Fridays. Seriously, you’d think that would be covered as a disclaimer at the end of the commercial, like when those cholesterol medication ads talk about how they’ll make you shit blood or go insane or whatever. I can’t be the first Navy recruit with this complaint.

So there I was at my court-martial, where no amount of professed Godsmack fandom helped me. Seriously, I even quoted the lyrics to “Voodoo” when asked to plead my case. I thought this would be a smack in the face of everyone who called me an “unbelievably stupid asshole” for choosing to represent myself. The judge didn’t think my likening the Navy’s inordinately strict curfew to a “snake biting into my veins” was as profound as I had hoped, and I got slapped with a Dishonorable Discharge. Thanks a lot, Channel One.

So now I’m back home, with no jobs and no prospects aside from an upcoming audition to sing for a Godsmack tribute band. Seriously, I’m not even allowed to buy a gun now to defend my family/play with while I’m drunk. Can you believe that? Let this be a lesson to you going forward: do not be fooled by any nu-metal appearances in upcoming military recruitment advertisements, because that absolutely does not mean that you won’t have to do stuff and/or have responsibilities. Now, where did I put that application to sell knives for Cutco?

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 Adds New Realistic Character Who Can’t Skate at All but Still Thinks He’s Better Than Elissa Steamer

Posted on by Reuben Blanchard

LOS ANGELES — Activision announced that the remake of Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4 will include a new playable character named Matt Fresh, who doesn’t know how to skate but still thinks he’s better than Elissa Steamer, confirmed sources.

“Initially, Matt wasn’t gonna be a playable character. He was gonna be a new NPC that just gets in the players’ way, similar to Officer Dick,” said game developer Carl Davids. “But when plans for Matt were leaked, the public demanded he be playable, so we made sure he was as realistic as possible. He can flat-ground ollie on every fifth try, and he supposedly can almost kickflip. He also wants every skate session to end way earlier than anyone else does. We wanted to make sure this character was a modern version of this archetype. In the ‘90s, Elissa Steamer was one of the only famous pro skateboarders who was a woman. That’s no longer the case. So Matt doesn’t just think he’s better than her. He thinks he’s better than all of the female, trans, queer, or non-binary skaters. He also thinks he’s better than any skater he just assumes is gay, which is all of them besides Tony Hawk.”

Local amateur skater Will Nelson couldn’t be more excited for the release.

“Matt is by far the most realistic character in the game,” said Nelson. “Sure, the other characters are literally based on real skaters, but Matt is REAL real. He has a Hook-Ups deck with some super explicit Hentai stuff on, which he rarely actually rides, and he’s always complaining about the spot not being good. His special move is to stand around and say things like ‘I’m just not feeling it today’ or ‘I would, but the angle is off, and also my trucks are too loose and my knee is kinda stiff.’ I mean, I’ve literally met this guy.”

Jessica Younoussi, writer for The Athletic, says while Matt is one of the first playable characters of his kind, there’s a reason he’s so popular in certain groups.

“Matt represents a small but vocal community: Men who can’t, but are pretty sure they could. Whether it’s being convinced they could dunk on Paige Bueckers despite not even being able to dunk, or ‘knowing’ they could score a goal against the entire USWNT, while not actually knowing the rules of soccer. These men feel that they personally deserve to be in the spots that women are in, while doing none of the work to get there. And despite its counterculture history, skateboarding is no different.”

As of press time, several new buyable add-ons for the character had been announced, such as a signature skate shoe Matt refuses to scuff up and a special move where he never brings a woman to orgasm.

Uplifting ISIS Re-Heading Video Goes Viral

Posted on by Tim Graham

RAQQA, Syria — Terrorist organization ISIS is taking credit for a stylish TikTok video showing masked figures successfully reattaching a man’s severed head, according to pleasantly surprised sources.

“We met with a public relations agency and asked plainly, ‘Why do so many people hate and fear us?’ They said it probably has to do with all the bombings and beheadings,” said ISIS spokesman Kassem Al-Azraq. “They helped us produce the video, which has done so much to rehabilitate our image. The agency used CG to make it appear that a man’s head had been restored to his body. The smiling man then stands up, shakes all of the ISIS members’ hands, and they pose for a photo together. The swelling score really makes it quite moving. Hashtag isisgoodguysnow.”

TikTok users have been excitedly spreading the video and sharing their reactions to the heartening content.

“The mainstream narrative has been that ISIS is this evil terrorist group who goes around killing people or whatever,” said new age TikTokker Sandra Bassinet. “But after seeing this video and how it has lifted so many hearts around the world, I have to say my opinion has changed. Everyone makes mistakes, and it looks like these guys are invested in growing and making amends for some of the uncool stuff they’ve done in the past. Check out my reaction video to get a coupon code for a crystal that is charged with positive energy that the video gave me.”

Top-level PR firms are accustomed to the challenges that come along with infamous clients like ISIS, according to Anderson Gein, partner at Gein, Gein and Gacy.

“We’ve handled many cases for high-profile clients with similar negative public opinion,” said Gein. “Correcting these perceptions boils down to our capability to lie very effectively, and on a grand scale. Our main tactic is to flood the zone with bullshit. Ever hear people say online that the January 6 insurrectionists were ‘mostly peaceful’ or ‘just sightseers’? Yeah, that was one of our campaigns. We’ve recently been hired by Russell Brand’s team—if we do our job right, in a year or so Brand will be out promoting a new comedy special, and everyone will have forgotten about those allegations.”

At press time, the Taliban had released an announcement teasing their upcoming series of mukbang videos.

Real Life Ratatouille: This Rat Yanks My Pubes and Makes My Dick Do Stuff

Posted on by Patrick Coyne

Most people will tell you Disney magic is something you only see in movies or after an unlicensed mushroom retreat. But to those cynics, I say, Disney magic is real! And I found it inside an Outback Steakhouse dumpster.

Several weeks ago, I had returned to my regular routine of dumpster diving after forming a fragile ceasefire with the local raccoons. I had come upon a garbage bag full of gently used bloomin’ onions when I came face to face with a common roof rat (rooficus ratticus).

I screamed at the rodent, threatening to “assfuck it in the mouth” if it didn’t turn tail and buzz off. But the rat, having no respect for mine and the raccoon’s truce, lunged at me, first working the face, before diving headlong into my already tattered pants.

Surely, this is the end for me, right? Or, at the very least, the rat would gnaw my dong until the head popped like a pimple. But wouldn’t you know it, the dang thing started getting cozy in my pubes like it was a Holiday Inn business suite. I couldn’t fathom the biology behind it. Perhaps my voluminous pubes and softened mound reminded the rat of its mother’s bosom. Or I had a special connection with the animal, like St. Francis, who tamed the wolf of Gubbio.

But the truly shocking moment was when the weird little freak started yanking on tufts of my pubes, causing my donger to start acting of its own accord. At first, the rat was tugging pubes seemingly at random, like an arcade patron trying to figure out a Mortal Kombat character’s moveset. But then it was deliberate, controlling my dong, trying to use it as a tool to aid in his rat endeavors.

Unfortunately, the ween’s lack of opposable digits makes it an ineffective grabber of food scraps, and its relatively fleshy and soft exterior makes it ineffective at cracking nuts or tupperware.

Still, it is obviously a marvel of animal-human symbiosis. No matter what those scientists who insist that the rat’s not controlling my dick and it’s just me getting an erection may say. And perhaps it’s not quite the same as running the kitchen of a Michelin star restaurant (I am working on a screenplay of my life story, by the way). But no matter what the pessimists and the doomers might say about Disney magic being some cockamamie fantasy, all you true believers can rest easy knowing that out there somewhere, there’s a guy in a dumpster getting his pubes tugged by a rat.

3 Doors Down Song Played at Baseball Game Somehow Worse Than 12-1 Loss

Posted on by Steve Packosky

DENVER — A devastating 12-1 loss incurred by the Colorado Rockies at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers was completely overshadowed by the DJ playing the song “Superman” by 3 Doors Down at the start of the 9th inning, sources report.

“That was absolutely uncalled for,” said center fielder Brenton Doyle after the game. “I thought getting completely blown out was going to be the worst part of my day, but hearing the line ‘If I go crazy then will you still me Superman?’ definitely took the cake. I almost ran off the field and called it quits right then and there. It definitely would have been worth incurring a fine and getting skewered by the media, so I regret not doing it. Hell, I would gladly get sent back down to Triple A with a huge pay cut and drop my lifelong dream of playing in the majors if it meant I never have to hear it again.”

Fan Sam Darris couldn’t believe his ears despite completely his eyes with the final score of the game.

“It’s like DJ poured salt on an open wound,” Darris said. “I’ve been a Rockies fan my entire life, and that is the worst game that I can remember. This season, they’re the worst team in Major League Baseball by a country mile, but that doesn’t hurt nearly as bad as hearing such horrific early 2000s butt-rock blared in my ears for no fucking reason. I pay good money for my season tickets, and I deserve to have a good time and enjoy watching my favorite team get completely demolished for the umpteenth time this month. The team has no right to take that away from me by ruining my day with that garbage.”

DJ Wes Burfyn was contrite about his decision to play the derided song.

“That one’s definitely on me,” Burfyn admitted. “I got kind of sick of playing ‘Enter Sandman’ and ‘Crazy Train’ so much, and thought I’d spice things up with a little variety. I wasn’t thinking. Had I stopped to consider what I was doing for even a second I would’ve realized that I was giving thousands of people the worst experience of their day. I don’t know what I can do to make it up to the team and the great baseball fans of Denver, but I promise to do better going forward.”

At press time, the team’s management decided to focus all of their money and resources on making sure the DJ staff was properly trained.

Band Not Good Enough to Warrant This Many Bandcamp Emails

Posted on by John Danek

RALEIGH, N.C. — Local punk thrashers Suet are using Bandcamp’s ability to send email notifications disproportionately to the level of interest garnered by their music, annoyed fans reported.

“We’ve been calling our vinyl printers every day asking for updates on the pink-and-gray splatter variant of last year’s EP, and we make sure to pass every update to our fans,” stated Suet bassist and vocalist Rodney Garguillo, who has replaced many band rehearsals with digital marketing seminars. “Fans need to know things like when XS shirts with the logo on the front pocket are estimated to come back in stock. As for the music, we’re not reinventing the wheel. It’s punk. Pick four chords at random and repeat for two minutes. The songs are in many ways marketing for our email campaigns.”

Those close to the members of Suet are beginning to question the band’s artistic priorities.

“Suet’s first few batches of songs were quite good, if a little cookie-cutter. But then they got on Bandcamp and it’s been a non-stop barrage of messages which never end up in my spam folder like they should,” stated Kelly Blasquez, sister of Suet drummer Brandon Blasquez. “The constant barrage of messages is ruining what little enjoyment I could get out of their stuff. And now I’m afraid that if I unsubscribe, they will be able to see that in the Bandcamp interface. Things would get super awkward around the holidays at my parents’ house. I already stole his girlfriend- we can’t have any more drama.”

Marketing and SEO experts weigh the pros and cons of focusing so heavily on the digital footprint of a band.

“You had better be the next Led fucking Zeppelin if you’re going to send more than two emails per month to your exceedingly generous and kind Bandcamp followers,” stated Jackie Tilly, who freelances as an SEO consultant. “Don’t punish them. No one really cares when your stickers are restocked or when they will be obligated next to buy a new vinyl to maybe play once. Just be happy that anyone can even fake interest in your shitty band which exists in a sea of a million other shitty bands.”

As of press time, Garguillo has quit Suet due to “creative differences” as to how many exclamation points to use in the subject line of the band’s next Bandcamp email.

Opinion: If You Didn’t Want to Get Smoke Blown In Your Face, Beer in Your Eyes, and A Kick In the Back of Your Head, Then You Shouldn’t Have Come to This Yo Gabba Gabba Live Show

Posted on by Kal Perry

The 2025 Yo Gabba Gabba live tour is fast approaching, which means a crop of noob fans are about to experience the magic for the first time. If you are a first timer, take it from me, a seasoned Gabba-head: If you’re not ready to throw the fuck down, then stay the fuck away.

To the uninitiated, a Yo Gabba Gabba live show might just sound like a fun, easy-going way to hear the tunes you’ve come to love from the show. This could not be further from the truth. These shows are some of the most ruthless, violent, and feral events I’ve ever been a part of. And that is exactly why people like me (an unemployed 38-year-old man) attend them.

If you think you have what it takes to hang with the big dogs at one of these ragers, I’ll offer some free advice.

First off, when Kammy Kam comes on stage and yells, “Hey Kids! Are you guys ready to dance?” What she really means is, “Open this fucking pit!”. Do not be surprised when the crowd responds to the implied call to action. These are real Gabba sickos we are talking about here. They know what Kammy Kam wants without her having to say it.

When Brobee and Foofa start getting down nasty style to “The Freeze Game” song, that means the wall of death is coming. Pick a side and get ready to plow, or prepare to pay the price of neutrality.

I’ll be honest. The first time I attended one of these shows, I was skeptical of the child fans. Can you blame me? These dipshit kids in Plex shirts and Toodee beanies probably don’t even know who DJ Lance Rock is! I wanted to share a bloodbath mosh pit experience with the real OGs. I didn’t want to have to “be considerate” or “think of the children”, like concerned parents begged me to do at that Wiggles show years ago (a story for another time).

Boy oh boy, was I wrong. These kids are fucking insane. As an avid show-goer and frequent fight-starter, I thought that I was pretty hard. But nothing can prepare you for a stampede of two hundred 9-year-old shin-kickers aggressively skanking to “I Like To Dance” in the fastest circle pit you’ve ever seen. Well, nothing except maybe a PCP dipped cigarette and confidence, both of which you will NEED if this is your first Yo Gabba Gabba show.

We, the hardened Gabba lover community, do not need more prudes killing the vibes at these shows. But if you are ready to do battle, welcome to the family. There’s nothing quite like crowd surfing to “There’s A Party In My Tummy” with an open beer in one hand and a lit swisher in the other.