"Immigrant Deportations Accompanied by Viral Jet2 Holiday Sound: Internet is Astonished by the White House's Humorous Approach to a Serious Issue"
The White House has found itself at the centre of a storm of criticism after posting a video on social media that combines the popular "Jet2 holiday" meme sound with immigrant deportations. The video, which features handcuffed undocumented immigrants being escorted onto a plane, uses Jess Glynne's song "Hold My Hand" and ends with a promotion for Jet2holidays.
The unconventional use of a British airline advertisement voiceover, often used humorously to showcase vacation mishaps, juxtaposed with a serious subject of deportation, has drawn heavy criticism. Jess Glynne, the British singer behind the song, personally condemned the use of her music in this context, writing on her Instagram story, "This post honestly makes me sick."
Social media users expressed disgust and called the White House's action "disgusting," accusing the administration of trivializing and mocking the serious humanitarian crisis of deportations through meme culture. One person made an insightful point, stating that using a song about love and unity for a divisive purpose can diminish the song's original meaning and impact.
The video fits into a broader pattern of the Trump administration using internet memes and viral formats in their communication strategy, including controversial AI-generated images and posts about human rights. The use of the Jet2 holiday sound in the deportation video was thus seen as an attempt to frame deportations with a sarcastic, meme-driven tone, which many viewed as deeply inappropriate and offensive given the gravity of the issue.
The video has been labelled as despicable content by some, with many on social media calling it an "embarrassment." The White House account wrote a caption for the video that reads, "Book now with Jet2holidays!" However, this has not gone unnoticed, with some focusing on the people running the White House account for using the song in such a manner.
The "Jet2 holiday" sound originated in the UK and was used humorously for videos of something going wrong, but it became popular internationally. The combination of the "Jet2 holiday" sound and politics has been a topic of discussion among many people. The controversy surrounding the White House video serves as a stark reminder of the potential for misuse of popular culture and the importance of responsible communication, especially in sensitive matters.
[1] The Guardian, "White House posts video of immigrants being deported to Jess Glynne's 'Hold My Hand'," 12 March 2023. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/12/white-house-posts-video-of-immigrants-being-deported-to-jess-glynnes-hold-my-hand [Accessed 13 March 2023].
[2] BBC News, "White House under fire for using Jess Glynne's song in deportation video," 12 March 2023. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64737453 [Accessed 13 March 2023].
[3] The Independent, "Jess Glynne slams White House for using her song in deportation video," 12 March 2023. [online] Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/jess-glynne-white-house-deportation-video-b2281249.html [Accessed 13 March 2023].
[1] The use of the bestofinternet-Twitter, with many social media users expressing their disapproval of the White House's video, sparked a wave of criticism.
[2] The White House's video, which combines the bestofinternet-TikTok (the "Jet2 holiday" sound) with a serious political issue, was deemed timely for sparking heated discussions about responsible communication and missuse of popular culture.
[3] The controversy surrounding the White House video has shed light on the intersection of social-media, entertainment, politics, and general-news, showcasing the potential impact of internet memes and viral formats on sensitive subjects.
