21 votes

Offbeat Fridays – The thread where offbeat headlines become front page news

Posted by mycketforvirrad
Tags: ask.discussion, recurring.weekly, offbeat fridays, offbeat

Tildes is a very serious site, where we discuss very serious matters like dsa, marine corps and chainmail. Tags culled from the highest voted topics from the last seven days, if anyone gave two hoots.

But one of my favourite tags happens to be offbeat! Taking its original inspiration from Sir Nils Olav III, this thread is looking for any far-fetched offbeat stories lurking in the newspapers. It may not deserve its own post, but it deserves a wider audience!

23 comments

  1. [7]
    mycketforvirrad
    Link
    Pitbull says seeing fans dressed as him is priceless BBC News – Annabel Rackham – 11th June 2025

    Pitbull says seeing fans dressed as him is priceless

    Pitbull is fascinated by his popularity in the UK - telling the BBC it makes him "very, very happy" to look out into the crowd and see thousands of people dressed like him, singing along to every word of his songs.

    Thanks to social media, it's become custom in recent months to attend a Pitbull show dressed as the star - in sunglasses, suit and a bald cap.

    "Every time I'm at a show, I let them know that when you put on a bald cap, I hope you're ready to have the time of your lives - it feels deeper than just music," he says.

    BBC News – Annabel Rackham – 11th June 2025

    12 votes
    1. [4]
      nukeman
      Link Parent
      Back in 2012 there was a contest where the Walmart location whose FB page had the most likes would win a Pitbull concert. At the time, “the internet” was not a big fan, so it became their goal to...

      Back in 2012 there was a contest where the Walmart location whose FB page had the most likes would win a Pitbull concert. At the time, “the internet” was not a big fan, so it became their goal to exile him to the most remote one, which was Kodiak, Alaska. That location ended up winning, and I remember he seemed genuinely excited to visit and happy to perform.

      8 votes
      1. [3]
        Hobofarmer
        Link Parent
        The outcry was over him being abusive to... Rihanna? I think?

        The outcry was over him being abusive to... Rihanna? I think?

        1 vote
        1. [2]
          cfabbro
          (edited )
          Link Parent
          Are you thinking of Chris Brown? I don't remember hearing anything about Pitbull abusing her, and there is nothing about that in his wiki page. I'm pretty sure the internet just disliked him back...

          Are you thinking of Chris Brown? I don't remember hearing anything about Pitbull abusing her, and there is nothing about that in his wiki page. I'm pretty sure the internet just disliked him back then because he was super popular amongst Jersey Shore types, and so it was cool to hate on him by association.

          8 votes
          1. Hobofarmer
            Link Parent
            Thanks for fact checking me! Pretty sure you're right. I retract my previous statement. Edit: I have a bad habit of treating online discourse as if I weren't online...

            Thanks for fact checking me! Pretty sure you're right. I retract my previous statement.

            Edit: I have a bad habit of treating online discourse as if I weren't online...

            3 votes
    2. chocobean
      Link Parent
      I only know of Pitbull from a named character on the show Big Mouth, Pitbull Ft Ludacris, which is an actual pitbull dog who's very self aware. That's quite interesting the human likes to see a...

      I only know of Pitbull from a named character on the show Big Mouth, Pitbull Ft Ludacris, which is an actual pitbull dog who's very self aware.

      That's quite interesting the human likes to see a sea of his own cosplay.

      4 votes
  2. [3]
    fefellama
    Link
    Stolen Paintings Linked to Retired Couple Who Supposedly Moonlighted as Art Thieves Returned to New Mexico Museum After 40 Years Thought this was an interesting story. Couple stole some paintings,...

    Stolen Paintings Linked to Retired Couple Who Supposedly Moonlighted as Art Thieves Returned to New Mexico Museum After 40 Years

    Thought this was an interesting story. Couple stole some paintings, including one that's now worth over 160 million dollars, and didn't get discovered until they passed away and their stuff was auctioned off. Lots of interesting stuff in that article as well as in some of the other articles it links to.

    12 votes
    1. [2]
      CannibalisticApple
      Link Parent
      I think I'd heard about the theft before! It stuck with me because stealing paintings in broad daylight is so brazen. Glad they finally got found!

      I think I'd heard about the theft before! It stuck with me because stealing paintings in broad daylight is so brazen. Glad they finally got found!

      3 votes
      1. fefellama
        Link Parent
        What surprised me was how they stole the paintings. Just a box cutter, snip snip snip, and then roll it up and walk away. One article mentions that the $160m painting they stole was worth about...

        What surprised me was how they stole the paintings. Just a box cutter, snip snip snip, and then roll it up and walk away. One article mentions that the $160m painting they stole was worth about $400k when they stole it. Why would a museum not have a $400k painting behind glass!? Lesson learned I guess.

        2 votes
  3. [6]
    fefellama
    Link
    /offtopic I really need to start saving articles somewhere. Every week I come across a couple of news articles that instinctively make me think "ooh this would be perfect for that offbeat fridays...

    /offtopic

    I really need to start saving articles somewhere. Every week I come across a couple of news articles that instinctively make me think "ooh this would be perfect for that offbeat fridays thread" and then without fail, come Friday I forget what the article was.

    6 votes
    1. [4]
      Comment deleted by author
      Link Parent
      1. [3]
        fefellama
        Link Parent
        That’s a good point! Sometimes though it’s like Wednesday or Thursday and the thread is already buried, so I guess I just didn’t consider it because it was out of sight and out of mind.

        That’s a good point! Sometimes though it’s like Wednesday or Thursday and the thread is already buried, so I guess I just didn’t consider it because it was out of sight and out of mind.

        3 votes
        1. nukeman
          Link Parent
          Remember that commenting un-buries threads, so to speak. One of the great things about Tildes.

          Remember that commenting un-buries threads, so to speak. One of the great things about Tildes.

          8 votes
        2. chocobean
          Link Parent
          I check back on Friday threads with hope :) please post whenever

          I check back on Friday threads with hope :) please post whenever

          4 votes
    2. [2]
      mycketforvirrad
      Link Parent
      I have a folder for such an occasion. 😉

      I have a folder for such an occasion. 😉

      6 votes
      1. fefellama
        Link Parent
        I need to as well. I always tell myself 'this is such a wacky news story, surely I'll remember it in 1/2/3 days to post it on Friday' and then inevitably Friday comes and I can't remember what the...

        I need to as well. I always tell myself 'this is such a wacky news story, surely I'll remember it in 1/2/3 days to post it on Friday' and then inevitably Friday comes and I can't remember what the story was about in the slightest. So I go back through my rss feeds and news sites trying to remember what it was about... Sometimes I find them and sometimes I don't.

        4 votes
  5. [4]
    jredd23
    Link
    Better use of drones other than for war. Fish Watch - Coming Soon to Your Neighborhood!

    Better use of drones other than for war. Fish Watch - Coming Soon to Your Neighborhood!

    4 votes
    1. [3]
      chocobean
      Link Parent
      Beautiful beautiful school, glad to see it, but what on earth is up with that "residential canal"? Related: visduerbel posted earlier by @Foreigner

      Beautiful beautiful school, glad to see it, but what on earth is up with that "residential canal"?

      Related: visduerbel posted earlier by @Foreigner

      4 votes
      1. Foreigner
        Link Parent
        Thanks for the ping chocobean! Unfortunately I can't access the website :(

        Thanks for the ping chocobean! Unfortunately I can't access the website :(

        3 votes
      2. jredd23
        Link Parent
        Cool site. Yeah, these residential canals are a bit over the top, especially in newer communities that exist in this side of Florida. Something similar exist in Fort Lauderdale on the opposite...

        Cool site. Yeah, these residential canals are a bit over the top, especially in newer communities that exist in this side of Florida. Something similar exist in Fort Lauderdale on the opposite side of Florida.

        2 votes
  6. aphoenix
    Link
    Teacher's final wish granted with backpacks - Tammy Waddell from Georgia, died earlier this month, aged 58, after battling cancer. Instead of flowers, mourners were encouraged to donate school...

    Teacher's final wish granted with backpacks - Tammy Waddell from Georgia, died earlier this month, aged 58, after battling cancer. Instead of flowers, mourners were encouraged to donate school supplies. The article has a few pictures of the large amount of school supplies donated, and the hundred or so honorary paulbearers who carried the backpacks back to their schools.

    2 votes