The Ice Bucket Challenge Is Just Neknominate Without The Vomit

Nothing screams THE INTERNET quite like a self-proclaimed nutter in a vest sculling a pint of gin and sick, posting a video of it online, then nominating other self-proclaimed nutters to do the same.

This trend crudely dubbed "Neknominate" made its way over to North America after a time, but remains a distinctly British activity. Given that some uber-bloke from Kent downed a pint of vodka, milk and processed dead mice earlier this year, I’m not sure anybody will ever enjoy the grand tradition of risking death with a single drink quite as much as the British public.

Yes, just as it did with dance music a few years earlier, America has adopted Neknominate but taken out the danger and dubious legality, giving it a pop sheen and somehow involving Justin Bieber.

By now it is impossible to ignore the Ice Bucket Challenge. It has gone viral following a multitude of videos in which celebrities dump buckets of ice cold water over themselves in the name of charity and then nominate three others to do the same. Those nominated can either get with the bucket or donate $100 to research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - a neurodegenerative disease also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease. Essentially it’s a weird formula of Neknominate meets No Make-Up Selfie that has so far managed to raise $13.3 million in donations from over 250,000 people between July 29 and August 17 (compared to $1.7 million during the same three week period last year). Pretty good. Plus you get to see people like LeBron James scream hilariously.

It’s only a matter of time before some absolute lad from Oxford University decides to reassemble those trends and neck a bucket of alcohol in support of banter, but for now let’s appreciate some popstars looking really uncomfortable.

Lady Gaga

Sat as if she’s posing for a Renaissance artist, dressed in a leotard that looks like it was purchased in a maternity sex shop. This is definitely Lady Gaga. Respect for nominating Adele, there can be nothing funnier than watching a young mother swear her mouth off in an estuary drawl.

Justin Timberlake

If you're going to do it, best to take your massive entourage down with you I guess.

Justin Bieber

If you want to know the kind of guy Justin Bieber, just watch him use a half-full saucepan with no ice and then nominate Obama.

Taylor Swift

There's a terrifying professionalism with which Taylor does everything, even pouring water over her head. It's like her whole life is a Sketchers commercial. Still, she nominated Ed Sheeran and I don't believe anybody who says they don't take some small pleasure in watching him look sad in his pyjamas.

Ed Sheeran

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See.

J-Lo

That scream though. That's what we sounded like when we heard your last album.

Chris Pratt

Special shout out to Chris Pratt, who we're including as a musician because of the spectacular work of Mouse Rat. He created the ultimate trifecta of global trends by combining The Ice Bucket Chellenge with Neknominate and then icing himself. Let’s be fair, if anyone was going to pull that off without looking like a complete dick it’s definitely the guy who braided an interns hair in the middle of an interview about Jurassic Park.

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