Miranda July's App Has Strangers Deliver Messages

Finally, an app that lets strangers deliver your messages. It's called Somebody from Miranda July, the whimsical artist/writer/filmmaker best known for "Me and You and Everyone We Know." Let's say someone wants to wish a friend happy birthday. A text works, but where is the flair? Wouldn't it be more fun if a strange man came up to her and sang the "Happy Birthday" song in the style of Barry Gibbs? To make that happen, a user just needs to write a message, along with directions on how to present it, and have the Somebody user located closest to that friend share the message at a chosen delivery spot. Users can mitigate the creepiness factor by choosing the delivery person based on ratings. For the very bored and very twee, there is also the option of browsing through "floating" messages that have not been delivered and choosing to deliver one themselves. Naturally, the app was announced with a quirky Miu Miu-sponsored short film at the Venice Film Festival.

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For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

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IN-DEPTH

• App Lets You Share Your Life With Someone You'll Never Meet
• Circle Wants to Connect You with Your Neighbors
• Miranda July Is Totally Not Kidding (New York Times)

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--- Keith Wagstaff