So—confession. I was supposed to be doing laundry this week. Like, I had a literal mountain of socks (none of them matching, by the way) sitting in a basket. Instead? I got sucked into watching YouTube Shorts that went viral faster than you can say “algorithm black hole.”
You ever tell yourself “just one more” and suddenly it’s 2:47 AM, your phone battery is at 2%, and you’ve learned absolutely nothing except that a raccoon can, in fact, ride a skateboard? Yeah. That was me Tuesday night.
But here’s the thing: some of these Shorts aren’t just funny or random—they’re sneaky smart. There’s a reason they blow up. So let me tell you about a few that had me cackling in my Queens apartment and then break down (in my messy, non-expert but very opinionated way) why they went insanely viral this week.
The Shorts Everyone Was Talking About
1. The Guy Who Tried to Cook Steak With a Hair Straightener
Yes, this happened. Dude plugs in his girlfriend’s straightener, slaps a raw steak between the plates, and says, “We’re making fine dining on a budget.”
It sizzled and smoked. It… looked absolutely disgusting.
But here’s the kicker: he actually took a bite at the end. And smiled. A villain origin story if I’ve ever seen one.
Why it went viral: Pure chaos. Relatable “college dorm energy.” Also, people love to argue in the comments (“That’s not food” vs. “Bro’s a genius”).
2. Grandma vs. Google Home
This one made me spit out my iced coffee. Sweet grandma goes, “Okay Google, play Frank Sinatra.” The device responds with… death metal.
Her scream. Her face. Priceless.
Why it went viral: Tech fails are universal. Everyone’s had a “what the hell, Alexa” moment. Plus, grandmas + technology = always gold.
3. The Subway Proposal That Wasn’t
Guy kneels down in the middle of a packed NYC subway car (not even a nice one—this was the F train at rush hour). Everyone’s like “awww,” phones out. Then the girl whispers something and bolts off at the next stop.
Brutal.
Why it went viral: People can’t look away from a trainwreck (literally). Plus, the comment section turned into amateur detective mode: “She’s not the villain, he is” vs. “Nah, she dodged a bullet.”
4. Cat in Pajamas Dancing to Beyoncé
Self-explanatory. A cat. Wearing pajamas. Hitting a perfect little shimmy to Crazy in Love.
Why it went viral: Internet + cats. Enough said. But add music? Explosion.
5. The Accidental Zoom Filter
This poor guy logged into a work meeting with a potato filter stuck on his face. Entire presentation, dead serious, talking about “Q4 numbers” while looking like he belonged in a bag of chips.
Why it went viral: Work-from-home trauma is our collective inside joke.
What Makes These Shorts Blow Up?
Okay, so here’s where I pretend I’m some kind of social media scientist (I’m not, I’m just a dude from Queens who procrastinates folding laundry). But I swear there are patterns.
- Relatability disguised as chaos.
Like, no one’s actually cooking steak with a hair straightener (I hope). But the energy of making do with whatever’s around? That’s familiar. That’s “I once made grilled cheese with an iron” energy. - Short attention span perfection.
These clips are like, 12 seconds long. Just enough for the setup and the punchline. Boom. Done. Your brain is like “again.” - Community in the comments.
Half the fun is scrolling through the unhinged replies. People writing essays. Memes within memes. Someone edited the subway proposal with dramatic music. Genius. - Animals and grandparents.
Two unstoppable forces on the internet. Put ‘em together and you’ve got a guaranteed hit. - Failure > Success.
Nobody wants to see perfect. They want the fall, the scream, the disaster. It’s way more fun.
A Personal Detour: YouTube Shorts that went viral
So, last Thursday, I tried to film my own YouTube Short. My idea: “Cooking breakfast while my dog judges me.” I thought it would be cute. I scrambled some eggs, talked to the camera. Dog stared at me like I was an idiot.
Halfway through, I dropped the pan. Eggs everywhere. My socks, the floor, the cabinets. My dog sniffed once and walked away like, “Pathetic.”
I didn’t post it. But maybe I should’ve? Because honestly, based on this week’s viral messes, disaster is the recipe.
Secrets You Can Steal about YouTube Shorts that went viral
- Keep it short. Like, seriously short. If you can explain the joke in less than 15 seconds, you’re golden.
- Hook in the first 2 seconds. If the cat’s dancing, we need to see the pajamas immediately. Don’t tease.
- Lean into the chaos. Your roommate walked in shirtless mid-video? Don’t edit it out. That’s the magic.
- Sound matters. The right audio (song, scream, random sound effect) can make or break the mood.
- Comments are part of the show. Sometimes the top comment gets more likes than the actual Short
