Ben Shapiro RANKS Viral TikTok Trends

Summary

Podcast Summary: Ben Shapiro RANKS Viral TikTok Trends

Podcast: The Ben Shapiro Show
Host: Ben Shapiro (The Daily Wire)
Co-host: Devin
Date: March 21, 2026

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Overview

In this culturally charged episode, Ben Shapiro dives headfirst into the world of viral TikTok trends, offering his trademark rapid-fire, critical commentary. Guided by co-host Devin, Ben ranks a slew of popular TikTok challenges, dissecting each for amusement value, social implications, and cultural commentary. The episode is equal parts skeptical mockery, genuine amusement, and sociological analysis—served with Ben’s characteristic wit and precision.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Owl Impressions" Trend

[01:32 - 03:12]

• Trend Description: Users mimic owls with different cultural "accents" (e.g., jealous girlfriend owl, Jamaican owl, Brooklyn owl).
• Ben’s Take: Finds it “mildly amusing” but notes, “Can you sum up a culture in a grunt? Okay. All right. Not terrible. That…was not terrible.” (Ben, 02:56-03:12)
• Memorable Moment: The group attempts their own versions, including a “Jewish owl.”
• Core Insight: Humorous but superficial—lampoons cultural stereotypes with a single syllable.

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2. The "Tortilla Slap Challenge"

[03:12 - 04:40]

• Trend Description: Participants fill their mouths with water and slap each other with tortillas, trying not to laugh.
• Ben’s Skepticism: Questions the acceptability of hitting others, even playfully: “So this whole thing is predicated on it’s okay to hit people now?” (Ben, 03:40)
• Amusement Factor: Finds it “funny and amusing” to watch but says, “Would I do this with my wife? No. This is gonna be a big no.” (Ben, 04:02)
• Devin’s Theory: Suggests, “Girls just made this up so they could slap men.” (Devin, 04:19)
• Ranking: “10 out of 10. Wood watch.” (Ben, 04:33)

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3. General Commentary: TikTok & Modern Leisure

[04:44 - 05:21]

• Observation: “We are a society with far too much time on our hands. That is what I take away from this now.” (Ben, 04:44)
• Self-mockery: Jokes about staff wasting time on TikTok and makes references to “Harvard” and learning more at The Daily Wire.

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4. Athlete Quiz Challenge

[07:15 - 08:49]

• Trend Description: Husbands quiz wives on the names of famous male athletes.
• Execution: Devin successfully identifies LeBron James, then humorously errors (“Jim Carrey” for Tom Brady).
• Ben’s Commentary: Points out the gender reverse: “Women could absolutely do this to men…with female influencers…Like, I have no idea what you’re talking about. None.” (Ben, 08:07-08:22)
• Personal Anecdote: Ben shares that on his first date, his wife didn’t know who Mitt Romney was.

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5. Random Object/Mary Poppins Challenge

[08:49 - 10:25]

• Trend Description: Bringing random (sometimes large) objects to school/work, trying to make others laugh.
• Amusement: Ben finds the “mixing bowl” the funniest, less so the “squash.”
• Insight: “This is just the Mary Poppins challenge, right? Like, what is the biggest thing that you can take out of your bag is what makes it funny.” (Ben, 10:02)
• Personal Touch: Ben jokes about bringing a sword or his kids’ Lord of the Rings swords.

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6. Ridiculous Stunt Videos & Critique

[10:36 - 11:16]

• Example Clip: Catching things with a giant “jacker ball.”
• Ben's Reaction: “I hate this. I truly hate this. And also, I’m confused by the use of Katy Perry’s lesbian music.” (Ben, 11:03-11:16)
• Devin’s Addition: Suggests it’s a good life insurance ad—Ben humorously agrees some acts are uninsurable due to stupidity.

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7. Rhythm/Counting Challenge

[11:31 - 12:20]

• Trend Description: Coordinated hand/beat counting, “Savvy got it like, right away.”
• Ben’s Difficulty: “I’m not gonna get it. I don’t care. One, two, three.” (Ben, 11:48-11:57)
• Celebration: Devin notes the “excited Savvy face;” Ben jokes, “It’s in my jeans.”
• Tongue-in-Cheek: Co-hosts end the segment with fake pride in studio “diversity.”

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8. Final Ranking & Wrap-up

[13:03 - 14:17]

• Ben’s Two-Tier System:
  • Most Watchable: 1) Tortilla Slap, 2) Object Challenge, 3) “Who” owl trend, 4) Rhyming/Counting, 5) Others, 6) “The shark”—which he detests.
  • Most Likely to Try: 1) Object Challenge, 2) The “Who” challenge, 3) Rhythm/Counting, 4) Tortilla Slap, 5) Others.
• Conclusion: “The tortilla is definitely the most amusing. Like, if you’re going to watch, like, a series of 10 videos, the tortilla thing is really amusing. And the object thing is also very amusing. Those are the two.” (Ben, 14:08-14:17)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Outlook:
  • "TikTok is the dumbest place on earth and there are many TikTok trends that are unbelievably stupid." (Ben, 01:32)
• On Cultural Parody:
  • “It has nothing to do with owls. It’s basically just, can you sum up a culture in a grunt?” (Ben, 02:56-03:12)
• On Stunt Videos:
  • “Some very, very strange choices being made there.” (Ben, 11:16)
• On Generational Habits:
  • “We are a society with far too much time on our hands.” (Ben, 04:44)
• On Gender Roles in Trends:
  • “Women could absolutely do this to men, but it would be with, like, female influencers…” (Ben, 08:07-08:22)
• On Preferences:
  • “10 out of 10. Wood watch.” (Ben, 04:33)
  • “The tortilla is definitely the most amusing.” (Ben, 14:08)
• On Personal Boundaries:
  • “Would I do this with my wife? No. My wife would be like, no on this. This is gonna be a big no.” (Ben, 04:02)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment Description | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------| | 01:32 | Ben Introduces TikTok Trend Rankings | | 01:54-03:12 | “Owl Impression” Trend Review & Impressions | | 03:12-04:40 | Tortilla Slap Challenge Breakdown | | 04:44-05:21 | Society’s Free Time & TikTok Reflections | | 07:15-08:49 | Athlete Quiz Challenge with Devin | | 08:49-10:25 | Random Object (Mary Poppins) Challenge | | 10:36-11:16 | Absurd Jacker Ball Stunt Reaction | | 11:31-12:20 | Rhythm/Counting Challenge Attempt | | 13:03-14:17 | Final Rankings & Summary of Favorites |

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Tone and Language

• Sarcastic and quick-witted with flashes of genuine amusement.
• Critical, conservative, and somewhat dismissive of “Gen Z” trends, but not without open-minded curiosity.
• Conversational camaraderie between Ben and Devin keeps even the snark light-hearted and engaging.

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In Summary

Ben’s ranking of viral TikTok trends is less a complete takedown and more a blend of mockery, backhanded appreciation, and cultural curiosity. While he finds much of TikTok “dumb,” he concedes that some trends—namely the tortilla slap and object challenge—are “amusing,” even if he wouldn't personally participate. For listeners, this episode offers not just laughs, but insight into what these trends say about online culture and generational divides—with plenty of Ben Shapiro’s signature zingers along the way.

Transcript

[Ben Shapiro]

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[Ben Shapiro]

Well folks, as we know, TikTok is the dumbest place on earth and there are many TikTok trends that are unbelievably stupid. My producers have compiled some of these and I am now being forced at point of gun perhaps rank TikTok friends. So good luck to all of us.

[Co-host Devin]

Number one, Ben. So this is the owl trend. So we're gonna roll a clip, see what happens.

[Ben Shapiro]

This is my impression of an owl who's also a jealous girlfriend. Ho ho. This is my impression of a Jamaican owl who bumble who Is my impression of an Indian owl.

[Co-host Devin]

Who?

[Ben Shapiro]

My impression of an owl, but the

[Co-host Devin]

owl is from Brooklyn. Who? What do you think?

[Ben Shapiro]

What do I think? I mean, it's kind of funny. Mildly amusing.

[Co-host Devin]

Yeah.

[Ben Shapiro]

I mean, I enjoyed the classical music in the background.

[Co-host Devin]

Points for that.

[Ben Shapiro]

Yeah, points for that. But kind of amusing. I mean, okay, I get basically sum up a culture in a single facial expression.

[Co-host Devin]

Wait, let's all try. Okay, here's the Miami one. Ready, bro? Who.

[Ben Shapiro]

Who are you?

[Co-host Devin]

Better like, who? I don't know. Do we venture into a Jewish owl?

[Ben Shapiro]

Who?

[Co-host Devin]

Who?

[Ben Shapiro]

Who? Again, it's just. Can you sum up a culture to syllable? It has nothing to do with owls. It's basically just, can you sum up a culture in a grunt? Okay. All right. Not terrible. That. That was not terrible.

[Co-host Devin]

All right, we'll rank them at the end. All right, next one, the tortilla slap.

[Ben Shapiro]

What in the world?

[Co-host Devin]

Yeah, so you put water in your mouth and you have to slap each other with a tortilla. But that. Maybe it's an age of violation. She farted.

[Ben Shapiro]

I have a question. It's a serious question. So this whole thing is predicated on it's okay to hit people now. So when a dude smacks the out of a lady with a tortilla, it's okay? Is that how this works now? Well, I can change that in a hurry.

[Co-host Devin]

Well, you get to do it back.

[Ben Shapiro]

So it's like, oh, yeah. But if you did it with your hand, it wouldn't matter, would it?

[Co-host Devin]

It's a flowery. It's a floury, buttery tortilla.

[Ben Shapiro]

But I just like, like, I'm just. I'm confused that we'll have to try this at the office. Yeah, HR will definitely be in favor of that. That'll work out really well. I mean, okay, it's funny and amusing. I would watch other people do it. Would I do this with my wife? No. My wife would be like, no on this. This is gonna be a big no.

[Co-host Devin]

Girls just made this up so they could slap men.

[Ben Shapiro]

Honestly, I think that's really what this is. I really think that's what this is. I think people wanna smack each other. And so they're like, what if we did it? But in a way that feels funny and non threatening.

[Co-host Devin]

We should do this with political opponents. Just bring out the tortillas.

[Ben Shapiro]

We did it. We did it, Joe. So, okay, wood watch. 10 out of 10. Wood watch.

[Co-host Devin]

Next is. All right, this is like the. You might have to play along.

[Ben Shapiro]

Get in, though. I mean, again, we are a society with Far too much time on our hands. That is what I take away from this now. Also, Savvy is really good at this sort of thing, as we noticed from the. From that episode of Ben After Dark where she, like, banged the drum at the proper time.

[Co-host Devin]

I spent too much time on TikTok.

[Ben Shapiro]

Yeah, I think that's probably true.

[Co-host Devin]

I need to be a better mother.

[Ben Shapiro]

Yeah, exactly. We don't give Sarah enough time to spend on TikTok.

[Co-host Devin]

Hey. Hey.

[Ben Shapiro]

You're fired. Get out of here. I did text Sarah last night. I did in fact text her. And as a reward, you shall read 2,000 pages about Hitler.

[Co-host Devin]

Go.

[Ben Shapiro]

That is the thing that happened.

[Co-host Devin]

You thought you left Harvard.

[Ben Shapiro]

Yeah. No, no. Psych. You learn more here. Also about balloons and spoons and moons and raccoons.

[Co-host Devin]

Okay, so. Wow.

[Ben Shapiro]

The truth is they would. They would be up for at least the. The tortilla thing. They would also be up for.

[Co-host Devin]

Okay, so we like. We like this so far.

[Ben Shapiro]

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[Co-host Devin]

Okay, here's another trend. This is husbands just quizzing their wives on athletes.

[Ben Shapiro]

So I'm going to be showing Devin some male famous athletes to see if she. Athletes.

[Co-host Devin]

I love them, too.

[Ben Shapiro]

Name them. All right, so we're going to start with the one that you should know.

[Co-host Devin]

Is that LeBron James?

[Ben Shapiro]

Yep. Yes.

[Co-host Devin]

Okay. That one's easy. Good job, Devin. All right.

[Ben Shapiro]

Who is that?

[Co-host Devin]

Jim Carrey.

[Ben Shapiro]

Is he an athlete? No, but he kind of favors Jim Carrey. I have no idea who that is. Tom Braden.

[Co-host Devin]

Alex Earl's boyfriend. Duh. Alleged.

[Ben Shapiro]

All right, you better know this one.

[Co-host Devin]

I didn't know who this was.

[Ben Shapiro]

Dylan Hurt. I see.

[Co-host Devin]

That's a NASCAR jacket.

[Ben Shapiro]

Good job.

[Co-host Devin]

I have no idea.

[Ben Shapiro]

Give me a braid. Who is that?

[Co-host Devin]

Sweet Jesus.

[Ben Shapiro]

Dale Earnhardt. Do it for Dale. Would have known it. And by the way, women could absolutely do this to men, but it would be with, like, female influencers. Like, anything gossip related. You can bring it to a man. Like, I have no idea what you're talking about. None.

[Co-host Devin]

That's fair.

[Ben Shapiro]

So I think that there's an equal opportunity thing that happens here. I will say that on my very first date with my wife, it was 2008. Damn.

[Co-host Devin]

I'm sorry.

[Ben Shapiro]

It was the primaries where McCain ended up winning. And at that point, I was a supporter of Romney in the primaries. And my wife later admitted she had no idea who Mitt Romney was, and she was kind of embarrassed by that. I said, that's not anything to be, like, super embarrassed about. That is the way that this works.

[Co-host Devin]

All right, next. So this is bringing random objects to school or work. Yeah. Yeah. They have water in their mouth.

[Ben Shapiro]

Yeah. So the water in the mouth thing is just to see who can laugh. It's like a laughing contest.

[Co-host Devin]

Yeah.

[Ben Shapiro]

Got it. Like the tortilla.

[Co-host Devin]

That's why they don't let us do it on set. There's too many cameras.

[Ben Shapiro]

I don't know why the squash is the funniest one. Yeah, I don't think that's. I think that that's just that that guy got to go last. So that's all that happened. If he had been the first person to go and he brought out a squash, that would have been that funny. Also, clearly, the funniest thing is that is the mixing bowl. Clearly.

[Co-host Devin]

Wow. So we're Team Ginger.

[Ben Shapiro]

Teachers have souls. I go to Church. I'm a Christian. Yeah. I mean, on this one. Yes. Basically, this is just the Mary Poppins challenge, right?

[Co-host Devin]

Oh, it's true. That's a good name for it.

[Ben Shapiro]

This is the Mary Poppins challenge. Like, what is the biggest thing that you can take out of your bag is what makes it funny? Because if you just reached into your bag and you took out, like, a cup, it's not funny. Anything that you would normally think of that would fit into your backpack. So if you have some sort of expandable object and you were just taking out a lamp and it just kept going right, then that'd be pretty good.

[Co-host Devin]

All right. I know we were all thinking, what would Ben bring if we did this? And we were like, definitely his sword.

[Ben Shapiro]

Oh, that's right. Or one of my children's swords. I did buy them. Actual Lord of the Rings swords.

[Co-host Devin]

Well, let's just roll this one.

[Ben Shapiro]

Today we're going to be using this giant jacker ball. Let's drop it whole and see what we can.

[Co-host Devin]

So this is from producer Juan.

[Ben Shapiro]

I hate this.

[Co-host Devin]

Men are just grabbing. Yeah. Biggest bait they can find to try to catch big things. We can pause it. Absolutely not. Yes.

[Ben Shapiro]

Yeah. I truly. I truly hate this. And also, I'm confused by the use of Katy Perry's lesbian music.

[Co-host Devin]

I didn't even think of that.

[Ben Shapiro]

There's some very, very strange choices being made there.

[Co-host Devin]

Okay. This is also a good life insurance ad.

[Ben Shapiro]

Yeah, exactly. Policy genius. I don't know if they'll insure for this because you might be a moron.

[Co-host Devin]

Number seven. This is the last one, and you know it.

[Ben Shapiro]

Well, I know it. Yeah.

[Co-host Devin]

This is a little shameless. But after.

[Ben Shapiro]

Man, it's embarrassing to watch this, though. No, no, no.

[Co-host Devin]

Yeah.

[Ben Shapiro]

You know what? I'm so embarrassed by this.

[Co-host Devin]

Look at the focus. Yeah. I was counting for you.

[Ben Shapiro]

Yeah. No, I'm not gonna get it. I don't care. One, two, three.

[Co-host Devin]

This is fun. I like this.

[Ben Shapiro]

Four.

[Co-host Devin]

You got it.

[Ben Shapiro]

Okay, wait.

[Co-host Devin]

He got it.

[Ben Shapiro]

Eventually. Eventually. It took 93 takes. Okay. You got to count the bars. All right. All right. Yeah. Savvy. Got it, like, right away.

[Co-host Devin]

Oh, I was really excited by that. See that face?

[Ben Shapiro]

That was the excited Savvy face. Wow. It's in my jeans.

[Co-host Devin]

Here comes. But above all this, I wish you love. We are diverse. We are. It's true.

[Ben Shapiro]

Yeah. It turns out that, you know, diversity level was. Was predictive.

[Co-host Devin]

Yeah. Wow. Yeah.

[Ben Shapiro]

DEI for the win.

[Co-host Devin]

DEI for the win. Well, that's the last one. Okay. Can we rank these, Ben?

[Ben Shapiro]

Sure.

[Co-host Devin]

You Want me to list them out for you?

[Ben Shapiro]

Yeah. And we're ranking them in terms of, like, which ones I like the best or would do or what would recommend wood stance. Okay. So the. The ones that. So, like, there's what I would watch and what I would do, and these are kind of two different categories. Okay. So I. I'm too precise in my rankings systems. So what I. What I would watch. The tortilla. The tortilla slap is obviously the funniest, right? It is the most watchable, followed by probably the object challenge, followed by who, followed by the. The rhyming, followed by this, followed by the shark. I mean, okay, so that's like, what. What I. What is watchable? As far as what I would do, the object thing, probably number one, because it's actually inherently funny. Number two would probably be the who. Number three would be the rhythm thing. Number four would be the tortilla thing, and number five would be. Number five would be the Whitney thing. I just. It's annoying to me. And number six is still the shark. I hate the shark. It's. It's terrible.

[Co-host Devin]

So, in summary, the tortilla is our favorite.

[Ben Shapiro]

The tortilla is definitely the most amusing. Like, if you're going to watch, like, a series of 10 videos, the tortilla thing is really amusing. And the object thing is also very amusing. Those are the two.

[Co-host Devin]

All right, you heard it here first, Ben. After Dark Riders.

[Ben Shapiro]

Hey. So the kids have too much time on their hands, but they're doing some amusing things over on the Tik Tok, so that was less painful than I thought it would be. Except for that dude who got eaten by a shark. Hey, S. Hank. What's going on? We haven't worked a case in years. I just bought my car at Cavana, and it was so easy. Too easy. Think something's up? You tell me. They got thousands of options, found a great car at a great price, and it got delivered the next day. It sounds like Carvana just makes it easy to buy your car, Hank. Yeah, you're right. Case closed.

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[Co-host Devin]

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