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Distracted With… MrBallen (EXCLUSIVE)

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In 2020, creator Jonathan B. Allen, better known by fans as MrBallen, carved out a niche for himself on the internet with his eerie and mysterious storytelling. From victim-focused true-crime tales to spooky stories with unsolved endings, MrBallen’s videos have certainly captured audiences’ attention, garnering over 8 million subscribers on his YouTube channel alone. MrBallen also co-founded Ballen Studios, which produces the MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark and Mysterious Stories, and hosts the brand new podcast, MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries. New episodes of his latest podcast are available now on Wondery and everywhere else you get your podcasts.

Distractify chatted with MrBallen to learn about his most-used emoji, his favorite fellow creator, and more.

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If you had to get a tattoo right now, what would it be?

MB: I would get the skeleton thumb that is in the MrBallen logo! I have one tattoo already on my left rib cage (a big Zion lion), so maybe I’ll hit up my right rib cage… Hmmm…

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What’s your most-used emoji?

MB: The hands coming together almost like they are praying; it’s the “thank you” emoji. I crush that one.

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Talk about the best fan interaction you’ve ever had.

MB: We did our very first live storytelling event on Oct. 20, 2023 at the Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas (it was sold out … 1,300 people), so I got to see my fans in person for the first time. When I took the stage, the applause I got was insane, and then looking around the room and just seeing a sea of flannel warmed my heart. Love it!

Source: YouTube/@MrBallen; Instagram/@mrballen

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If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

MB: To fly — although I was torn and could have gone with “to go anywhere instantly,” but I feel like with flying you get the fun of flight, plus the convenience of faster travel.

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Tell us about the first concert you ever attended.

MB: I honestly don’t remember, but the first CD I ever bought was “Let’s Talk About Love” by Celine Dion. I was a big fan of the movie Titanic, so of course I had to have that CD.

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What are your favorite and least favorite parts of your job?

MB: My least favorite would be how simple recording video/audio always seems, and then when I sit down to do it, it takes 203,982 times longer literally every time, and I’m always so shocked, which only adds to my annoyance. But honestly, I love what I do, so no real complaints!

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What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?

MB: My mom’s garlic and olive oil pasta with some fresh homemade bread was always my favorite as a kid. Still to this day when my mom visits, I ask her to make it because it’s awesome.

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Shout out one of your favorite fellow YouTubers or podcasters!

MB: Shoutout to PewDiePie! I idolized him growing up and just loved his vibe, and it’s really cool to see him with his wife and kid now. He’s like the OG of YouTube, and I still love his videos.

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If you could only listen to one musical artist ever again, who would it be?

MB: R.E.M. – because growing up that was what my mom and dad always listened to, so that would be some nice nostalgia anytime I turned them on (I’m a big nostalgia guy.)

Share your top three desert island necessities.

mrballen desert island necessities
Source: unsplash

MB: Assuming I can’t cheat and bring along a helicopter to escape with, I’d say I need a cat to keep me company, music to keep me from getting bored, and all seven Harry Potter books to be able to escape from my miserable reality for chunks at a time.

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If you couldn’t be a creator and storyteller, what would your dream job be?

MB: I would be a professional baseball player, specifically a pitcher or third baseman for the Boston Red Sox. I’m a huge baseball fan; it was like a religion when I was growing up. I lived in Quincy, Mass., which is just south of Boston.

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What’s your No. 1 distraction?

MB: YouTube. I’m always getting sucked into random videos about elephants who saved people, or serial killers… You know, the normal stuff, haha.

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What Does an Amish Oil Change Mean on TikTok? Two Meanings

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An “Amish oil change” is the latest term spreading around TikTok, but many are unclear on the meaning behind the phrase and what it refers to.

Source: Getty Images

The Gist:

  • The term “Amish oil change” has been circulating on TikTok recently, and it has two definitions that are nasty in different ways.
  • The first involves a procedure that ensures that a horse has regular bowel movements, and the second involves performing a sexual act on the animal.
  • Frankly, we would encourage you to avoid trying either definition on your own if you can avoid it.

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While there are plenty of people who know how to change the oil in their cars, even those who are particularly good with cars may be confused by the idea of an Amish oil change. The phrase, which has trended on TikTok, seems to be a paradoxical take on the phase. After all, the Amish quite famously don’t drive cars.

Although the idea of an Amish oil change predates the internet, the phrase has become much more well known in large part thanks to its appearance on TikTok. Now, many people want to know what it means.

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Horses eating hay in a stable with a cat walking down the aisle
Source: Getty Images

What is an Amish oil change on TikTok?

In a car, oil changes are a necessary part of maintenance. If you don’t change the oil in your car regularly, it won’t work anymore.

The same is true for horses, who are living beings in their own right. They’re also key to many people’s livelihoods, including the Amish. Just like cars, horses need to be taken care of if you want them to carry you from place to place like the Amish do. The Amish also use horses to plow fields instead of using big machinery.

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An Amish oil change refers to a particularly nasty procedure that anyone, Amish or not, who has a horse may have had to do at some point. If a horse is sick and hasn’t been pooping regularly, its caretakers may have to put on a glove that goes all the way up to their shoulder. They reach into the horse’s rear end and unblock it so that it can once again have regular bowel movements.

Suddenly, the dirt required to change the oil on your car doesn’t seem too bad. For many non-Amish horse owners, they would call a veterinarian to come out and treat the horse — Amish oil change included. Although the Amish likely take care of a blockage themselves, most horse owners will pay a professional.

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The term “Amish oil change” came about because it’s a little bit like changing the oil on your car.

It’s a fairly clever turn of phrase that describes a pretty nasty part of animal care. Still, if you’re someone who works with horses regularly, you’re likely familiar with how gross the work can be at times.

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Urban Dictionary has an even grosser definition of the term.

If you’ve seen the term on TikTok, the definition explained above might be the one being used, but it’s also possible that an even grosser definition is the one you’re seeing.

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According to Urban Dictionary, an Amish oil change is “when a woman performs Fellatio on a horse and spits the cum out.”

Welp. Frankly, the less said about that particular definition of the term, the better.

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The Challenge — Where Is Mai Whelan Now?

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Since winning Season 1 of ‘Squid Game: The Challenge,’ Mai Whelan (aka Player 287) has been laying low and spending time with her family.

Mai Whelan (Player 287) won Season 1 of 'Squid Game: The Challenge'
Source: Netflix

The Gist:

  • A whopping 456 players entered Squid Game: The Challenge, but only one will claim victory.
  • Mai Whelan (Player 287) took home the crown and the life-changing $4.56 million prize.
  • Since winning, Mai has enjoyed laying low and relaxing at home with her family.

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Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers for the Season 1 finale of Squid Game: The Challenge.

After a thrilling 10 episodes spanning three weeks, Netflix finally unveiled the inaugural winner of Squid Game: The Challenge. The finale saw Sam Lantz (Player 016), Mai Whelan (Player 287), and Phill Cain (Player 451) compete in the final challenges for the life-changing grand prize.

Ultimately, following a series of gripping “Rock, Paper, Scissors” rounds, Mai emerged victorious, securing the record-breaking $4.56 million prize and etching her name into the history books. Months have passed since Mai last sported her green tracksuit, so where is she now? Keep reading to discover her current whereabouts!

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Mai Whelan (Player 287) after winning Season 1 of 'Squid Game: The Challenge.'
Source: Netflix

What is ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ winner Mai Whelan up to now?

Despite bagging an impressive $4.56 million, Tudum noted that “little else has changed” in Mai’s quiet post-victory life. She returned home to Virginia, opting for a low-key life with her husband and their two dogs. Additionally, Mai has been enjoying spending quality time with her 12-year-old granddaughter.

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“It was a relief to go back to normal life and not worry about getting eliminated. I needed that after two and a half weeks of intense go, go, go, and emotional ups and downs,” Mai told the outlet. “But the person that came into [the competition] is me. I’m still Mai, and she hasn’t changed — except that I came out stronger.”

How is Mai putting her ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ winnings to use?

Now, you might be curious: What is Mai doing with her winnings?! Well, as the proud recipient of $4.56 million, Mai treated herself to an intricately beaded, black velvet Ralph Lauren gown, which she flaunted at the Squid Game: The Challenge finale watch party on Dec. 6, 2023, in New York City.

“It’s a beautiful dress. I couldn’t help it,” she said of the purchase. “But that’s about as frivolous as I want to go.”

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Mai Whelan (Player 287) at the 'Squid Game: The Challenge' finale watch party on Dec. 6, 2023 in NYC.
Source: Netflix

Mai Whelan (Player 287) at the ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ finale watch party on Dec. 6, 2023 in NYC.

For now, Mai is using the money to renovate her home, with plans to build a small dock for a boat. However, once her home improvements are complete, Mai’s focus will shift toward making a positive impact on the lives of others.

“My heart is with people, animals, and climate change,” Mai shared regarding how she plans to spend her winnings. “If we continue what we’re doing, there won’t be a future for all the little kids growing up right now.”

Squid Game: The Challenge is now streaming on Netflix.

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Why Did Amazon Drop Venmo? Tech Giant Hasn’t Explained

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Amazon will no longer accept Venmo as a payment option starting in January 2024. Why has Amazon decided to drop the payment service?

Source: Getty Images

The Gist:

  • Amazon announced that it will no longer be accepting Venmo as a payment method for purchases beginning on Jan. 10, 2024.
  • The tech giant hasn’t explained its decision, but some have speculated that Venmo wasn’t a secure enough payment platform to partner with Amazon.
  • Amazon will still take payment from Venmo debit and credit cards.

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Although Amazon offers its users many things, one of the things it prizes most is convenience. You can order things quickly, and they’ll ship to you almost immediately. Another way that the tech giant has maximized convenience is by allowing you to pay for goods in a huge variety of different ways.

Recently, though, Amazon announced that it will no longer be accepting payments through Venmo starting early in 2024. Now, many want to know why Amazon decided to stop accepting Venmo payments. Keep reading for all of the details.

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Venmo logo with a person on their phone in silhouette.
Source: Getty Images

Why did Amazon drop Venmo?

In Amazon’s announcement that it will no longer be accepting Venmo payments, the company didn’t explain its decision. The tech giant did emphasize that there are still many ways for users to pay for orders, including using a credit card and through Apple Pay.

Amazon said that the change would be effective on Jan. 10, 2024, and that users would have to switch their payment method before then.

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The company placed a particular emphasis on any subscriptions that might be tied to a Venmo account, as those will be charged automatically and be rejected if the payment information isn’t updated.

Also, Amazon clarified that while payments from Venmo itself will be banned, payments from Venmo credit cards or debit cards will still be allowed, just like most other major credit cards.

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Because Amazon hasn’t explained its decision, all the public can do is speculate about why it may have decided to ban Venmo. Amazon might be launching some sort of rival service, and it wants to preemptively remove Venmo so that users will have to sign up for its service instead. Ultimately, though, we won’t know for sure until Amazon decides to explain the decision.

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Some think that people were using Venmo to scam Amazon.

Another potential reason that Venmo payments are no longer allowed is that Venmo wasn’t a safe enough payment platform, which meant that some users were able to use it to orchestrate scams.

Venmo was created largely to allow people who knew one another to directly transfer cash back and forth without an intermediary like a bank. It wasn’t designed to be used as payment for larger companies.

Although services like Venmo have some pretty obvious perks, there are also some downsides when it comes to things like security. Amazon is one of the largest retailers in the world, and that obviously means that it wants its marketplace to be a safe place for buyers and sellers to do business, even if that means that people who pay with Venmo are out of luck.

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