What Is The Coronavirus Challenge? Influencer Goes Viral For Encouraging Followers To Lick Airplane Toilet Seat — Watch
Viral for all the wrong reasons.
Getty Images There are some things that go viral for all the right reasons and some things that go viral for all the wrong ones. And this viral challenge is one such challenge that has gone viral in the wake of the increasing positive COVID-19 (aka coronavirus) tests for all the wrong reasons.
A social media influencer is experiencing a world of backlash thanks to this challenge, in which she licks a toilet seat on an airplane and encourages her followers to do the same.
So what is the coronavirus challenge and who's behind this mess? Let's look at what we know about this (rather disgusting) trend.
1. What is the coronavirus challenge? It's a challenge that encourages people to lick a toilet seat.
The coronavirus challenge involves the rather disgusting encouragement to lick your toilet seat so that you can "learn how to be sanitary." Check out the video below. (Warning: Not safe for work!)
2. It was started by social media influencer Ava Louise.
Based in Miami, social media influencer Ava Louise was the woman behind the gross coronavirus challenge. She's known for making controversial remarks on social media and has appeared on The Dr. Phil Show two times. On both of her appearance on the popular self-help show — one of which you can see above — Louise said that she wanted to "get skinny for Instagram" and claimed that her goal in life was to be a social media influencer.
3. Louise received a huge backlash.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it didn't take long for Louise to get a backlash from her coronavirus challenge on social media. One of the most prominent celebrities to call out Louise was The View co-host Meghan McCain, who demanded that someone "put her a** in jail!" In response to the backlash, Louise tweeted that she succeeded in her ultimate goal, which was to "troll America."
4. There are other coronavirus challenges that don't involve licking toilet seats.
Thankfully, not all coronavirus challenges involve doing such unsanitary and potentially dangerous things as licking a toilet seat (on an airplane or anywhere else). For example, a DC-area user who goes by @MomofAllCapes on Twitter issued a coronavirus challenge that included teaching children how to keep things clean and sanitized in the interest of public safety. You can check out what that challenge looks like below.
5. One of the most popular coronavirus challenges involves Cardi B's accidental hit song, "Coronavirus," as remixed by DJ iMarkkeyz.
Another popular coronavirus challenge involves a special dance to Cardi B's hit song, "Coronavirus," which became a viral song smash after DJ iMarkkeyz remixed an Instagram video that the "Bodak Yellow" rapper made as COVID-19 became a pandemic. Cardi B, herself, said that she saw the remix video and that she "liked it." The so-called "Coronavirus" song is also climbing the iTunes charts as of this writing.
6. Another popular coronavirus challenge involves using popular songs and catchphrases to encourage people to wash their hands.
For the most part, many coronavirus challenges involve tips on how to properly wash your hands after you use the bathroom. Many of these challenges include fun and funky remixes, people wearing face masks, and using cleaning products. Another set of challenges involve remakes of songs like "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond, and still another challenge involves TikTok celebrities doing a hand-washing dance to encourage people to stay safe and clean.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, publicist, and photographer whose work has appeared in Teen Vogue, People, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, BET.com, and more.