'Laurel versus Yanny' debate started by Georgia teen
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - The "Laurel versus Yanny" debate that's captivated the social-media-verse and everyone from celebrities to the White House, actually started with a homework assignment for Georgia teen 15-year-old Katie Hetzel of Flowery Branch High School.
"I was looking through my assignments and had to do vocab on this website 'vocabulary.com.' There's an audio button you click. I heard 'Yanny,'" said the puzzled Hetzel, when she looked up the word "Laurel."
She played the clip for her other classmates and started a trend. "A few of us heard Yanny. A few of us heard Laurel. I thought I was going crazy," she said.
She posted a recording of the clip on her Instagram page, which then jumped to Reddit, then Twitter when social influencer @CloeCouture shared the clip.
The rest is history.
"It's really hard to believe this is happening," Hetzel said, who didn't have a Twitter account until she learned the post went viral and led to the trending #yannyorlaurel debate.
"I hear both now," she said.