Remember that Yanny/Laurel audio a few years back? You know, the one that drove the world crazy for about a month? Well, there’s another one in our midst — and needless to say, it’s dividing the internet once again.
It all started when TikTok user Kitty Feeley posted a video of a short clip from Toy Story 3, in which Barbie has Ken tied up, and she starts ripping up his clothes. (Apologies for the confusion to those who haven’t seen the movie, but hey, what were you doing in 2010?) Then, Ken shouts, “Oh, Barbie!” Sounds like a simple line, right? Well, this TikTok points out that there are two ways to hear this — it can also sound like Ken is saying, “Oh, f*ck!”
Users began to sound off in the comments, freaking out about this strange phenomenon. “There’s no way he says ‘oh Barbie’,” one user wrote. “I HEARD OH BARBIE THE FIRST TIME AND NOW I CANT HEAR IT ANYMORE,” another replied. And as you may expect, the video has gone viral since it was posted on Nov. 26, with over 36 million views and counting.
I know, I didn’t believe it either at first — but hey, hear it for yourself.
Of course, the conversation didn’t end with these comments. Countless users then reposted the video on TikTok and Twitter to voice their opinions, some saying they can clearly hear both “oh, Barbie” and “oh, f*ck,” and others saying the audio they can hear changes with time. And don’t forget about the poor folks who can only hear “oh, Barbie,” missing out on the fun and convincing themselves everyone else is playing a lame prank on them. The point is: people are hearing all kinds of different things, and the internet can’t stand it. I hate to speak too soon, but it looks like we have another pointless online debate on our hands.
We know Gen Z loves to argue and obsess about these odd illusions — it all started with “the dress” in 2015, which sent the internet spiraling (BTW, I still refuse to believe the dress is black and blue). And, of course, the Yanny VS Laurel audio took the world by storm in 2018. Since then, there have been countless examples of visual and audio inconsistencies and illusions (“the shoe,” green needle VS brainstorm; the list goes on).
It’s easy to become fascinated by these tricks. Humans are simple people, and we love anything that makes us question the reality or truth of a certain thing — especially when it gives us a reason to debate each other. But the cherry on top of this “oh, Barbie” VS “oh, f*ck” audio is: it’s also hilarious. I mean, come on — seeing Ken tied up, yelling “oh, f*ck” at Barbie is the NSFW content we never expected. So what if it’s just an audio trick? It’s amusing, interesting, and funny — what more could the internet want?
Now, I don’t know if this was a secret Easter egg the editors slipped in, hoping someone would notice — or maybe it’s just a freak accident caused by phone speakers. But as with any internet phenomenon, people are obsessed, dumbfounded, and most of all, seeking answers. And until we get those, you know where I’ll be: listening to the audio again, tricking my brain into thinking Ken really would say “oh, f*ck.”