Here's Why #DrummondPuddleWatch Made Everyone's Year So Far...

6 January 2016, 18:34

See the best reactions to the UK's most banal and ingenious livestream ever.

Once in a while, something so brilliant happens on the internet, it captures the nation's imagination.

The Americans had Kim Kardashian's Paper magazine cover... and the UK just had a puddle in Drummond, Newcastle.

Someone decided to live stream people attempting to cross a puddle on Periscope, and it was pretty much the best thing ever.

Almost 20,000 people were watching it simultaneously, while - according to this user - 547,819 people in total tuned in.

547,819 people watched #DrummondPuddleWatch live on Periscope. pic.twitter.com/bd0FIgsdxj
— Chris Sacca (@sacca) January 6, 2016

Plus, Twitter reckoned at least 50,000 people were talking about it.

The #DrummondPuddleWatch Periscope has captured the world's attention; over 50K Tweets. https://t.co/PyENbIq2Hb pic.twitter.com/si7ah7z8Pu
— Twitter Data (@TwitterData) January 6, 2016

Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey was even transfixed:

.@drummondcentral on #Periscope: #DrummondPuddleWatch https://t.co/6P4Q9BHViA pic.twitter.com/1UaUuORsCu
— Jack (@jack) January 6, 2016

Somehow mundanity gave way to tension as people waited to see who would walk across the Drummond bridge next.

We loved watching as women sacrificed their heeled boots to go straight through the puddle, while young men largely avoided getting their trainers wet.

And the comments - oh the comments! The comments meant even more normal people could get it on the act, doling out judgement by calling people "lame" or "legends," depending on their method of tackling the watery ditch.

Even POLITICIANS got involved, using the event to push their policies like Green Party's Natalie Bennett.

Joining #DrummondPuddleWatch? Might like to think about need to maintain existing roads rather than build new ones. https://t.co/Ag4mhj3dc4
— Natalie Bennett (@natalieben) January 6, 2016

Obviously, the bigger it got and the more people got wind of it, the more people started heading down to play up for the camera.

Some joker even placed a Caution: Wet Floor sign on the ground, and someone painted ACTUALLY painted a watercolour of it!

The best of how the world reacted to #DrummondPuddleWatch https://t.co/zAvB06SqL3 pic.twitter.com/qYbqYvrk2j
— The Chronicle (@EveningChron) January 6, 2016

Then this guy probably jumped the shark with his lilo.

BREAKING NEWS: There's a man on a lilo in the puddle #DrummondPuddleWatch pic.twitter.com/DQNVzWzniy
— Elliot Wagland (@elliotwagland) January 6, 2016

Finally, after about 6 hours, it ended - and took our concentration with it. Thousands of people were left dissapointed, but luckily for us Brits, it was just about time to clock off for work anyway.

There wasn't a leaked pic or bit of celebrity beef in sight, and yet we still couldn't keep our blimmin' eyes off it. But why was it so captivating?

Was it because it was just so normal and relatable, or because waiting to find out how everyday folks tackled the everyday obstacle offered us a rare insight into the human condition? Possibly.

Or maybe it was just because everyone just fancied a hump day distraction and a puddle was the best thing on offer?

Frankly, we're not exactly sure why it happened, but either way, we're pretty sure the whole event is the best piece of multi-platform modern art we've ever witnessed.

And if it didn't get you marvelling over the power of the Internet, it should, because it's literally. Made. People's. Lives:

Jumped across #DrummondPuddleWatch and got interviewed, probably the 4th best thing to happen to me ever #saddo
— Craig Bryant ن‎ (@Bryanttie) January 6, 2016

Twitter user Houssein summed up all the craziness perfectly with the tweet: