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“It was gorgeous, and I was so not expecting it,” said Darion Lowenstein, 41, a video game consultant, who is gay. Though Bill’s role in the game is small, and his mention of being gay brief, it did not go unnoticed by LGBTQ gamers like Bonatsakis. Roughly 10% of gamers are LGBTQ, according to a 2020 survey by Nielsen. And for many of these queer gamers, Durkee said, video games are a lifeline. She said character customization in games such as “The Sims” and “World of Warcraft” can empower queer gamers to express their identity in ways that traditional media cannot.

New research conducted by a professor at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School found that the AI-driven chatbot GPT-3 was able to pass the final exam for the school's Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. Prof. Christian Terwiesch, who authored the research paper "Would Chat GPT3 Get a Wharton MBA? Terwiesch’s findings come as educators become increasingly concerned that such chat bots could inspire cheating. The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, on Sept. 28, 2022. Experts who work in both artificial intelligence and education have acknowledged that bots like ChatGPT could be a detriment to education in the future.

☆ The purple Wiggle responds to his TikTok heartthrob status: 'It's opened up a new world of followers'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Kahlan-Rosenblatt.Jpg | Kalhan Rosenblatt | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

On TikTok, parents and nonparents alike have been thirsting after a member of one of the biggest children's acts in the world — the new purple Wiggle from The Wiggles. — likely stems from a video Pearce posted this week in which he participated in a trend that stems from the movie "Zoolander." Originally, Pearce wanted to film the clip with the original purple Wiggle, Jeff Fatt, while the two were on a recent tour together. In the clip, Pearce's purple Wiggle persona bumps into his everyday self dressed in a cutoff T-shirt, revealing his toned and tattooed arms. He added that he's looking forward to meeting his newest slew of fans when The Wiggles tour later this year.

In an interview with Allure magazine, Stefani, 53, who is Italian American, cited the influence of Japanese culture in her home when she was growing up. "I said, 'My God, I'm Japanese and I didn't know it,'" Stefani told Allure. She later insisted, "I am, you know," calling herself a "super fan" of Japanese culture. A representative for Stefani told Calaor that she had "misunderstood what Stefani was trying to convey" but declined to provide an on-the-record statement. Even before the interview, Stefani had defended her "Harajuku" era.

☆ 'M3GAN' is an internet star thanks to her TikTok-esque dance. Director Gerard Johnstone calls the viral reaction 'unbelievable.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Kahlan-Rosenblatt.Jpg | Kalhan Rosenblatt | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Before she ever hit the big screen, M3GAN was a social media icon. The killer android doll is the star of the film "M3GAN," which released nationwide Friday. Models perform the viral dance at a special screening of "M3GAN" in New York on Wednesday. Like other viral phenomena before it, M3GAN’s social media success was a happy accident — something Johnstone didn't see coming. "That’s incredible”He credits some of the film's early praise to social media buzz.

New York City's Department of Education announced a ban on the wildly popular chatbot ChatGPT — which some have warned could inspire more student cheating — from its schools’ devices and networks. It was not immediately clear if the ban applied to the City University of New York system. In New York public schools, ChatGPT can still be made available upon request to classes studying artificial intelligence. In an email statement responding to the New York City public schools ban, a spokesperson for OpenAI said the company "doesn't want ChatGPT to be used for misleading purposes in schools or anywhere else." We’ve always called for transparency around the use of AI-generated text," the spokesperson said.

On Tuesday, Tate tweeted at Thunberg, referring to his “33 cars” and their “enormous emissions.”Thunberg responded on Wednesday, making a joke about Tate’s genitals. After Tate’s arrest, posts quickly went viral, speculating that the pizza boxes in the video had been an important factor in locating Tate. But Ramona Bolla, a spokesperson for DIICOT, refuted that the pizza boxes had anything to do with Tate’s arrest. On Twitter, many responded to Tate’s days-old Twitter feud with Thunberg with jokes about the interaction and Tate’s arrest. In the video, Afualo said she saw the news about Tate’s arrest.

On TikTok, parents are sharing a physical change they didn't anticipate after conceiving: pregnancy nose. The pregnancy nose videos are simple: They juxtapose a person's image before becoming pregnant with images of their swollen noses afterward. Pregnancy nose is the latest to capture the platform's interest. She herself experienced pregnancy nose. Another user stated, "Talk about pregnancy nose...

Pot RoastWhen Pot Roast became fatally ill last month, heartbroken fans took their grief out on her owner. She added that Pot Roast died in her arms. In the wake of Pot Roast's death in February, Pot Roast's mom was harassed and criticized for using jokes and dark humor to cope with the loss of her pet. Since Pot Roast's passing, Pot Roast's Mom has adopted two new cats: Soup and Coupon. I do be missing her voice rn.”As of December, it appeared Tylers’ account was no longer available on TikTok.

☆ Their colleges banned TikTok over security fears. These students vow it won't stop them from scrolling.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Daysia Tolentino | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Kahlan-Rosenblatt.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

But a handful of students at the affected universities who spoke with NBC News say the newly enacted policies won’t stop them from scrolling their For You pages. Kay Ivey banned TikTok on state-owned devices and networks on Dec. 12, citing cybersecurity issues and fears over Chinese spying. Lawmakers in the U.S. House and the Senate also proposed a bipartisan bill to ban TikTok federally on Dec. 13. A University of Oklahoma spokesperson said the school is complying with Stitt’s executive order. Texada said he felt that TikTok, beyond helping with marketing, has also been a resource for the university community, particularly international students.

☆ 'It’s corn!,' 'Dark Brandon' and 'girl explaining': A look at the most notable memes of 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Kahlan-Rosenblatt.Jpg | Kalhan Rosenblatt | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Here's NBC News' roundup of the 10 most notable memes of 2022. 'Dark Brandon'The meme, which started on Twitter in early 2022, depicts President Joe Biden as a laser-eyed edge-lord. 'Girl explaining'The "girl explaining" meme actually began going viral in 2019 in Spanish-speaking circles, according to Know Your Meme. Whether it's explaining what the Inflation Reduction Act is or why the Brooklyn Library is "fine free," the most shouty memes of 2022 were conveyed through the "girl explaining." That's because the corn kid, a 7-year-old named Tariq, became one of the year's most viral memes.

The videos have all suggested the same thing: Those in the photos have had buccal fat removal, a type of cosmetic procedure that removes the fat padding in the midsection of a person’s face. The buccal removal surgery itself isn’t new. “If having buccal fat is wrong I don’t want to be right,” said one TikTok user in a video. “my buccal fat is an ally … not an enemy…” tweeted writer and artist John Paul Brammer. "Buccal fat removal … no I like my face round thanks," wrote another user on Twitter.

The defamation case brought by actor Johnny Depp against his ex-wife Amber Heard came to an end on Wednesday after a seven-person jury unanimously ruled in favor of Depp. The jury awarded Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages in his defamation suit. Depp also claims she is not the victim of domestic violence but instead the perpetrator. 2022On April 11, the weekslong defamation trial kicks off, with Heard and Depp appearing in court in Fairfax County, Virginia. The jury unanimously finds that Heard defamed Depp, awarding him $5 million in punitive damages and $10 million in compensatory damages.

☆ Lana del Rey's 'Young and Beautiful' song is being used by TikTokers in a new trend that some are calling out as ageist
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Kahlan-Rosenblatt.Jpg | Kalhan Rosenblatt | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Lana Del Rey's "Young and Beautiful" song is being used as part of a recent TikTok trend where people juxtapose how celebrities look now with how they looked earlier in their careers. The “Young and Beautiful” controversy comes on the heels of other ageist and fatphobic memes and trends. A recent viral tweet proclaimed that singer and actor Miley Cyrus is “loved by God” because of her youthful appearance at age 30. It’s unclear if the tweet was earnest or in jest, but many replied saying that age 30 isn’t old. It is unclear when the "Young and Beautiful” trend started.

AOL Instant Messenger, or AIM, is dead — but the away message lives on, thanks to a recent Instagram update. Within hours of the platform unveiling the new features, social media users noticed Instagram notes' similarity to the away messages of the early 2000s. "Was not expecting instagram to reinvent AIM away messages tbh," writer Ella Cerón tweeted. Sports reporter Maddy Hudak wrote: "I’m sorry did Instagram give us AIM away messages lmao." Others pondered the ramifications of the AIM away message on those who grew up with it.

Megha Thakur, a TikToker who preached body confidence and acceptance to her nearly 1 million followers, has died. Thakur's family, who made the Instagram post on Nov. 28, wrote that a funeral service would be held on Nov. 29. She loved her fans and would have wanted you to know of her passing," her family wrote in the Instagram post. Some wrote that Thakur had helped them learn to love themselves and her content had given them confidence. "megha i seriously can’t believe this .. i woke up this morning and this was the first thing that landed," user @01110111ftw wrote.

One technologist went as far as saying that with ChatGPT, "College as we know it will cease to exist." Artificial intelligence company OpenAI, which developed ChatGPT, did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding cheating concerns. In reality, AI tools like ChatGPT could actually be used to enhance education, according to Paul Fyfe, an associate professor of English at North Carolina State University. Computer-assisted writing tools, such as Grammarly or Google Doc’s Smart Compose, already exist — and have long been utilized by many students. For now, he suggested an older technology to combat fears of students using ChatGPT to cheat.

☆ This comedian went viral for his TikTok series seeing how long he could live on $100 in New York City
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Kahlan-Rosenblatt.Jpg | Kalhan Rosenblatt | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The purpose is to be transparent about where he spends money and where he is able to save money. It’s my video,’” Hoy said. Because of the experiment, he said, he has also given up drinking alcohol, which has helped him save money. Beyond learning how to stretch his money, Hoy said, the response to his experiment has been exciting. Already, he has sold four shirts at $18 apiece, which he said means he could soon tackle his next $100 experiment.

☆ How a poem is helping comfort some people online after the Colorado Springs LGBTQ club shooting
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Kahlan-Rosenblatt.Jpg | Kalhan Rosenblatt | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Before Club Q become the site of a tragic shooting, it was a sanctuary for poet James Davis. He and his friends would gather at the "hokey small town gay bar" to karaoke. “And that every memory that you have there is precious and not a given.”The poem is included in his book of the same title, "Club Q." Author James Davis. As for the future of Club Q, Davis said he hopes the bar is around for many years to come.

☆ Live updates: Suspect in Colorado Springs LGBTQ club shooting charged with 5 counts of first-degree murder
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( David K. Li | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Kahlan-Rosenblatt.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

Colorado Springs, a mostly conservative city of about half a million people, sits about 70 miles south from the more progressive Denver. Poet James Davis "proudly named [the book] after a gay bar in Colorado Springs," according to his website. In the poem entitled "Club Q," Davis describes the emotion and the feeling of finally belonging in a place. “Club Q is in shock, and in deep mourning, with the family and friends who had loved ones senselessly taken from them. Mother identifies son as Club Q shooting victim: 'It's just a nightmare’ Nov. 21, 2022 00:54 Aston, a transgender man who worked at Club Q as a bartender, was one of the five people killed at the venue on Saturday.

Ticketmaster announced in a tweet on Thursday it had canceled the public sale of tickets to Taylor Swift's "The Eras" Tour. "Due to extraordinarily high demands on ticketing systems and insufficient remaining ticket inventory to meet that demand, tomorrow’s public on-sale for Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour has been cancelled," Ticketmaster wrote in the tweet. This meant 1.5 million fans were invited to buy tickets while the remaining 2 million were waitlisted. In its statement, Ticketmaster said that even if a ticket sale goes perfectly, fans still tend to leave empty-handed. Despite the bungled pre-sale, Ticketmaster said more than 2 million tickets were sold on Nov. 15 for Swift's tour.

☆ National feminist organizations break their silence on Amber Heard in an open letter of support
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Kat Tenbarge | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Kahlan-Rosenblatt.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

It was written by a group of people who identify as domestic violence survivors and supporters of Heard. Many who did speak out in support of Heard, including the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, were met with ferocious backlash from Depp’s supporters online. Others who signed the letter echoed their concerns that reaction to the trial on social media was harmful to everyday victims of domestic violence. Since the trial, there has been more public support for Heard on social media, the spokesperson for the group behind the letter said. She and other anonymous Heard supporters had been “working to combat disinformation for months” when they joined for the open letter initiative.

☆ After another chaotic week on Twitter, some users are nostalgic for the pre-Elon Musk days
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Kahlan-Rosenblatt.Jpg | Kalhan Rosenblatt | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Twitter is not dead — but some of its users are already mourning what the platform was, before Elon Musk's takeover. As the site descends further into chaos, users are getting nostalgic and sharing their favorite memories of "old school Twitter." On Thursday, she asked her followers to share a “happy Twitter memory,” and said the responses affirmed her appreciation for pre-chaos Twitter. “Somebody said, ‘I used to think that queer people were sinning ... and now I don’t because of Twitter,’” Crozier said. There were users who pointed out that Twitter, pre-Musk, had been referred to as a “hellsite“ where users “doomscrolled“ for hours.

Some Twitter users are already abusing the platform’s new for-purchase verification badges by impersonating high-profile athletes, including NBA star Lebron James. A bogus tweet from the verified account impersonating James came from the handle “@KINGJamez.” It erroneously claimed that the Lakers player had requested a trade. The tweet from the verified account pretending to be McDavid falsely claimed the player was signing with the New York Islanders. In recent days, several previously verified users who impersonated Musk were banned from the platform. Prior to Musk’s Twitter acquisition, the platform had rules against impersonation and rules about how parody accounts could be used on the site.

Share this -Link copiedWisconsin Senate race too close to call Wisconsin's Senate race between GOP Sen. Ron Johnson and Democrat Mandela Barnes is too close to call, NBC News says. Vance wins Ohio Senate race, defeating Democrat Tim Ryan, NBC News projects COLUMBUS, Ohio — J.D. Ohio Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance is leading The Senate race in Ohio is too early to call, NBC News says, but Republican candidate J.D. Share this -Link copiedGeorgia Senate race too close to call Georgia's Senate race is too close to call about three hours after polls closed at 7 p.m.

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