A music video made by a UF student has gone viral, resulting in malicious personal attacks.
Kira Silverman, a 20-year-old UF psychology and English sophomore, starred in a parody to the beat of Lorde’s “Royals” about the rivalry between UF and Florida State University.
“The music video is a satire of the entire rivalry in general,” Silverman wrote in an email.
She said the video, which has received more than 150,000 views since it was posted on April 11, was created to promote Generation Sketch Comedy’s show this semester.
An FSU student posted a response video Saturday, titled “FSU Loyals.” At press time, it had about 17,000 views.
“This was not intended to be a serious jab at FSU,” Silverman said. “It was a basic song that we thought would appeal to our friends and other students in order to draw them to our show.”
Silverman said she wrote the song in about 10 minutes after someone at the Generation Sketch Comedy rehearsals mentioned that the organization hadn’t created anything about the UF/FSU rivalry in a while.
In the video, Silverman is seen dancing on campus and singing the lyrics she wrote to Lorde’s tune.
“It seemed like she was focused on Gatorade, like that is all there is to be proud of,” said Shelby Beauchamp, a 19-year-old FSU family and child sciences sophomore.
Among what she referred to as the “most basic elements of the rivalry,” Silverman juxtaposed the universities’ colors, chants, girls and soda brands.
Alex Rubin, a 21-year-old Valencia College film junior, said people are even talking about the parody in Orlando.
“I think if she had a little more peer review it would’ve been a better idea,” Ruben said. “I hope it doesn’t hurt her. She seems harmless.”
Silverman said most of the negative responses have been “less about the video and song and more personal attacks on (her) appearance and talent.”
She said she hasn’t been responding to the vicious “attacks” in any other way than thanking people for their views and shares.
[A version of this story ran on page 5 on 4/22/2014 under the headline "UF/FSU rivalry video goes viral, receives negative attention"]
