MiniMoni and Weezer
Consider this Friday’s post, just delayed by a day. I recently saw the new Weezer video for their song Pork and Beans from a “New Self-Titled ‘Red Album’ out June 3rd, 2008.” I was quite amused by the video. It includes some internet video stars - mostly memes. One such meme was the dramatic prairie dog and Japanese pop group MiniMoni. Of course, unlike most of the real cameos, MiniMoni does not make an appearance. Nor does the prairie dog. By the way, a fellow South Carolinian is in the video, as well, making the most (to date) of her highly televised goofup. Here’s the source material.
MiniMoni on TV one day, doing their thing.
The meme-itized version of the clip that has been viewed millions of times on YouTube.
Another Japan related theme is in the video. It’s the classic “All Your Base Are Belong to Us” Zero Wing screwed up translation meme. But yeah. More coverage here and here and here and here and here.
on May 24th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
[...] coverage here and here and [...]
on May 24th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Weezer features MiniMoni in New Video…
Weezer’s new video for the song Pork and Beans features a reference to MiniMoni (subgroup of Morning Musume / members of the Hello! Project) and the dramatic prairie dog, a meme made popular all over thanks to YouTube. It also features a ton of other …
on May 24th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Being the old lady that I am, and completely out of touch with new music, etc., ..I don’t believe I’d ever heard of Weezer until this….and I love it!!! Great song, love the video!
on May 24th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Mom - I’m not surprised that you hadn’t heard of Weezer…but I’m surprised that you like the song! Ha ha. Here’s a compilation of most of the video references to other one-hit video wonders on YouTube - some may be off-color, so you’ve been warned.
on May 24th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
I wouldn’t have expected the real Mini Moni to have appeared, since the group has disbanded, and of the four members at the time of the original clip, one was expelled from Hello! Project, one left voluntarily, and one is currently on maternity leave.
But I do think they should have done a better job of finding stand-ins that look more like the original members … or at least made sure the hairstyles matched.
Kawaiirrheas last blog post was: Mini Moni meets Weezer
on May 24th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Ha - what a username, Kawaiirrhea.
Of course I didn’t expect them to find the real members of the group. You’re right though - they strove for accuracy with most of the rest of it, so a little extra effort would have been appreciated. Anyway, it’s a catchy video that’s basically a guaranteed success. And the videos referenced are going to catch a whole second round of viral activity off of it, as well. Brilliant.
on May 25th, 2008 at 4:15 am
Further investigation has yielded what looks like a transcript of an interview Rivers Cuomo gave on the radio show SCHOOL OF LOCK! on January 23 this year:
http://ameblo.jp/my-world/entry-10067656580.html
If I’m reading this correctly (my Japanese is terrible, so please let me know if this is wrong), Cuomo said he had been introduced to J-pop through Mini Moni’s “Mini Moni. Jankenpyon!” …
Awesomeness indeed.
Kawaiirrheas last blog post was: Mini Moni meets Weezer
on May 25th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Hey - your reading isn’t too bad at all, actually. The author suggests that that is what Cuomo said. However, you should note that the blogger mentions that his English isn’t so good, and that he’s writing from a recorded MD he made of the interview, so “don’t mind the little errors.” Ha ha. I tell you what, though, I agree with the blogger that I’d like to hear Rivers’ cover of BoA. That’d be a head trip.
Also, I saw this link on your page that reminded me that basically the entire video for Hash Pipe is sumo rikishi wrestlers. How’d that escape me? Ha ha.
on May 25th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Awesome. I had a little help from Google translate (which usually isn’t very helpful for Japanese), along with a kanji to kana converter and my furigana dictionary.
And yes, I would also like to hear Rivers covering BoA …
Kawaiirrheas last blog post was: Mini Moni meets Weezer
on May 25th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Kawaiirrhea - you really might want to look into a Firefox plugin called Rikaichan.
It’s a fun little tool that can save you some time when doing that sort of reading. Not always - but lots of times.
on May 25th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Wait! Dramatic prairie dog was from a MiniMoni clip? Jeez I’m out of it.
I lose five internet credibility points.
lost in ubes last blog post was: Japan Women’s National Volleyball Team qualifies for Bejiing Olympics
on May 26th, 2008 at 7:31 am
And they even stuck the ‘let’s get some shoes’ chick in there.
that was fun.
Nics last blog post was: The Office: The Japanese Version
on May 26th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Lost in Ube - yeah! I mean, I don’t blame you for missing the connection, because the famous clip is all of about 5 seconds long and features background music. And you don’t really see MiniMoni in it. The source video also went viral, though. So, yeah, you do lose a few internet credibility points. But I’m certain that you’ll regain them pronto.
Chuck - “Kelly” is the shoes girl. And I love that they had her playing guitar when all the memes clash into the same room at the end. Fun stuff. (Btw - “Let me borrow that top” is nowhere near as funny as “Shoes” was. Don’t even bother.)