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Memes

‘She doesn’t understand her impact’: The family behind the ‘is that hyperpigmentation?’ meme recreates their iconic moment

Daddy still doesn’t know what he’s doing anyway.

Photo of Rebecca Leib

Rebecca Leib

2 panel image of the hyperpigmentation meme on the left and a person looking dejected on the right.

Some viral memes die a slow death, while others keep reinventing themselves, continuing to contribute to the collective internet culture. The “is that hyperpigmentation?” meme is solidly in the latter camp: recently, the family behind the meme re-created the original video to another wave of viral success.

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A photo of a daughter showing a very bad framed portrait to her mother.
@hotfudgesonia/X

The Tiebi family recreates the ‘Is that hyperpigmentation?’ meme

On Jan. 31, 2025, the TikTok account @hotfudgesonia posted the 51-second video with the caption, “Happy 13th birthday, Cece! A remake of this gem just for you!” In the video, Sonia Tiebi is recording her daughter, Cece, and asks to see the portrait her daughter is holding.

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The video plays out exactly like the original except that Cece is older and isn’t actively drawing the portrait, but holding the original drawing in a red frame. When Cece tentatively shows her mother the drawing, she responds, “Is that me? So nice! I’ve never looked better!” To the perceived embarrassment of her daughter.

The camera then pans away to a man laughing hysterically in the corner, but Tiebi keeps gushing about the portrait. ‘Where were you when it was time for senior photos?” She asked. Cece shyly responds, “I don’t think it looks good,” to which Tiebi replies loudly, “it is fantastic!” She then points to a dark circle on the drawing, asking her daughter, “what’s that? Is that hyperpigmentation?”

A close up of the TikToker pointing at the hyperpigmentation included in her daughter's portrait of her
@hotfudgesonia/X
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Tiebi keeps going, telling her daughter “She’s never seen anything like this before,” and encourages her uncomfortable and confused daughter to “keep it up,” to which Cece replies, “Then why was Daddy laughing?” Tiebi snaps back, “Daddy doesn’t know what he’s doing anyway!”

And the camera pans back to the man in the corner, who is on his hands and knees stifling his laughter. The video concludes with Sonia hilariously adding, “how do you say ‘that’s a great drawing” in French?”

Dad laughing in the corner
@hotfudgesonia/X

Since it was posted, the video garnered over 27.2 million views, 5.7 million likes, and over 37 thousand comments, with followers touched by the remake and also loving that the original photo was appreciated enough to be framed. “GIRL THAT WOULD SELL FOR MILLIONS 😭” Said one commenter. Another said, “I’M WEEING YOU FRAMED IT.”

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TikTok reactions to the recreated 'Is that hyperpigmentation' video
@hotfudgesonia/X

‘Mommy I don’t think it looks good’

In 2019, Sonia Tiebi uploaded the original video to her Facebook and X accounts, titling the X post “LOL CeCe the portrait artist thinks I’m ugly!” The post gained a positive but modest reception on both platforms, garnering 3.2K likes and a thousand retweets on X.

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On March 24, 2022, the creator reposted the video to her TikTok account, where the video went and continues to viral, with over 20.3 million views and 5.2 million likes to date.

@xameliex25

Here’s the original xx

♬ original sound – Hyperpigmantation

As the “is that hyperpigmentation?” video made the rounds on TikTok, the reaction was overwhelmingly positive, with thousands of people commenting, recreating, reposting and using the audio and quotes from the video to copy and celebrate the portrait. People made nail art, tattoos, ice sculptures, and even a piñata celebrating the video and more specifically, Cece’s sweet yet inaccurate portrait of her mother, who which Tiebi embraces lovingly and zealously.

@ldramts they gets the vibe of #hyperpigmentation #itsperfect #pigmentation ♬ Bitter Sweet Symphony – Remastered 2016 – The Verve
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@yikes_itsalix #greenscreenvideo this meme was my favorite years ago, if this is my last TikTok I’m okay either way that #fyp #trend #foryoupage #hyperpigmentation #meme ♬ Bitter Sweet Symphony – Evy

Both the original and remake are pinned to the top of @hotfudgesonia’s TikTok page, along with another pinned video that showcases new art from Cece, adorably demonstrating that her drawing abilities have come a long way from her mother’s hilariously viral self-portrait.

The Daily Dot has reached out to @hotfudgesonia via direct message on TikTok. The creator did not immediately respond to the request for comment.

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