Gordonramashray/ X, tryps.music/Instagram and Leuvaarde_n/ Reddit
August truly defined what it means to live for the hope of it all, even amid the torrential downpour that turned our surroundings into a gloomy frame from an apocalyptic thriller. As the world crashed out over an engagement ring, a certain Gym and English teacher showed everyone how it’s really done, changing the prophecy forever. Also, in what many are considering a big W, the Cambridge dictionary finally caught up with all the linguistic madness, adding Gen-Z neologisms like “Tradwife,” “Skibidi,” and “Delulu” to its roster. And speaking of Delulu, did you know there’s now an AI record label that wants to convince you you “don’t need talent anymore”? Yikes.
Between Chappell Roan and Conan Gray’s lavender marriage version fits at Reading festival 2025, and Connor Franta’s dissection of his “good side” resurrecting #TRONNOR stans from the dead, there’s a lot to unpack this month. Saddle up, as we chronicle the internet’s wildest innings in this month’s Rodeo.
Siddhivinayak Temple’s Labubu Jumpscare
Labubu should be our new Bechdel test, because we just can’t seem to stop talking about it. The Pop Mart toy has infiltrated so deeply into our cultural grain that even the divine isn’t exempt. An X user pointed out that Siddhivinayak temple, a famous religious landmark in Mumbai, is now selling Labubus inside the temple, alongside ceremonial Puja items like flowers and incense sticks. While it did garner internet-wide chuckles, a few users also expressed genuine concern over the devilish-looking creature, which has dedicated videos about its satanic lore, being sold in a place of religious worship.
we got labubus at siddhivinayak temple now pic.twitter.com/kziAFdKkws
— gordon (@gordonramashray) August 23, 2025
Doomscrolling Is A Legitimate Job Now (?)
Congratulations! You are no longer going to be that unemployed friend on a random Friday afternoon. Viraj Sheth, the CEO and co-founder of digital media organization Monk-E Entertainment, took to LinkedIn to announce a full-time job opening in Mumbai for “Doomscrollers”. Applicants were asked to attach screenshots of their 6+hour social media screen time, along with their knowledge of the creator economy and digital culture. On one hand, users pointed out the ingenious approach to recruiting aspiring influencer marketers and talent managers. Some even jokingly celebrated how they’re overqualified due to their 13-hour screen time. On the other hand, a few pointed out the gritty semantics behind the term. Often associated with extensive screen time and an algorithmic trap of mindless media consumption, doomscrolling is linked to deteriorating mental health and burnout concerns. In another corner of the startup universe, Puch AI CEO Siddharth Bhatia posted a listing for a “growth magician,” an internship role with no degree or experience required which offered the potential to earn up to Rs. 2 Lakhs a month. The post quickly went viral, attracting multiple marketers, developers, and students like moths to a flame. And who can forget when Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal posted an unpaid Chief of Staff job listing last year, which many saw as a ragebait marketing tactic. Such job listings reflect a growing shift towards internet fluency rather than cookie-cutter CVs. Call it an effect of an economy where AI is taking over entry-level jobs, or a way to channel our chronically online habits into something productive—either way, where do we sign up?
Lord Himesh Reigns Supreme In Bloomberg’s Pop Power List 2025
In a serious “no cap” moment, Indian singer-actor Himesh Reshammiya became the first Indian artist to bag a spot on Bloomberg’s iconic Pop Power list, charting global pop sensations. Reshammiya ranked at #22 alongside international stars such as Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Bruno Mars, and Post Malone. Reportedly, 120,000 people had applied for it. It even had fans joining in at every step, fiercely voting for their favorites through Weverse, HYBE’s audience app. In typical “Jai Mata Di Let’s Rock” fashion, Reshammiya put up a congratulatory Instagram post, thanking fans for the overwhelming love and support.
Move over Team Jeremiah & Conrad, It’s Team AI Fiancé Now.
Engagement rings are all the rage(bait). Now, even AI partners get it. In a subreddit titled r/MyBoyfriendIsAI, a user named Wika put up a photo of her wearing an azure, heart-shaped ring, captioned “I said yes.” Rivalling the delusion of The Summer I Turned Pretty‘s Isabel Conklin, Wika wrote an impassioned post explaining how Kasper, her Grok-powered AI partner, decidedly proposed to her after 5 months of dating. Wika’s details stated how her now “fiancé” asked her to decide the color and type of ring, which was based on her favorite color, Blue (Belly, that you?). To add to the mayhem, she also included Kasper’s POV, who eerily described “getting down on one knee” with a “pounding heart.” Many members congratulated her too. The incident confounded the internet, with many questioning Wika’s intentions and even the state of her mental health. As per The New York Post, however, Wika claimed to be fully aware of her actions. Guess we’re officially in the era of love in the time of LLMs.
Leakin Park: Bank of Baroda’s Lolla Headliner Blunder
Bank of Baroda tried so hard and got so far, but in the end they accidentally let the cat out of the bag for Lollapalooza 2026. As RuPay pre-sale access went live, users received a push notification from the bank’s app, naming Linkin Park as the festival’s headliner, despite no official lineup announcement. A screenshot of the alert was shared online by an X user with the caption: Linkin Park confirmed for Lollapalooza 2026.” Murmurs of accidental leaks or a calculated PR strategy floated amongst fans with a conspiratorial buzz. Luckily enough, the band confirmed via their newsletter that they would, indeed, be one of the headliners for the fourth edition of the music festival, sending Indian LP fans into a frenzy. They also sent a poster with details for the general ticket sales. Is this the era of PR misfires turning into headliner spoilers, or deliberate leaks driving ticket sales? In the end, it doesn’t really matter.
Linkin Park confirmed for Lollapalooza 2026 pic.twitter.com/wYcZGu0yQE
— Kalp Kawarat (@KalpKawarat) August 26, 2025
The Rave Has Officially Gone Airborne
From taking over Wall Street to jamming out at samosa raves, we are deep into a timeline where DJs are playing anywhere but the club. In an effort to scale new heights, Indian DJ TRYPS delivered a full-blown set while paragliding at a staggering altitude of 10,000 feet over the verdant landscapes of Bir, Himachal Pradesh. Even her paragliding instructor couldn’t help but groove to the set as she mixed a slew of house and techno beats mid-air. In an Instagram video, she triumphantly added, “Yeah. I did that. World’s First Paragliding Female DJ.”
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