The week's best of the internet

1. Kobe Bryant responds to a gay slur on Twitter

The Los Angeles Lakers star guard found himself in hot water in 2011 when he used a gay slur to describe an NBA ref. Kobe apologized at the time, but took his redemption a step farther this week by chastising a fan for spouting homophobic language.

Ramona Shelburne at ESPN commended Bryant. "One of the cardinal rules of marketing to a broad audience is to maintain a broad appeal. That means playing it safe, offending no one, watering it down," says Shelburne. "For anyone to step out of that lane takes guts." (Via ESPN)

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

2. Bill Gates wins Reddit, the internet

The patron saint of Microsoft went on Reddit for an AMA session to answer anything users threw at him, ranging from everyday life as a billionaire to the future of technology to what he saw as his foundation's greatest achievement. (The whole thread is great.) One of our favorites was this response:

3. A bucket full of sloths (Via The Washington Post)

4. Twitter squatter does the world a solid

We've already discussed how horrible Twitter parody accounts are. But this intrepid comedian did the internet a service following Thursday night's meteor blasts in Russia. Let's all follow his example, okay?

5. Two minutes of goats yelling like humans (Via Gawker)

6. BuzzFeed achieves peak nostalgia with emo throwback

Writer Ryan Broderick investigates the indelible allure of a 9-minute piano ballad called "Konstantine" (2001) by the band Something Corporate, christening it the "Freebird" of "suburban teenage romance." BRB, gotta cry a little. (Via BuzzFeed)

7. Teen Jeopardy! gets real

Grantland details the amazing run of Leonard Cooper, a gutsy, goofy kid with a fro who just might be the most lovable Jeopardy! contestant ever. (Via Grantland)

8. Cat of the Week

Everyone say hello to Maxine from Malibu. She's obviously just as concerned about China's mounting cyberattacks as we are. (Thanks, Susan!)

Remember to send your Cat of the Week submissions to: Gayomali@TheWeek.com