Waste a Few Hours on TikTok with Bailey
It turns out that we’re not out of chaos mode yet, and while I would love to talk about a new release, or a blind spot in my film viewing that I’ve recently caught up on, all I’ve had the time and energy for (besides my annual Olsen twins observances) has been TikToks. I know... I have no business, just a month away from 30, being completely hooked on this app, but since the beginning of the pandemic last year, TikTok has become a close and dependable friend, providing me with endless user-created videos, and fine-tuning itself to my specific interests (a.k.a. cats). Hence, in this time of overwhelming stress, I present you with just a few of my favorite TikTok users. Be careful, this addiction hits hard.
@whataboutbunny – Starting strong, we have Bunny, the talking dog, a “sheepadoodle” whose owner, Alexis Devine, has trained her since puppyhood to communicate via a board of recordable buttons. Bunny can communicate when she wants to play, rest, and go outside. Bunny asks questions, has opinions, and lately has even been trying to determine the difference between “dog” and “human.” Watching Bunny’s progress has been mind-blowing and gives me hope that we will soon be able to effectively communicate with animals in the not-so-distant future.
@cearajane – Comedian Ceara O’Sullivan might be the funniest person on the planet. Her TikToks mostly consist of sketches featuring recurring characters such as her mother, different types of milk (yes, you read that correctly), and, the crème de la crème, 'Pencil Lady,' a perpetually outraged woman with a southern drawl who dramatically chides her partner as she “smokes” a Ticonderoga #2 pencil. It’s a little unfair how talented this woman is, but I’ll allow it as long as there are more gripes for the 'Pencil Lady' to share with the world.
@laurahfritz – Anyone who knows me, knows that little children (especially the unrehearsed) are not particularly my thing, but 2-year-old Lena is something else. She is impressively advanced in language development, and it’s both fascinating and hilarious to see this baby coming out with things that a weathered 30-year-old, such as myself, would be saying. The key is her tone of voice, which makes her sound like she’s lowered her life expectations a couple of decades early, and I completely love it.
@anthonyhopkins – That’s right, you film buffs out there, two-time Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins is on TikTok, and he’s surprisingly good at it! If you’d like to get Tony’s hot take on pandemic life, watch him play the piano for his cat, hear him recite a poem, or check out his dance moves, you must check him out. As someone who has always been awestruck by his talent, it’s so satisfying to see how weird he can be.
What are your thoughts on TikTok? Is it a frivolous waste of time, or does the fact that Sir Anthony Hopkins is an active user make it a legitimate 'art form?' Let me know in the comments below, and I’ll check out what you have to say after just a couple more TikToks... Five minutes, I swear!
Copyright © 2021 Bailey Lizotte
