What is the ‘hear me out’ cake trend?

If you’ve always thought that Hopper from 1998’s A Bug’s Life kind of had it goin’ on, then odds are you’ve at least seen, if not partaken in TikTok‘s “hear me out” cake trend. So what is it exactly, and why are these videos currently taking the internet by storm?

Sometimes, you’ve just gotta love social media. Yes, it’s true that TikTok has collectively given us brainrot, leaving us with nothing more than Skibidi Toilet memes and completely zapped attention spans. On the other hand, it’s also given us freaks out there a communal space to fangirl over our favorite fictional hotties (no, not you, Tumblr.com), and I’ve never felt more seen by the latest viral trend: decorating “hear me out” cakes.

What’s the deal with TikTok’s “hear me out” cake phenomenon?

Colloquially speaking, the phrase “hear me out” refers to (mostly) fictional characters who are, to a small but vocal group of weirdos, considered unconventionally attractive (i.e. Cars’ Doc Hudson, Count Dracula from Hotel Transylvania, Megamind, and yes, even the Alien Xenomorphs—I’m horrified). The damage done by BookTok cannot be reversed, I fear.

The youngsters have appropriated this phrase for nearly everything by now, but the “hear me out” cake trend is by far its peak form—a.k.a., making paper cut-outs of their wildest crushes, gluing them to popsicle sticks, and sticking them in everyone’s favorite sugary snack as the camera records everyone’s reactions. Somehow, this is Lana Del Rey’s fault.

It’s the kind of self-aware, absurdist Gen Z humor that reflects our ever changing social media landscape and sure brings the term “parasocial relationship” to a whole new level—boomers just wouldn’t get it. Now let’s hear from the class, shall we? (P.S. I’m so sorry for what they did to you, Judy Hopps.)

Look, growing up, we all were taught that there was a certain beauty standard to attain to: tall, skinny, probably blonde-haired and blue-eyed, yadda yadda yadda. In many ways, the “hear me out” cake trend feels like a total rejection of whatever garbage societal expectations were shoved down our throats in the ’90s, and now, we’re embracing it all: dad bods, big noses—hell, they don’t even have to be human. Either way, it’s just a bit of harmless fun, and I truly can’t wait to see what this generation of TikTok kiddos comes up with next.

I can’t tell if I’m terrified or proud of the fact that people are so unabashedly sharing their “hear me out crushes” with the world, but honestly, as someone who’s childhood crush was Buzz Lightyear from the animated Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins…this is a trend I can get behind. Say a prayer for our collective digital footprint, because it’s getting worse by the day.