Couple throws watermelon into hippo’s mouth in ‘worst gender reveal’ ever
A couple enlisted a hippo to do the honours at what some Twitter users have said is the “worst gender reveal” party ever. (TikTok)
Straight people are back at it… again.
After much-despised classics such as ‘gender reveal bomb causes 47,000 acre wildfire‘, ‘gender reveal fog from car doing doughnuts leads to four arrests‘, and ‘gender reveal lasagne that costs $139.99′ comes an absolute hippopota-mess.
In viral video footage, an expectant couple are taking heat after enlisting a Nile hippo for what has been dubbed the “worst gender reveal” party.
Initially posted on TikTok, Bridgette and Jonathan Joseph chucked a watermelon into a hungry hippo’s mouth at the Capital of Texas Zoo in Austin, US.
The mum and dad-to-be watched as the hippo chomped down into the fruit, which had been filled with coloured jelly.
As the hippo, called Tank, enjoyed his meal, the watermelon exploded to show blue Jell-O scattering in all directions. Johnathan then shouts: “Yes! Yes! Thank God.”
“I did it. I found the worst gender reveal.”
The footage went viral when filmmaker Ana Bretón re-uploaded the video to Twitter and captioned it “I did it. I found the worst gender reveal.”
https://twitter.com/missbreton/status/1175478765834711040
It tallied more than 173,000 likes and 33,000 retweets in two days.
But many twitter users weren’t particularly impressed by the unusual approach to the gender reveal party.
“The ‘thank god’ because it’s a boy because apparently having a girl would be HORRIBLE,” said one user.
While entertainment publicist Danny Deraney tweeted: “The joy on his face knowing it’s going to be a boy is simply the worst. Along with making a hippo behind a gated fence eating a food colouring watermelon.”
A third simply wrote: “Why?”
Mother behind the video says “we would have been over the moon just the same to have another girl”.
As the viewing figures continue to rise, Bretón has implored users to donate to the Pygmy Hippo Foundation.
Moreover, she also spoke to Bridgette about the video and why the couple chose to to reveal the assigned gender of their child in this way.
She explained: “This was one of the happiest days of our lives.
“With the help of the zoo and the amazing Tank the hippo, we learned that we are having a baby boy.
“After many years of raising our beautiful young lady, we decided to try for another baby. It took some time and some extra money in fertility treatments, but we finally got pregnant!
Hi all! I’ve been in touch with the family in the video. While I’m not a fan of gender reveals, it was not my intention to bring darkness to their special day. Here’s some background written by Bridgette. Donations to the ACTUAL hippo in the vid here: https://t.co/rByV2mbXRK pic.twitter.com/fDWY29niTE
— Ana Bretón (@missbreton) September 22, 2019
“We would have been over the moon just the same to have another girl, but would have had to keep trying for a boy, and it could have got very expensive.
She added: “I am filled with joy to learn that we got out baby boy! Can’t wait to meet him.
“Also, for anyone that is concerned for the hippo and his well-being, he has been hand raised by his amazing owner, who assisted us in feeding him only food that is safe for him to consume… organic Jell-O inside the watermelon… and yes, Tank was more than happy to have the treat.”
Gender reveal parties have a troubling track record.
Gender reveal parties – in which expectant parents reveal the genitals of a foetus to their friends and family – have been widely ridiculed as examples of ‘straight culture’.
The parties often ignore the fact that there are more than two genders, and gender exists on a spectrum.
Moreover, the parties aren’t exactly centuries-old traditions.
The earliest reveal dated only as far as 2008, when lifestyle blogger Jenna Karvunidis revealed the gender of her unborn child via two coloured cupcake.
Cupcakes are pretty tame in comparison to today’s hippo-sized standards, and Karvunidis has since admitted she has “mixed feelings” about her legacy.
