Skip to main content

These two guys think cutting things with spoons will be their next viral hit

These two guys think cutting things with spoons will be their next viral hit

Share this story

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Spoons are meant for soup, yogurt, and other foods that, looked at another way, could be considered drinks. But did you know that the spoon can also be used to cut things? In fact, any relatively strong piece of material with a flat side can be used to cut things, and that discovery seems to be the inspiration for Cut Dat Commentary, a four-month-old YouTube channel starring a man in an apron who uses a spoon to cut various foods, such as a cucumber, ghost pepper, or American cheese, on a wooden cutting board.

We never see the man's face, only his anonymous arms attacking the food. He approaches first with faux precision, then usually just starts hacking. Most of the short videos end with a mangled piece of fruit or vegetable (see the Mango Nightmare). The videos are narrated by a whispering announcer who sounds like he's going for an Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, also known as the "head orgasm," or maybe just "breathy sportscaster." The videos are also uploaded in silent versions without commentary. The most popular video so far is "Cutting a Grape Tomato with a Spoon," which has more than 18,000 views.

Why

The technique is similar to the gross-out series HowToBasic, which posts videos with titles like "How to make scrambled eggs" and then shows a pair of hands basically just making the most disgusting possible kitchen mess. (HowToBasic might smash whole eggs with an immersion blender, for example, and then splash some soda and raw hamburger and some other ingredients in before slopping the whole thing into the oven.)

The Cut Dat series comes from filmmakers Michael Sorace and Edward Sturm, who are responsible for previous viral hits the Fastest Lap Around Manhattan and Harlem Shake Times Square feat. NYPD.

Here's a short Q&A conducted by email:

Why?

Spoon-cutting has a very rich and vibrant history, most of which has gone undocumented digitally. We were unsatisfied with this. Cut Dat is our attempt at bringing the sport into the digital age.

Did you shoot all the cuts in the same day?

Sort of. We shoot, several times a month, at the home of retired world champion cutter, Michael Sorace. Our production schedule will soon be ramping up though as we're adding three new series to the Cut Dat channel.

Is this an ASMR thing, given the breathy narration and commenters cooing about how it feels in their ears?

Spoon cutting requires a very high level of concentration and inner tranquility. Think: golf. It's important that our viewers feel this.

Who are you?

Cut Dat was founded by retired world champion cutter, Michael Sorace, and current world champion hopeful, Edward Sturm. We are a group of NSCL (National Spoon Cutting League) ranked athletes. We're cutting enthusiasts at heart and we hope to bring our sport more into the mainstream.

What's being cut next?

As mentioned before, we'll be introducing three new series for the community to enjoy: "Cutting Competitions," "Cutting Techniques," and "Spoon Reviews." We want to show everybody just how exciting spoon cutting can be and Cut Dat is our attempt to do so!