Yesterday we reported that a video of One Direction singers Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson appearing to smoke weed had leaked. The footage has caused a massive furore around the band – who are primarily marketed towards young girls – on social media (where else?). Here are the most ridiculous responses.
1. #CutForZouis
Some context: When video footage emerged of Justin Bieber smoking what appeared to be weed way back in January 2013 (don't ask us how we remember this), 4Chan users decided to start the #CuttingForBieber hashtag, playing on the fact they thought that young Beliebers would be cutting themselves, so upset were they that he might be smoking weed. Or, even more sinisterly, that the hashtag could encourage 1D fans to cut themselves.
So, this time around, the #CutForZouis hashtag started up (Zouis is a portmanteau of Zayn and Louis, BTW). It was reported on by one website, which then Tweeted the link to the story to all of the One Direction fan accounts out there, who then showed it to the fans, who then wrote about their concern for the hashtag, making it trend even more.
Though a lot of the responses have been jokes like: 'I'd rather cut cake,' our research shows that the only people to have posted photos of cut arms, along with the #CutForZouis hashtag, were trolls anyway, 'jokingly' alluding to self-harm.
2. Harry Styles's alleged dismay
Harry Styles is angry at the 'stupid and reckless' behaviour of his bandmates, a source told The Sun. Really? Harry Styles? Upset about a spliff? Even if this is the death knell for the band (if gossip's to be believed, he's wanted to leave for years), maybe this is his final route out?
3. #SkinForZouis
We can't really research this one too much, but yesterday One Direction fans started posting naked photos of themselves on Twitter using the hashtag #SkinFor1D. They then @ed them to One Direction in case they might see. Considering so many fans of One Direction are underage, this caused a lot of problems. Band member Liam Payne sent out a few warning Tweets, telling fans to stop it. We don't know if this is anohter 4Chan game, but maybe the original posters meant 'skin' as in Rizla?
4. #niallraised300kwriteaboutthat
One Direction fans got upset that the media were reporting on the video of Zouis (sorry, it's just so catchy) smoking a spliff. Instead, they should have reported on the fact that a couple of days ago, Niall Horan, another band member, made £300,000 for charity through a football match, where Harry pulled Piers Morgan's trousers down. The thing is, as fun as charity is, it's definitely not as much a talking topic as two members of a supposedly squeaky-clean boy band getting high. Sorry.
** 5. People missing the bigger picture**
There are so many other important things to consider in this video. Like, Louis doing an Indian impression, then apparently saying something a bit racist about halfway through the video (03.21). Zayn going off on one about Kid Rock's picture book. The bit where Louis starts singing a sub-Diplo sort of electro track to celebrate the announcement of the arrival of that 'chicken'. Those awful tattoos! The crew they're with, who are clearly sorting them out with some 'chicken' at the next stage of their tour in Chile. Oh, and the fact that, no matter how hard we try to not fancy him (those tattoos!), Zayn is such a mega babe that we feel a little light-headed ourselves upon gazing at him.
6. One newspaper using a satirical photo to say people are burning their 1D tickets
A photo of a girl with the Twitter handle MyChemicalLiam was used by The Daily Mail to prove that people are burning their tickets to protest against Zouis' smoke session. However, the girl in the photo is burning an A4 printed ticket which she could print again and is wearing a Rolling Stones T-shirt. Something stinks of hoax. Or weed. One of the two.
7. Adults with no huge interest in One Direction getting themselves into a tizz about two of them being caught smoking...
Oh no. Wait a second...
Follow Sophie on Twitter @sophwilkinson
Picture: Getty
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.