We could all use a break from hard news

This week’s newsletter is informative escapism. Since I’m admittedly chronically online, I pulled together a curated list of the most amusing, amazing and weird things I came across on the internet last week. Think of it as The Horror File: 2025 Edition.

The Horror File was a twist on the last name Horowitz. Get it? If you don’t know, it was a popular segment on my dad’s TV show Fight Back! with David Horowitz, where viewers sent in amusing and confusing labels, ads, and signs to be featured. It paved the way for iconic late-night segments like Headlines on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

So in honor of that legacy, let’s take a scroll through some greatest internet hits.

Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support Fight Back!

An airline stool

Jet2 customer @Charlotteoandr made a joke commercial for the airline after being seated on a flight in what was basically no seat at all. For context, Jet2 is the UK’s third-largest airline, and some Redditors say it’s the UK equivalent of Allegiant Air in the U.S., which offers ultra-low fares.

@charlotteoandr

Looool live laugh love @jet2 don’t book seat 18E x

Charlotte says she posted the video as a joke and had no idea it would resonate the way it did. It racked up over 21 million views in just four days. In a follow-up story time, she explained that the airline eventually moved her to another seat. But if the flight had been full, she has no idea what would’ve happened. She also said she plans to fly Jet2 again next month.

Barney’s plastic surgery

Barney’s looks have changed over the years. @HeyMissKelsey says he went to Turkey and had a head transplant. She listed all the cosmetic procedures she thinks he had, and honestly, I think it looks like he definitely had a BBL. What do you think?

@heymisskelsey

Barney went to Turkey and got a head transplant #barney #barneythedinosaur #celebnews #plasticsurgery #glowup #rhinoplasty #nosejob #lipo3... See more

Definitely not Signalgate

Sydney Robinson’s series, The Group Chat, has been blowing up on TikTok. She told Today she had 260,000 followers before posting part one on March 30—just a week later, she had 1.2 million. That first video has close to 29 million views as of April 7. No spoilers, but the series is about roommates whose group chat blows up when another friend invites her boyfriend to dinner. Charlie Puth commented on a video and messaged with Sydney, according to Today. He ended up voicing the character Justin. It just goes to show that anything is possible when you go viral!

@thatgirlsydjo

The Group Chat: a series #groupchat #friends #drama #tea

The Costco whisperer

My mutual on TikTok, Emmy-nominated reporter Joe Andaloro (also known as @Joy.of.Everything), has been on a mission to interview men wearing a specific southwest-print Costco jacket he's obsessed with. He calls it a male bonding experience and has turned it into an ongoing series on his channel. I was the consumer affairs columnist for Costco Connection for over six years, so I always love seeing Costco members in action.

@joy.of.everything

The J.O.E. has found that a certain Southwest-print Costco jacket isn’t just clothing—it’s a symbol of brotherhood. Though Joe doesn’t own... See more

Punctuation mark drama

The em dash has been getting some heat online lately, with people calling it the "ChatGPT hyphen” and viewing its overuse as a tell-tale sign of AI-generated writing. Writer @Elle.Cordova imagined a hilarious conversation between punctuation marks, including the em dash’s sibling, the en dash, which is longer than a hyphen but shorter than an em dash.

@elle.cordova

Punctuation marks hanging out

Testing men’s casual

@RealWomanOnline noticed how many guys wear khakis and button-downs to the office, so she tried the uniform herself to see what the hype was about.

@realwomanonline

take notes #workfromhome #womeninfinance #employeeofthemonth

Should Tic Tac buy TikTok?

TikTok was saved (again) last week as Trump extended its sell-by deadline by another 75 days. On LinkedIn, RJ Larese, VP of Talent and Influencer Marketing at Paramount Global, asked, “Who should buy TikTok? Wrong answers only.” The comments did not disappoint and you can read them here. People suggested everything from the Calm app to Duolingo. But my favorite? Someone said Tic Tac should buy TikTok. Imagine the branding possibilities.

The meme that never dies

Emily Sundberg, who writes the popular business newsletter Feed Me, sent out this age-old meme saying it's been making the rounds in her group chats lately. It's remarkable how this meme stays relatable (and funny) after all these years, capturing so many everyday situations perfectly.

Join our Fight Back! YouTube community

We post exclusive content on @WatchFightBack, including a full episode of Fight Back! with David Horowitz every Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. PST / 10:30 p.m. EST. Subscribe here.

You’ll find some incredible nostalgia on our channel, like this wild Hollywood story I’m about to tell you that includes Fight Back!

The story of ‘Gorilla Man’

Don McLeod was an actor and professional mime, best known for playing the gorilla in the iconic American Tourister commercials in the 1980s. His appearance on Fight Back! for a commercial challenge actually landed him a role in The Man with Two Brains with Steve Martin. He also appeared in Trading Places with Eddie Murphy.

Special effects legend David Miller designed McLeod's gorilla suit. Miller helped create The Terminator and Freddy Krueger, and also worked on Tales from the Crypt and Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

This rare Fight Back! interview with McLeod was filmed inside Miller’s studio, surrounded by movie props and Hollywood history.

Where else can you find a mime in a gorilla suit, Steve Martin, and Freddy Krueger all in one story? Only on our YouTube channel.

Disclaimer: I did not receive compensation in exchange for featuring any creators or products in this newsletter.