Dramatic Reading

About

Dramatic reading, by definition, is oral interpretation commonly used in reader’s theater, where a reader would read a story in a dramatic voice. The term was defined by Paul Campbell in 1967.

On the internet, dramatic reading involves reading something usually boring or horrible in a sarcastically dramatic voice to make it appear out of context, usually text with bad grammar and spelling as the reader will read them literally. This was a large YTMND fad in 2006 and onwards.

YTMND

One early dramatic reading posted on was YTMND called Peta People Smart! in 2006. However, it became overshadowed by another dramatic reading, months later.

The Bauman E-mails: A Dramatic Reading involves Eric Bauman of Ebaumsworld.com’s cease-and-desist letters to YTMND, and was read by boomaga. The childish insults in the letter plus a dramatic reading generated hilarity, and took the YTMND top spot for several weeks. Later more YTMNDs posted excerpts of of the dramatic reading with notable phrases:

FBI Cyber Terrorism Unit

Neil Bauman Can’t Read Acronyms

Stop in the Name of LOL

Later others posted their dramatic reading of other text.

Star Wars, Dramatic Reading

KOTST Dramatic Reading and Reflection Part 1

KOTST Dramatic Reading and Reflection Part 2

Holy Chinese bootleg, Batman

an angry note from deviantart dramatically read

A Dramatic Reading from Myspace

Other variations include read fanfictions from fanfiction.net:

Lucky Star: The Rise of Konata

Halo: Halos In Space

Popular Examples:

WTF U BITCH

Breakup Letter

Half Life: Full Life Consequences

On May 16, 2006 user blind51de posted a dramatic reading of fanfiction Half-Life: Full Life Consequences by squirrelking from fanfiction.net . The lulz from the horrible wording and grammar and literal reading caused Djy1991 from Youtube to create the popular Gmod visual interpretation with the original audio:

The popularity of the original video allowed Djy1991 to make Gmod videos from squirrelking’s fanfiction sequels:

Half Life: Full Life Consequences 2: What Has Tobe Done

Half Life: Hero Beggining

Half Life: Full Life Consequences: Free Man

Quarter Life: Halfway to Destruction (fanfiction by Peter Chimaera)

Youtube Examples

(Note: Some ported from YTMND)

Mainstream Example

Christopher Walken reads the lyrics of Poker Face by Lady Gaga:

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