Cone-ing? Ice Cream Cone Prank Goes Viral on YouTube

June 13, 2011 — -- The Aussies are at it again. Trending this week is a video on YouTube that has collected over a million viewers in less than seven days. The video shows a young Australian mate ordering an ice cream cone at a drive-thru and when served, grabbing the ice cream part instead of the cone.

This odd bit of behavior has been labeled cone-ing, and it is blowing up all over the Internet. People from different countries are filming themselves doing it and posting it on YouTube. These "coners" are then inducted into the online Cone-ing community.

Maddy Curotte, a follower of the Cone-ing Facebook page, wrote, "Oh my god, I have not laughed that hard at a YouTube video in a while. Brilliant!"

Where did this silly fad come from, viewers ask. And who started it?

He has been called a "legend" and a "genius" on the Internet. His name is Alki Stevens, and he has titled his new viral video, "CONE-ING IS THE NEW PLANKING!!!!"

Remember planking? Also a 2011 Aussie hit in which the participant lies face-down, expressionless, and points his fingers and toes. It may seem boring, but there have been plankers who have planked on camels, clotheslines and police cars. The hype of planking got out of hand, as young people around the globe tried to up the ante. It ended tragically with the death of a 20-year-old man who lay down on a seventh-story balcony in Brisbane, Australia, and fell to his death.

Cone-ing has only caught on in the last few days, and many have expressed relief that, goofy as it is, it's safer than planking. The only worry (or maybe the payoff) is that it can upset the salesperson at the drive-thru.

One Facebook follower, Alexander Scaron, wrote, "Happened twice tonight 3rd time my manager through [sic] the cone at the person…"

Was cone-ing created to start a trend or to make a few thousand bucks? Stevens has made it to the top ten of the Unhatched viral video competition, a contest run by an Australian radio network. Grand prize? Ten grand!

Will you be cone-ing to cool down this summer? Or will it be the trend that cools down once the competition's over?