Hot Hot Hot (meme)
Encyclopedia
"Hot Hot Hot" is the informal title of a promotional video about Appalachian State University
that became an internet phenomenon in late 2005.
and Tampa
.
Peacock described the video's role in promotion:
and the retro
juxtaposition of music and PowerPoint
style still imagery claiming that the school is "hot hot hot" inadvertently play into the stereotype
that people from Appalachia
are unsophisticated and out of touch.
A December 2004 Faculty meeting noted: "Concern has been expressed about the style/public image implied by the 'Faculty Caravan' video on ASU’s webpage that goes with the song 'Hot Hot Hot.'"
The video began circulating widely in 2005. For many viewers, the video provided a first impression of Appalachian State University.
The video was featured on VH1
’s Web Junk 20
program in early 2006, where it was named to the No. 5 spot on the top 20 countdown of most stupid or funny Internet videos.
A January 26 editorial in the Appalachian State student newspaper criticized the video, calling it "so ridiculously tacky one cannot help but laugh when watching it," adding, "The jingle is horrible, the lyrics are absurd and the pictures make Appalachian seem like an institution stuck in the 1970s."
The video was not an official project and in the wake of the response is no longer used by the University. Lorin Baumhover, Chief of Staff for the Office of the Chancellor at Appalachian State, told NPR
, "It's horrible," claiming the video was an inside joke for alumni. "I wish someone could put a stake through it," he said.
The video had somewhat of a resurrection on the Internet after it was revealed that Miss Teen South Carolina
Caitlin Upton
planned to attend Appalachian State. She achieved dubious Internet fame herself for providing a rambling answer on August 24, 2007, to a Miss Teen USA
pageant question about why Americans cannot locate the U.S. on a world map.
Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University is a comprehensive , public, coeducational university located in Boone, North Carolina, United States. Appalachian State, also referred to as Appalachian, App State, or simply App, is the sixth largest institution in the University of North Carolina system...
that became an internet phenomenon in late 2005.
Background
In 2004 a committee for the Appalachian Family Caravan tour created a promotional video shown throughout the region by Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock. The song was originally written by artist John Tesh, but was re-edited for the video. The tour began September 27, 2004 and included areas where Appalachian State has a strong alumni base. The tour planned to make stops in Atlanta, MiamiMiami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
and Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
.
Peacock described the video's role in promotion:
- It was used primarily for the
[Appalachian] Caravan, taking it out with us on the road show and show that Appalachian is a great institution and it’s hot in many ways, and that was part of the whole show. So in order to understand fully that video, you almost had to be at one of those Caravan events. I would ask the audience to say, ‘You know why this is the case? It’s because Appalachian, my friends, is …’ and they would respond, ‘Hot.’ I think they took it off the Web site because, without it being a Caravan event, it’s confusing. People don’t really understand what the message is with the song. It was all done in fun, to go and energize our alumni and say here are some things that are happening on campus, holding up the highlights of faculty, programs, accomplishments of students, and say ‘You know why this is possible? It’s because Appalachian is hot.’ It builds all around that whole theme. http://www.theapp.appstate.edu/archives_04-05/05-4-19/chancellor.html
The video
The two minute and 17 second slide show of images around campus included an original song with lyrics such as these from the chorus:- Hot hot hot,
- Hot hot hot.
- Appalachian is hot hot hot!
- Come and let us show you what we've got.
- Come and let us show you why we're hot hot hot!
The response
The extensive use of pufferyPuffery
Puffery as a legal term refers to promotional statements and claims that express subjective rather than objective views, which no "reasonable person" would take literally...
and the retro
Retro
Retro is a culturally outdated or aged style, trend, mode, or fashion, from the overall postmodern past, that has since that time become functionally or superficially the norm once again. The use of "retro" style iconography and imagery interjected into post-modern art, advertising, mass media, etc...
juxtaposition of music and PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint, usually just called PowerPoint, is a non-free commercial presentation program developed by Microsoft. It is part of the Microsoft Office suite, and runs on Microsoft Windows and Apple's Mac OS X operating system...
style still imagery claiming that the school is "hot hot hot" inadvertently play into the stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
that people from Appalachia
Appalachia
Appalachia is a term used to describe a cultural region in the eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Canada to Cheaha Mountain in the U.S...
are unsophisticated and out of touch.
A December 2004 Faculty meeting noted: "Concern has been expressed about the style/public image implied by the 'Faculty Caravan' video on ASU’s webpage that goes with the song 'Hot Hot Hot.'"
The video began circulating widely in 2005. For many viewers, the video provided a first impression of Appalachian State University.
The video was featured on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
’s Web Junk 20
Web Junk 20
Web Junk 20 is an American television program in which Vh1 and iFilm collaborate to highlight the twenty funniest and most interesting clips collected from the Internet that week. The show is now hosted by comedian Aries Spears. Patrice O'Neal hosted the first two seasons, while Jim Breuer hosted...
program in early 2006, where it was named to the No. 5 spot on the top 20 countdown of most stupid or funny Internet videos.
A January 26 editorial in the Appalachian State student newspaper criticized the video, calling it "so ridiculously tacky one cannot help but laugh when watching it," adding, "The jingle is horrible, the lyrics are absurd and the pictures make Appalachian seem like an institution stuck in the 1970s."
The video was not an official project and in the wake of the response is no longer used by the University. Lorin Baumhover, Chief of Staff for the Office of the Chancellor at Appalachian State, told NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
, "It's horrible," claiming the video was an inside joke for alumni. "I wish someone could put a stake through it," he said.
The video had somewhat of a resurrection on the Internet after it was revealed that Miss Teen South Carolina
Miss South Carolina Teen USA
The Miss South Carolina Teen USA pageant is the competition that selects the representativies for the stat of South Carolina in the Miss Teen USA pageant. The pageant has been directed by RPM Productions since its inception....
Caitlin Upton
Caitlin Upton
Lauren Caitlin Upton , also credited as Caite Upton, is an American fashion model and a beauty queen from Lexington, South Carolina. While Miss South Carolina Teen USA, Upton became an Internet meme for her nonsensical response to a pageant question.-Career:Upton became Miss South Carolina Teen...
planned to attend Appalachian State. She achieved dubious Internet fame herself for providing a rambling answer on August 24, 2007, to a Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
pageant question about why Americans cannot locate the U.S. on a world map.