Much like the Harlem Shake and the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge before it, the Mannequin Challenge is a viral video sensation that has all but taken over the news feeds of social media users everywhere. The rules of the challenge are simple: Strike a pose and remain deathly-still as a camera weaves through the crowd of statues. Typically, bonus points are awarded to videos that feature elaborate poses or Rae Sremmurd’s hit song “Black Beatles.” Celebrities, politicians, student bodies and sports teams (including our own Penn State football team) are taking the challenge and receiving retweets and shares galore. So, while the popularity of the #MannequinChallenge remains as stable as the stars of its videos, Valley has curated five of the best Mannequin Challenge videos on the Internet right now. Enjoy!
#5. Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton and her campaign staff (peep Bill Clinton and Bon Jovi) attempt to ease some pre-election jitters by creating their own Mannequin Challenge, cleverly masked as an ad promoting the slogan, “Don’t stand still. Vote today.” Rest assured, voters took her advice to heart as Clinton received around 63 million votes on Election Day.
#4. Rae Sremmund
Considering that their song “Black Beatles” is the #1 theme song for the Mannequin Challenge, it’s only fitting that the rap duo took a shot at it themselves. Not only did the stage members freeze, but the entire crowd participated in this epic rendition of the #MannequinChallenge. Well done, Rae Sremmund (and fans)!
#3. The U.S. Naval Academy
How much more impromptu can a Mannequin Challenge be? The Midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy stopped cold in their tracks during their football game against Tulsa, eventually erupting in cheers. Don’t worry Army fans, West Point’s Mannequin Challenge is also one for the books.
#2. Ellen DeGeneres
http://ellentube.com/videos/0-6mk8wyjj/
If you want to waste time binge-watching hilarious videos, Ellen DeGeneres’ channel EllenTube is the place to do it. Recently added to EllenTube is the Mannequin Challenge with an Ellen-spin. Somehow, Ellen and her staff manage to defy gravity to play ping-pong while frozen in time…but can we please talk about the guy peeling the banana? LOL.
#1. Penn State Football
Last but certainly not least, our very own Penn State football team takes the cake for Valley‘s favorite Mannequin Challenge. After their 41-14 win against Iowa last weekend, Penn State football players celebrated by taking in the moment mannequin-style. Although Penn State remained perfectly still in the locker room for the Mannequin Challenge, their college football rankings continue to be anything but static. Go State!
The Mannequin Challenge will lose its viral luster after awhile, but for now it’s still pretty great. What’s your favorite #MannequinChallenge? Tag @ValleyMag on Twitter and let us know!
