Know Your Meme is a site that researches and documents Internet memes and viral phenomena. Founded in December of 2008, Know Your Meme's research is handled by an independent professional editorial and research staff and community members. In three years of its existence, the site grew to reach more than 9.5 million people every month and is considered the most authoritative source on news, history and origins of viral phenomena and Internet memes. In March of 2011, Cheezburger -- the company behind other Internet phenomena such as FAIL Blog, I Can Has Cheezburger?, and The Daily What -- acquired Know Your Meme from Rocketboom, LLC. Know Your Meme is located in Cheezburger's New York City offices in Manhattan.
Much like wikis, any registered member can submit a meme or viral phenomena for research at knowyourmeme.com. Other members may contribute to the research of the topic, archival of notable media or discussion about a meme. The editorial staff and moderators then evaluates each entry by further researching the online presence of the meme for confirmation or invalidation. For more information, please refer to our Rules and Guidelines. The editorial staff also provides interviews or Q&As with subjects of memes or notable individuals who are involved with the meme culture.
Know Your Meme's research and reporting has appeared in major news publications and outlets, including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, PBS, CNN, MSNBC, Wired, TIME, Newsweek, The Atlantic, The Guardian, The Telegraph, Le Nouvel Observateur, Le Monde, Der Spiegel and The Estadão among others. Know Your Meme has also earned several recognitions and awards for its research including TIME Magazine's 50 Best Websites of 2009, the 2010 Streamy Award for Best Guest Star in a Web Series and the 2012 Webby Award for Best Cultural Blog. In 2014, Know Your Meme was inducted into the Web Archiving Program run by The American Folklife Center at the U.S. Library of Congress.
Trending Memes
Jeb Bush Asked The Audience 'Please Cap' Nine Years Ago
Please Clap is a phrase uttered by 2016 Republican Presidential Primary candidate Jeb Bush to a crowd of unenthusiastic supporters after saying a line in a speech he believed deserved applause. The moment came at the tail-end of Bush’s failing campaign and seemed to observers a microcosm of a candidacy that failed to generate expected fervor. It experienced a resurgence as a meme with the rise of ironic Jeb Bush fandom following the 2016 United States Presidential Election.
Six Years Ago, 'DOOM' Hit Us With 'You Control The Buttons You Press', And Purists Haven't Recovered Since
You Control the Buttons You Press is a catchphrase originating from a viral X / Twitter reply by the official account for the video game series DOOM to a complaint about a new combat option being added to Doom Eternal. The reply, which indicated that the player isn't forced to use the option as they control the buttons they press, has since become a popular retort to complaints about various optional features in games.
Members Of A So-Called 'Zizian Murder Cult' Are Being Linked To Bi-Coastal Murders In Recent Weeks
Zizian Murder Cult refers to a group of highly educated software developers allegedly linked to a series of deadly attacks between 2022 and 2025. The group was supposedly recruited by former Rationalist and ex-MIRI member "Ziz," also known as Jack LaSota. In 2025, Maximilian Snyder and Teresa Youngblut, both associated with the "Zizian" cult, were arrested on separate charges of murdering a Vallejo landlord and a Vermont Border Patrol agent. The incidents led to the Zizian group coming under further scrutiny, with some describing its hardline ideology as "vegan Sith," inspired by Star Wars. Ziz has also been accused of targeting and recruiting transgender and nonbinary people into the Zizian cult by other TPOT and LessWrong members, many of whom made posts warning the communities about the cult in the years leading up to the 2025 murders.
23 Years Ago, The Iconic 'Horse Head Mask' Galloped Onto The Scene
Horse Head Mask is a soft vinyl and latex mask that is worn by people all over the world for humorous effect and a symbol of Anonymous on the Japanese web, similar to the use of Green Masks Guy Fawkes Masks.
The 'Bro I'm Straight Up Not Having a Good Time' Reaction Image Is 6 Years Old Today
Bro I'm Straight Up Not Having a Good Time refers to a reaction image taken from the web series Real Bros of Simi Valley in which the character Johnny says the line. The reaction image is used with captions describing an displeasurable situation.
It's Been Four Years Since Someone First Used This Image Of Walt Screaming In A Car As A Meme
Walt Screaming in a Car, also known as Hank Get The Sweet And Sour Sauce, refers to a 4chan post parodying a scene in Breaking Bad where Walter White yells from a car window at Hank to get sweet and sour sauce, not barbeque. The original scene sees Walt yelling at Hank to warn him about men coming to kill him. The post was made to 4chan in February 2021, spreading over the course of the year and becoming associated with edits featuring Madness Combat and Friday Night Funkin' characters Tricky and Hank, also spawning a meme format in which Walt tries to warn Hank of various things.
Unknown 9: Awakening Follow in the Footsteps of Concord's Failure Spawning Memes And Debate In The Gaming Community
Unknown 9: Awakening is a 2024 action-adventure video game developed by Reflector Entertainment and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The game was released in mid-October 2024, for Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Set in India in the early 20th century, the game follows a woman with magical powers fighting against a mysterious organization that killed her mentor. The failed triple AAA game received mixed reviews upon release and due to low sales and subsequently all its multimedia franchise projects were canceled. The game also reached a peak player count of 285 players within a month of the game's release on Steam, which became a viral topic in mid-January 2025 after the gaming studio announced the game was a failure and that employees had been fired. Awakening was then compared to the also disastrous Concord first-person hero shooter released in August 2024.
A Slew Of Slang Abbreviations Like TS, PMO And ICL Have Flooded TikTok, Devolving Internet AAVE
TS PMO ICL refers to a Slang Overload trend of overusing slang abbreviations like TS, PMO and ICL, among others, to form nonsensical, brainrot posts that satirize the slang's use. TS means "this shit" or "that shit" and memes about it meaning "this" instead surfaced en masse in late 2024, leading to discourse and memes about the appropriation and bastardization of AAVE. PMO, which means "piss me off," and ICL, which means "I can't lie," trended in TikTok memes during the same timeframe. In turn, users combined all of them ultimately championing the wrong usage, often subverting the purpose of abbreviations by using more letters and typing. TS PMO ICL memes were often Druski Dancing or Little Squid Game Guard Dancing videos with the walls of abbreviations and slang overlayed on top. Other popular slang terms that were added include Tuff ("Boi TS tuff") and The Pizza.
'Disney Knees' Is A Strange Phenomenon Shared By Former Disney Stars
Disney Knees is a slang term referring to a specific way that Disney actors and former Disney actors, particularly those with music careers, stand while performing in an attempt to look edgier. Disney knees are often defined as inward-pointing knees bent towards one another in the middle. Online, people began pointing out Disney knees as early as 2021, with pop artist and actress Demi Lovato often being the main example of the phenomenon.
Man Sees Whole Life Flash Before His Eyes In A Spool Of Wire, Wife Doesn't Care, Discourse Ensues
Spool of Wire Guy or Wiregate refers to a viral video of a man (named Dan) telling his wife (Cindy) that a spool of wire he's had for 40 years is almost at its end, only for her to seemingly brush off what it means to him emotionally. The video was uploaded to TikTok and Instagram in December 2024 by TikTokers @cindyanddanfyc and inspired backlash toward the man's wife for ignoring his opening up about the wire and its meaning to him. The spool of wire became a prominent metaphor on the app, representing something that might seem meaningless to others, but holds sentimental and nostalgic value to its owner. It also sparked widespread discourse about men opening up emotionally to women and being mocked, with users explaining it's why some don't share their emotions with others and show vulnerability.
Bizarre Post Asking If You Prefer Taylor Swift With One Or Two Eyes Sparks A Meme Trend On Twitter
Do You Prefer Taylor With One Eye Or Two Eyes refers to a phrasal template meme trend on Twitter / X in which an image of a person or character is posted next to a photoshop of the same person with one eye, the post reading, "Do you prefer X with one eye or two eyes," "X" being the subject of the photos. The trend was popularized in January 2025 and inspired by a May 2024 post by X user @tswiftvoodoo asking if users prefer pop star Taylor Swift with one or two eyes.
Conspiracy Theorists Have Been Entertaining The Claim That Brigitte Macron Is Transgender Since 2021
Brigitte Macron Is Transgender Conspiracy Theory refers to claims that Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, was born Jean-Michel Trogneux, who is one of her brothers, and transitioned to female at some point between her childhood and her early 30s before meeting and marrying her husband. Spawned in France in December 2021, the conspiracy theory gained spread in the United States starting in March 2024 as it was propagated by controversial political commentator Candace Owens.
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Trending Images
Get you a girl who looks at you like that.
Drawing Adeline in nice clothes is my passion
What would you do for a girl who looks at you like this?
Wink!
The Newest Sailor Scout is really knowledgeable at being a Sailor
Okay A Few Things Happened
My Wife is a Half-Dragon - Part 9 "We're not actually a couple.. yet"
is this anything
kofi eepy request of Mori Calliope - by rotomdocs
This is the weapon of...
PROBABLY will get outdone by a bot by the time this actually posts
Bark for Aqua
VIVA MÉXICO Vayan a comerse un elote preparado
I wanted a gender swapped version of the Sickos meme, so I took the liberty of finding a comic where Stan Kelly drew a female equivalent of the spiky-haired guy, and swapped him out with her, enjoy.
My Wife is a Half-Dragon - Part 8 "You would call me a friend?"
I found him first
camo in the African front
So I heard
I knew this'd come in handy
enough comparing yourself to others , go draw.
has anyone done this before help
Shantae Gerudo Disguise
⑨
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Videos
XXXTentacion Asks "What's A Father?" In Viral Meme
An interview of the late rapper XXXXTentacion has recently resurfaced, with a particular clip gaining a lot of attention. Memers are even performing the melodramatic exchange with 99% accuracy. For more information visit: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/whats-that-whats-a-father-xxxtentacion Check out our new MEME STORE: https://thememestore.com/ Subscribe to our channel to learn more about trending memes, hear interviews from meme personalities and more! #memes #xxxtentacion #viralvideo
Blasting Fetty Wap On The JBL Speaker Meme Explained
Memers are imagining traveling through time, introducing historical figures to Fetty Wap by blasting the rapper's music on a portable bluetooth speaker... Check out our new MEME STORE: https://thememestore.com/ Subscribe to our channel to learn more about trending memes, hear interviews from meme personalities and more!
Why Is Fetty Wap Being Blasted On A JBL Speaker In Memes?
Memers are imagining inserting a JBL speaker blasting Fetty Wap into all kinds of well known historical events, wondering what some of our beloved historical figures might make of the phenomenon. For more information, visit: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/blasting-fetty-wap-on-the-jbl-speaker Check out our new MEME STORE: https://thememestore.com/ Subscribe to our channel to learn more about trending memes, hear interviews from meme personalities and more! #fettywap #memes #history
Remember Chocolate Rain? pt. 2
Tay Zonday, the voice behind 2007’s viral sensation "Chocolate Rain," skyrocketed to internet fame before stepping back from the spotlight, later revealing the challenges he faced with sudden stardom, the song’s overlooked social message, and his journey to finding a quieter creative path. Check out our new MEME STORE: https://thememestore.com/ Subscribe to our channel to learn more about trending memes, hear interviews from meme personalities and more!
Remember Chocolate Rain?
Tay Zonday, the voice behind 2007’s viral sensation "Chocolate Rain," skyrocketed to internet fame before stepping back from the spotlight, later revealing the challenges he faced with sudden stardom, the song’s overlooked social message, and his journey to finding a quieter creative path. Check out our new MEME STORE: https://thememestore.com/ Subscribe to our channel to learn more about trending memes, hear interviews from meme personalities and more!
What Happened to the Chocolate Rain Guy?
Tay Zonday became one of the internet’s earliest viral sensations with his 2007 hit "Chocolate Rain," a song that took over YouTube and was endlessly remixed, parodied, and referenced in pop culture. While many viewed it as a quirky meme, the song was actually a deeper commentary on racial injustice, a message that was largely overlooked in the frenzy of early internet virality. The unexpected fame was overwhelming for Zonday, who later revealed his struggles with autism and introversion while navigating sudden internet stardom. Over the years, he has shifted away from the limelight, dabbling in voice acting, music, and Twitch streaming, but his legacy as one of the first viral stars remains. Check out our new MEME STORE: https://thememestore.com/ Subscribe to our channel to learn more about trending memes, hear interviews from meme personalities and more!
"I Knew This Was Happening" Unusual Creep Catcher Video Goes Viral
This creep catcher video from 2016 is going viral for the subject's odd message to his confronters. Now he's become a meme, and his speech is being grouped into brainrot content with quotes from other viral videos. For more information visit: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/i-knew-this-was-happening Check out our new MEME STORE: https://thememestore.com/ Subscribe to our channel to learn more about trending memes, hear interviews from meme personalities and more!
The Roaring Twenties or the Great Depression?
A viral photo of young Republicans at a gala has divided the internet, with some praising one woman’s looks while others compare the event to the early days of the Roaring '20s—just before the Great Depression hit. Check out our new MEME STORE: https://thememestore.com/ Subscribe to our channel to learn more about trending memes, hear interviews from meme personalities and more!
Terrifying ‘Help’ Messages Spotted in LA
Mysterious "HELP" messages spotted on Google Maps in a Los Angeles shipping yard has sparked conspiracy theories, internet investigations, and even a visit from FaZe Clan—only for them to be met with a mysterious man in a truck. Check out our new MEME STORE: https://thememestore.com/ Subscribe to our channel to learn more about trending memes, hear interviews from meme personalities and more!
TikTok's Final Boss
Tammy Hull, a fiery TikToker from Jasper County, Missouri, has taken the internet by storm with her intense rants, bizarre energy, and uncanny resemblance to a Street Fighter character, leaving people wondering if she’s trolling or truly that mad. Check out our new MEME STORE: https://thememestore.com/ Subscribe to our channel to learn more about trending memes, hear interviews from meme personalities and more!
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Meme Insider Magazine
Top Memes Of 2024
David Vujanic Explains His Viral Meme Awkward White Guy Smile
Matt Farley Poop Song Tik Tok
Krista Sudmalis Talks Gigachad
The Apparently Kid Discusses Viral Video
The Boys Parody
Aella Discusses Her Viral History
Mizzy Talks Turning His Life Around
Noah Glenn Carter Talks Tik Tok Ban
Scuba Steph Talks Being A Clown Girl
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Insights
Can Instagram Reels Replace TikTok For Memes? Why A TikTok Ban May Not Be As Depressing As It Seems
Many Americans are worried that a TikTok ban might mean the end of good memes, but Instagram Reels has pulled its weight in the new year. Let's explain.
From Dogecoin To The Department Of Government Efficiency: Elon Musk's History With The 'Doge' Meme
The world's richest man seems to love this silly meme, so much so that he's gone and named a state department after it. So how did this history between Musk and Doge evolve? Let's take a look.
When Brands Break: How Nutter Butter's Descent Into Madness Reveals The Absurdity Of Corporate Social Media
Brand memeing has long been on its deathbed, and Nutter Butter might have killed it.
The Zuckaissance: Mark Zuckerberg's Journey From Sweet Baby Ray's Enjoyer To Quirked-Up Tech Rizzler
Mark Zuckerberg wears a chain now, but has anything really changed? Let's take a look at the public perception and evolution of the Meta CEO over the years and where he stands now.
The Power Of Memes: Measuring The Impact Of Humor In Viral Content
Many people know that memes can be a powerful tool online, but how can we measure that power? In our latest Insights report, we delve into numerous tests and studies to determine just how influential memes are compared to other types of content.
What Is a Meme? The History and Evolution Of Memes Explained
Memes have come a long way in the past 20-plus years. Here's a brief history of their evolution and a comprehensive guide to defining them.
Who Is The Most Memed Person Ever? Online Fame And Parasocial Love, By The Numbers
Looking into the numbers behind the 21st-century online celebrity to see which high-profile individuals have racked up the most meme and internet virality over the years.
The Power Of Memes In Different Fandoms: How Fans Contribute To The Expansion Of Narrative Universes And Influence Media Consumption
In this Insights piece, we take a look at the biggest fandoms across the internet and explain how the memes, trends and other viral phenomena they create impact the world of entertainment.
The Barbenheimer Phenomenon: How Memes And Viral Marketing Impacted The Success Of The 'Barbie' And 'Oppenheimer' Movies
_Barbie_ and _Oppenheimer_ are smash hits at the box office and they have the Barbenheimer meme to thank for some of that. Here's how memes and social media trends surrounding the two films affected their success.
Cocaine Bear: How Meme Marketing Conquered Hollywood
Memes and movies — the best combo since hard drugs and apex predators. Here's a breakdown of the secret sauce and internet history behind _Cocaine Bear's_ viral success.
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Exchange
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