Late night hosts poke Facebook's Meta-morphosis, mock Mitt Romney's Halloween choices
"Today, Mark Zuckerberg finally revealed the new name of Facebook," Jimmy Fallon said on The Tonight Show. "'Meta' — as in, when I joined Facebook, I meta lot of crazy people." Facebook is apparently "trying to win back younger users," he added, but based on a new ad (The Tonight Show made up), "it seems like they're trying a little too hard."
Meanwhile, "a new study shows small amounts of plastic are found in the food from chains like McDonald's," Fallon said. "You could tell things are bad at McDonald's — today they changed their name to McMeta."
"That's right, Meta — as in your Aunt Gloria saying 'I meta guy on Facebook who says the vaccine makes balls magnetic,'" Stephen Colbert joked at The Late Show. "The name is meant to reflect the company's new focus on its new online digital realm known as the metaverse." A corporation created its own virtual world? He suggested "we skip the whole robot-uprising-to-harvest-our-organs and just jump straight into the Thunderdome."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"The company says the name Facebook is not going away," Colbert said."'From now on, we're going to be metaverse first, not Facebook first.' But don't you worry, the self-esteem of teenage girls will always be last." He ran through the video presentation by "Facebook's chief humanoid simulation, Mark Zuckerberg," and seemed unimpressed. "So, you had the option of being anything in the world, and you chose to look like Mark Zuckerberg wearing exactly what you're already wearing? That's like finding a genie and wishing you hadn't."
"Speaking of theoretical fantasy worlds where things might happen, Congress," Colbert said. After recapping the state of President Biden's spending negotiations, he turned to Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who "posted a video of his new Halloween costume, Ted Lasso, with the caption: 'If you believe in yourself, and have clear eyes and full hearts — you can't lose.' Unless you're running against Barack Obama, then you get absolutely spanked."
Yes, "this is that magical time of year when adults who have no business being in costume get in costume," Jimmy Kimmel said on Kimmel Live. He panned New York Mayor Bill de Blasio's Star Trek misfire before turning his mockery on Romney. After his first Ted Lasso photo, Romney "stopped by fellow Republican Kyrsten Sinema's office," he narrated. "She went dressed as Ted's boss, Rebecca. He handed her some biscuits. Ah, they're having so much fun while the country dies, aren't they?" He also had last-minute costume advice for regular people, kind of.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
The Vietnamese migrants crossing the Channel
The Explainer 2024 has seen a surge in the numbers of Vietnamese migrants making the illegal passage into the UK
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
How to make the most of your leftover pumpkins
The Week Recommends As the Halloween fun wraps up, snap up pumpkins still on sale and don't leave your jack-o-lanterns to rot
By Tess Foley-Cox Published
-
How Harris and Trump differ on education
The Explainer Trump wants to disband the Department of Education. Harris wants to boost teacher pay.
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
North Korea tests ICBM, readies troops in Ukraine
Speed Read Thousands of North Korean troops are likely to join Russian action against Ukraine
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Women take center stage in campaign finale
Speed Read Harris and Trump are trading gender attacks in the final days before the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US election: who the billionaires are backing
The Explainer More have endorsed Kamala Harris than Donald Trump, but among the 'ultra-rich' the split is more even
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Supreme Court allows purge of Virginia voter rolls
Speed Read Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) is purging some 1,600 people from state voter rolls days before the election
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Empowered' Steve Bannon released from prison
Speed Read Bannon was set free a week before Election Day and quickly returned to his right-wing podcast to promote Trump
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Canada accuses top Modi ally of directing Sikh attacks
Speed Read Indian Home Minister Amit Shah was allegedly behind a campaign of violence and intimidation targeting Sikh separatists
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Harris makes closing case in huge rally at DC's Ellipse
Speed Read The Democratic nominee asked voters to "turn the page" on Trump's "division" and "chaos"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'I am not a Nazi,' Trump says amid MSG rally fallout
Speed Read Trump and his campaign are attempting to stem the fallout from comments made by speakers at Sunday's rally
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published