This week on The Deep Dive: A case for melting The Bean, why YouTube thumbnails these days all look like…that, films about poor people that were made for (and by) rich people, an evolutionary explanation for why you cry every time you think about how much you love your dog, and the WWE Championship title that really matters.

Coming tomorrow on The Rabbit Hole, I interviewed video essayist emma in the moment, who covers craft-related drama. If you’ve ever wondered why there’s so much drama in the craft space, the answer Emma shared with me is fascinating. Last week, I wrote about Vanderpump Rules’s weaponization of 2010s pop feminism. Also, the Searchable Playlist!

I also have a favor to ask. Right now, it’s looking like the TikTok ban is going to pass. If you’re reading this, chances are you learned about The Deep Dive through TikTok, as that’s been the main way I’ve been able to reach fellow video essay lovers up to this point. If you have friends, coworkers, niche-interest group chats – anyone you think will enjoy The Deep Dive, please consider sharing your unique referral link at the bottom of this email. And in case I don’t say it enough, thank you so much from the bottom of my little rabbit heart for being here and enjoying these videos with me every week. ❤️

ART

How to Melt The Chicago Bean (and Why We Should) by Roughest Drafts (13:52)

According to my TikTok analytics, around 15 percent of you are based in Chicago – and this video gave me an idea. If we all plan a time and place to meet up at The Bean and bring our toasters, we could finally turn all the memes into reality…by melting it. I’m only half kidding, but after watching this video and learning more about the artist who created The Bean, I could be convinced otherwise. In this video, Roughest Drafts presents a possible blueprint for our villainous scheme as well as background on Bean Creator Anish Kapoor’s history of out-of-touch proposals, buying exclusive rights to colors (which is somehow allowed), and all-around trolling.

SOCIAL MEDIA

The YouTube Thumbnail Conspiracy by Scott Cramer (26:31)

Like it or not, YouTube thumbnails say a lot about the types of videos we enjoy watching and current internet trends. Once consisting of little more than a random still from the videos they represent, thumbnails have become a form of art in their own right – no matter how effortless they may seem. In this video, Scott Cramer breaks down the different types of today’s thumbnails, from orange outfits in distressing locations to yellow sans serif text to MrBeast-inspired airbrushed skin and facial expressions that can only be described as “uncanny valley.” How did we end up with the same thumbnails over and over? And despite the predictability of so many thumbnails on YouTube today, which creators have given the new-age art form some much-needed variation?