Chicken shop love
In this post, we watch a popular YouTube web series on love and first dates. We also look at an unexpected hit song that went viral and even got Shakira dancing.
Hello, I’m Mandeep. Welcome to my Watch and Learn English substack. My aim is to teach “real-life” English using videos and topics that are in the news.
Video of the week
This week, love is in the air for Valentine’s Day, so we’re looking at a popular comedy web series called Chicken Shop Dates.
In every episode, the host - a young YouTuber called Amelia Dimoldenberg - invites famous guests on a romantic date to an unglamorous restaurant that specialises in fried chicken.
Restaurants that sell fried chicken, or chicken shops, are very popular in the UK and you can find them everywhere. They aren’t normally the first choice for a romantic meeting.
Amelia’s interviews are funny because, well, it’s a first date and she makes the conversations uncomfortable. Amelia is, to be honest, either rude or too interested in romance with her guests. She uses the setting and the conversation to make the guest feel awkward. It’s fun to see how famous people react to her.
She’s talked “love and chips” with The Jonas Brothers, Ed Sheeran, Rosalía and Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence, to name a few.
In the video we’re going to watch, Amelia goes on a date with British interviewer and documentary maker Louis Theroux.
First Watch - Learning
Click the image below to watch the video with clear, correct captions (not auto-generated), definitions for the key vocabulary and an option to slow the video down to help you catch every word.
Believe it or not, the ‘rap’ that Louis does in that interview was made into a song that went viral and became a famous TikTok dance.
Here’s Shakira having a go with American TV host Jimmy Fallon:
Going viral
Louis Theroux went viral with the rap ‘Jiggle, Jiggle’. This article from The New York Times explains what happened.
In today’s vocabulary focus, listen to me talking about words connected to online fame.
The dance from Wednesday went viral and everyone was doing it.
To go viral (verb) describes something that quickly becomes very popular or well known by being published on the internet or sent from person to person by email, phone, etc.
I post on Instagram at least once a day.
To post (verb) is to publish a message, picture, or video on a website or social media.
Have you seen the meme of the distracted boyfriend?
A meme (noun) is an idea, image, video, etc. that is spread very quickly on the internet.
This is the meme of the distracted boyfriend:
He's already getting trolled on social media for what he said.
To get trolled (verb) is to have someone leave insulting or offensive messages on the internet in order to upset you, get attention, or cause trouble. The person who does this is called a troll (noun).
The website stopped using clickbait headings such as "I saw this and I was SHOCKED!" and "You won't believe what happened next!"
Clickbait (noun) is an internet story, title, image, etc. that is intended to attract attention and encourage people to click on a link. The word bait means a small amount of food on a hook (a curved piece of wire) or in a special device to attract or catch a fish or an animal.
Being an influencer is a full-time job and not just a hobby.
An influencer (noun) is someone who affects or changes the way that other people behave.
I work in digital marketing so it’s my job to know what’s trending.
If something is trending (adjective) it’s currently popular or widely discussed online, especially on social media.
Here are some questions to practice:
Answers: 1)b 2)a 3)c
Second Watch - Testing
Now you can watch the Chicken Shop dates clip again, but in “quiz” mode!
As you watch, you need to choose the correct word to make the sentence. This will test how well you remember the key vocabulary from the video.
Here’s a question for you! If you could interview anyone, alive or dead, who would you want to talk to? Post your answers in the comments, I’d love to hear from you!
Coming soon!
Our learn English with Wednesday course is nearly ready.
Every episode in season one comes with a vocabulary and culture guide. I’ll explain every joke and cultural reference, we even have links to songs from the soundtrack. Fun interactive tests, word searches and puzzles will help you learn while you watch.
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