I’ll never forget the time my friend ordered a sandwich without bread or meat (yes, a salad) or the time my college professor said he didn’t believe in homework, then proceeded to assign it every day. Or, that one relative at Thanksgiving who, without fail, said, “I don’t mean to be racist, but…” then proceeded to say something racist (sigh). If you’ve ever witnessed a painfully obvious situation right in front of your eyes, the “That Is A Scarecrow” TikTok trend is for you. Inspired by song lyrics from comedian Bo Burnham, the trend is all about moments where you simply want to state the obvious.
From #NoBones to #TheKillerIsEscaping, there are many spooky-sounding TikTok trends circulating my For You Page right now, so it’s no surprise that scarecrows are being added to the mix. The Burnham-inspired trend was born when TikToker @mochadrift posted this video of the comedian singing: “Good girl/In a straw hat/With her arms out/In a cornfield” followed by the tongue-in-cheek statement, “…that is a scarecrow.” This isn’t the first time a Burnham song has inspired a TikTok trend, and I appreciate how creators are harnessing his offbeat humor for yet another catchy, viral moment.
In the “That Is A Scarecrow” trend, TikTokers are using this trending audio to present a specific situation or predicament followed by an obvious truth. For example, @emma_grace070 says, “I like kiwi, but I don’t like the way my tongue hurts after,” followed by a text overlay that reveals, “that is an allergy.” Hairstylist @madeandtaylored calls out her clients who say Kylie Jenner is their hair inspiration, followed by the caption, “that is a wig” (yikes). In another version from TikTok couple @maya.and.hunter, Maya says, “I just need coffee every morning to wake up and I get headaches when I don’t!” followed by Hunter reluctantly handing her a drink and saying, “that is a caffeine addiction.” Fellow coffee lovers: I’m feeling attacked, too, but you get the point.
The goal of the trend is to lip-sync Burnham’s lyrics while presenting your situation via text overlay, then, when you hear “that’s a scarecrow,” share the obvious statement you want us to know. For example, check out this badass example from @nationalwomenslawcenter (no big deal) that says: “women aren’t paid less, they just choose lower-paying jobs with flexible hours because they need to do child care” followed by an obvious statement many of us know far too well: “that’s a wage gap.” I’m loving this version by @baddingtonbear that says, “I’m not a feminist, I believe everyone should be equal. I’m an equalist” followed by the reveal that this is, indeed, feminism. From addressing topics from homophobia to chronic people-pleasing, the “That Is A Scarecrow” TikTok trend leaves lots of room for creativity — and a healthy dose of education, too.
Of course, there are more lighthearted versions as well, like this one from @amandatho who realizes she’s crushing hard, and this one from @alexblodgett1 who takes her husband on a scenic hike. TikToker @austin_baumann nailed the trend by saying, “when a customer asks for a cappuccino with very little foam, just espresso shots, some more milk, and some foam on top” followed by the statement, “it’s a latte” and the caption, “and then they yell at me.” (Although I stand by the fact that my triple iced espresso with oat milk and cold foam at Starbucks tastes different than their standard latte, I can feel his pain).
As you can see, there are many ways to interpret the trend, so give it a go and don’t be afraid to flex your sense of humor. Whether you’re experiencing pure blasphemy and have to state the obvious or you just realized a poignant truth about your past, try the “That Is A Scarecrow” TikTok trend, and give it to us straight.