Meme History

Meme History is a weekly column and video series that explores the origins and history of the most iconic memes online. It runs on Saturdays in the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter. If you want to read this column before everyone else, sign up for the newsletter here. Check out the video series here.

Roll Safe Meme

Meme History: Roll Safe

Looking back on the 2010s, it's still one of the most indelible images of the internet from that era.

On May 19, 2024 by Kyle Calise

Woman Yelling At Cat Meme

Meme History: Woman Yelling At Cat

The meme's dark origin story turned wholesome thanks to an adorable pet.

On May 12, 2024 by Kyle Calise

Bad Luck Brian meme

Meme History: Bad Luck Brian

What began as a self-deprecating way to make people laugh…has continued to be a deprecating way to make people laugh.

On May 5, 2024 by Kyle Calise

Uno Reverse Card Meme

Meme History: Uno Reverse Card

The Uno reverse card has a very specific meaning on the internet.

On Apr 28, 2024 by Kyle Calise

Surprised Pikachu meme.

Meme History: Surprised Pikachu

No internet craze can take off without some element of mockery, cuteness, self-importance, irony, or nostalgia.

On Apr 21, 2024 by Kyle Calise

Let Him Cook meme

Meme History: Let Him Cook

Not everything needs to be Shakespeare in order to be good writing, and sometimes one-syllable words are the best way to get the masses on board with a new idea.

On Apr 14, 2024 by Kyle Calise

Its Gonna Be May meme

Meme History: It’s Gonna Be May

Every April, *NSYNC memes are all the fans ever wanted, all they ever needed, and they want them back.

On Apr 7, 2024 by Kyle Calise

Disaster girl meme

Meme History: Disaster Girl

A little aggressive but in a kind of cute way, it's a great way to faux-overreact to any perceived injustice.

On Mar 31, 2024 by Kyle Calise

Is This A Pigeon? meme

Meme History: Is This A Pigeon?

What began life as a moment from a late 20th-century children’s cartoon would a generation later be reborn as one of the internet’s most pervasive memes.

On Mar 24, 2024 by Kyle Calise

Blinking Guy Meme

Meme History: The story behind “Blinking White Guy,” the GIF you’ve seen a million times

Drew Scanlon's face became one of the most popular memes in the world.

On Mar 17, 2024 by Kyle Calise

Willy Wonka memes

Meme History: Willy Wonka Memes

Willy Wonka is back in the zeitgeist, but let's not forgot his classic meme origins.

On Mar 10, 2024 by Kyle Calise

Giga Chad meme

Meme History: Gigachad

It's reasonable to be a little wary of and fascinated by any human living their life with a godlike level of certainty.

On Mar 3, 2024 by Kyle Calise

shrek memes

Meme History: Shrek is Love, Shrek is Life

Shrek has staying power because there’s so much to unpack.

On Feb 25, 2024 by Kyle Calise

generational memes ok boomer

Meme History: From ‘OK Boomer’ onward, generational memes really hit home

The idea that “parents just don’t understand" is not a new one.

On Feb 18, 2024 by Kyle Calise

Homepage article image

Meme History: Orange Peel Theory

The trend is sort of like a digital-age “he loves me, he loves me not."

On Feb 11, 2024 by Kyle Calise