Long before we had labels like Boomers and Gen Z, people were often identified by their social circles—think “band kids,” “theatre nerds,” “jocks,” and “geeks.” Today, however, generational traits are frequently defined by online quizzes, viral memes, and even phrases like “OK, Boomer.”
But for those still wondering where they fit into the generational mosaic, comedian Tess Tregellas offered a hilariously simple solution in a video that captivated millions last year.
The video, which originally went viral, brought Tregellas’s unique take on generational divides to a massive audience, prompting widespread amusement and debate. It demonstrated how deeply ingrained pop culture references are in our collective identities.
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The "Hey Now" Challenge
The overlay caption on Tregellas's short clip read, “How to spot a millennial.” In the video, Tess initiated a song lyric quiz, kicking things off with the prompt “Hey now” to see how her audience would respond. She confidently stated that their musical reply would instantly reveal their generational belonging. “I am going to sing a part of a lyric and you’re going to sing the other part,” she explained.
As the video unfolded and participants chimed in with their answers, Tess provided the breakdown:
- If someone sang, “Hey now, you’re a rock star,” they were likely a Millennial, recognizing the iconic Smash Mouth song from Shrek.
- If the response was “Hey now, hey now,” that person was a Millennial "cusper," hinting at Generation X roots, recalling Hilary Duff’s “What Dreams Are Made Of” from The Lizzie McGuire Movie.
- And if there was no response at all, that individual most likely belonged to Gen Z.
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Meanwhile, if a person belted out, “Hey now, hey now, don’t dream it’s over,” they were identified as a Boomer. These are the lyrics to the 1986 classic “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by the rock band Crowded House, widely recognized as one of the most memorable tunes of the 80s. Even famed fiction author and self-proclaimed Boomer, Stephen King, expressed his fondness for the song in a July 2023 social media post, noting its beauty.
Listening to “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” by Crowded House. Such a pretty song.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) July 31, 2023
Viral Reactions and Generational Debates
The video quickly amassed 6.7 million views in just a few days when it first dropped, garnering over 197,000 likes and more than 1,400 comments. The reactions were a mixed bag, with many proving utterly hilarious.
"I’m a Gen Z who was raised by boomers with a millennial brother so I sang the Shrek and the Boomer song,” commented @nick_fog. @abbiesr exclaimed, “Wait you accurately identified that I’m a cusper that’s basically science.” Many also observed that Tess’s initial “Hey now” delivery subtly hinted at the Lizzie McGuire vibe.
Praise from and Internet commenter Image Source: Instagram | @jasonkingfromqueens
More online praiseImage Source: Instagram | @lofi_von
Gen X, however, expressed a bit of disappointment, feeling they were overlooked and deserved to be included in the “Don’t Dream It’s Over” category. @decent_tweaks commented, "Once again Gen X is overlooked." Similarly, @miesdarcy stated, "You forgot about Gen X... and we'd be singing 'Don’t Dream It’s Over,' not the Boomers."
While some asserted that Tess’s lyric markers weren't entirely accurate, there's some truth to her playful classifications. According to the Grammy Awards, Shrek’s “All Star” remains an unforgettable pop anthem for Millennials, while Gen Z often encounters it through internet memes.
- YouTube www.youtube.com
As for The Lizzie McGuire Movie option, those who questioned its accuracy might have a point. The 2003 film is indeed known to be popular among young MillennialsMillennials, especially since Hilary Duff released her studio album, Metamorphosis, around the same time.
You can follow Tess Tregellas on Instagram and YouTube for more stand-up comedy videos.
This article originally appeared last year.
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Left, A woman cleans up manure; Right, a man driving
17 everyday things we do now that the future will find bizarre
A recent thread on r/AskReddit posed a fascinating question: “What’s something normal to us in 2025 that by 2075 will be seen as barbaric?”
With over 4,500 upvotes and thousands of comments, the responses ranged from hopeful predictions about medical breakthroughs to funny critiques of social norms. It’s an interesting thought experiment at how our everyday habits might age in the not-so-distant future. Here are 17 of the most memorable takes.
1. Wiping with toilet paper
Redditor u/Dramatic-Avocado4687 keeps it blunt: “Wiping our asses with toilet paper.”
Another user chimed in to roast our primitive ways: “They cut down trees just to wipe themselves?!” In the future, bidets—or some next-level cleaning tech—might make TP as outdated as outhouses.
2. Factory farming
Factory farming got called out repeatedly. User u/w0ke_brrr_4444 called it “the worst hell on earth that humans have ever created.”
Others noted the rise of lab-grown meat could render the practice obsolete. As u/AltEcho38 put it: “I’m convinced it’ll all be lab-grown by then, and we’ll be looked at as savages for raising animals for slaughter.”
3. Medical bankruptcies
The American healthcare system came under fire. User u/SarlacFace said, “Medical bankruptcies and for-profit healthcare leaving people to die if uninsured.”
If universal healthcare becomes the norm, future generations might shake their heads at the idea of choosing between chemo and rent.
4. Treating women’s pain like an afterthought
Many commenters didn’t hold back on this one. “Not giving anesthesia with placing IUDs,” wrote u/tt_DVM2011.
Another user, u/ThatRoryNearThePark, shared a harrowing experience: “Worst pain of my life… couldn’t sit upright for at least 48 hours.” If future medicine treats women’s pain with proper care, this era will look like the Dark Ages.
5. Eating animals
Some users went beyond factory farming to predict the end of meat consumption altogether. Redditor u/ciquta said simply, “Eating animals.”
Others, like u/Zetsubou51, lamented how disconnected people are from their food sources: “We don’t care because we don’t see it. Factory farms are awful for the animals and the people that work in them.”
6. Scrolling endlessly on social media
User u/cornylilbugger predicted: “Spending multiple hours, every day, scrolling mindlessly on social media.”
The irony wasn’t lost on u/Izual_Rebirth, who admitted: “Scrolled way too long to find this one.”
7. Single-use plastics
“Plastic everywhere, all the time,” wrote u/letthisbeanewstart, imagining future disbelief at how we let plastic infiltrate everything from straws to textiles.
U/MarkNutt25 added: “An even bigger problem is plastic textiles. Microfibers are evil.”
8. The 40-hour workweek
“Working a 9-5 just to survive? Barbaric,” said u/DeathofSmallTalk1.
User u/EvaMayShadee painted a grimmer future: “We’ll probably be working 60-hour weeks by then.” Optimism? Optional.
9. Drilling teeth
The dental industry might face a future reckoning. As u/llcucf80 put it: “Drilling teeth.”
One user brought hope with a scientific breakthrough: “If that new shot from Japan works, pull the tooth, get injection, grow a new tooth,” said u/nomiis19.
10. Chemotherapy
Redditor u/Helpful_Finger_4854 hopes cancer treatments will improve drastically: “Dying from cancer, hopefully.”
Another user, u/Vocalscpunk, put it more bluntly: “We still poison the whole body with chemo and hope the cancer dies first.”
11. Driving ourselves
“Driving yourself will seem barbaric,” predicted u/CranberryCheese1997, imagining autonomous vehicles becoming the norm.
12. Using fossil fuels
Redditor u/loftier_fish had a grim take: “If the answer isn’t ‘using fossil fuels,’ there will be a lot fewer humans to deem anything barbaric in 2075.”
13. Child influencers
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Using kids to generate content got roasted as a future ethical disaster. “Hopefully, monetizing your children for social media will seem barbaric,” wrote u/TheWorstWitch.
14. Modern healthcare procedures
Some users pointed out that many current medical practices could be judged harshly in the future. “Orthopedic surgery with drills, rods, and screws?” asked u/Orthocorey.
Another user joked: “So you guys just strapped them down and blasted them with radiation to cure cancer?!”
15. Animal captivity for entertainment
Redditor u/w0ke_brrr_4444 went in: “Drugged dolphins in resorts and whales at SeaWorld. Barbaric.”
16. Fast fashion and waste
Wastefulness came under fire. U/rabbity_devotee called out “fast fashion” and “overflowing landfills.”
17. The whole premise of this thread
Finally, some users argued that future humanity might not even have the luxury of judging our “barbaric” ways. As u/NapoleonDonutHeart put it: “By 2075, we’re gonna be way more barbaric… we’ll fight over everything once food gets scarce.”
Whether these predictions hold up or not, it's clear that what feels normal now won’t always be. And when 2075 finally rolls around, let’s hope they’re a bit kinder to us than we’ve been to the past.
This article originally appeared earlier this year.