Produced on a whim by a bunch of art students in between their proper assignments, the first Don't Hug Me, I'm Scared Short went viral on YouTube. Centering on some hapless puppets experiencing existential horror through vividly graphic musical numbers, Don't Hug Me, I'm Scared struck a chord with an online audience receptive to its ambiguity and strangeness. The unexpected success of the initial video led to a crowdfunding campaign for additional shorts and, after a failed pilot, a television program.

Ryan is joined by Rachel for a closer look at the first run of Don't Hug Me, I'm Scared. Talking points include the deliberate uncertainty of the narrative, how the medium of online video affected perception of Don't Hug Me, I'm Scared, and what these shorts have to say about neoliberalism, individuality, and absurdism.

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