Article Lead Image

Here’s what the Internet did with NYT Mag’s ‘Planet Hillary’ cover

And yet it feels we've only scratched the surface.

 

Miles Klee

Internet Culture

Posted on Jan 23, 2014   Updated on May 31, 2021, 8:30 pm CDT

Did the art editors at New York Times Magazine know that their unreal “Planet Hillary” cover was a Photoshop comedian’s dream come true? Because it really seems that way.

A sentient space testicle? MT @davidjoachim Hillary Rodham Clinton, as you’ve never seen her…. pic.twitter.com/C2lzdz3reC

— Luke O’Neil (@lukeoneil47) January 23, 2014

Just like that, a meme was born.

take me to your planet @DPD_ pic.twitter.com/wyqJpd4t7X

— Brendan Davis (@notbrendan) January 23, 2014


GIF via Ben Rosen

A meme that would pair nicely with other memes, too—and not just Hillary-based ones.

Texts from Planet Hillary: pic.twitter.com/xUT7wrGm5X

— Eli Langer (@EliLanger) January 23, 2014

I’m sorry pic.twitter.com/bmt0p95IMO

— Jia Tolentino (@jiatolentino) January 23, 2014

There were some other pop-cultural comparisons.

So… did that Planet Hillary NYT Mag cover make anyone else think of Doctor Who’s Cassandra? cc: @TwitchyTeam pic.twitter.com/BXKFL9xNqA

— Katherine Cresto (@kcresto) January 23, 2014

Oh no! What happened on Planet Hillary? pic.twitter.com/FHQgcdd6F5

— Kimberly C (@conkc2) January 23, 2014

The planetoid image also proved instrumental in news-of-the-moment mashups, because can a Justin Bieber mugshot and hideous winter Olympics uniforms ever make things worse? 

Ok fine. #Bieber pic.twitter.com/Au6mRVeSRs

— Jacob Fischler (@ItsFischy) January 23, 2014

pic.twitter.com/QTqNbXsZ0v

— Adam Frucci (@frucci) January 23, 2014

Submitted for re-approval: A mashup of all photos on my timeline today. cc: @BriTheWebGuy pic.twitter.com/0hxxvNoo1s

— Mick (@swasko) January 23, 2014

i’m sorry @darth i couldn’t wait pic.twitter.com/tLtBUflkod

— lindsay blackwell (@linguangst) January 23, 2014

Here you go #PlanetBieber pic.twitter.com/RixH3Oq9nn

— Dan Milano (@DailyDanMilano) January 23, 2014

And the meme-ification begins RT @christofear Miley and Hillary on NYT Mag cover. how weird pic.twitter.com/ka8qwmfY1F

— Scott Bixby (@scottbix) January 23, 2014

Did anyone do this yet? You’re welcome. #planetdoge #hillary @nytimes pic.twitter.com/LQdq0InBJN

— Grace Dobush (@GraceDobushToGo) January 23, 2014

Poor Hillary Clinton. Does she truly deserve to be lumped in with these other disgraceful stories, just because she’s had her face digitally altered into a celestial sphere? Of course not—but that doesn’t mean we’ll ever stop laughing.

Photo via davidjoachim/Twitter

Share this article
*First Published: Jan 23, 2014, 1:45 pm CST