The connection between meme culture and children’s cartoons is unexpectedly strong, as evidenced by the meme history of the hit PBS show “Arthur.”
On September 1, 1999, PBS aired the following episode: arthur It was titled “Arthur’s Big Hit” and featured a scene in which Arthur punches his sister DW for breaking a model airplane.
Almost 17 years later, this moment would become a meme sensation.
In the summer of 2016, Twitter user @almostJT posted a screenshot of the episode, focusing on Arthur’s clenched fist ready to attack.
The caption reads, “This is a photo of Arthur’s fist, and I think it’s very relatable. There’s so much emotion in one fist.”
meanwhile arthur It used to be “go on the internet and lie” and “arthur headphones”, no one had reached the heights that “Arthur’s Fist” was trying to achieve.
The day after the Twitter post, Reddit users share The “Arthur’s Fist” image is captioned, “When people say Harambe is just a gorilla.”
Fueled by still raw emotions over Harambe’s death two months ago, it quickly garnered more than 4,800 yes votes.This meme gained attention around the world r/black Twitter In the community, versions have sprung up that mock North Korea and claim superiority over the SpongeBob meme.
“Arthur’s Fist” meme attracted criticism It received support from WGBH, the network that broadcasts the show. Arthur. In the midst of a tumultuous year, Internet users have found “Arthur’s Fist” to be a humorous outlet for their frustrations, regardless of their nature.
The popularity of this meme has spread to celebrities as well. In late 2017, LeBron James posted “Arthur’s Fist” on social media. with caption “feeling…”
He later cryptically stated his affinity by juxtaposing a meme with a photo of himself clenching his fist throughout his career. arthur. LeBron has also shown a penchant for other children’s show characters in memes, such as Kermit the Frog’s “That’s Not My Job.”
Similarly, Chrissy Teigen tweeted “Arthur’s Fist” in reference to people her husband John Legend has called “Arthur’s Fist.” Similar character.
Her tweet has been retweeted over 200,000 times. Google Duo ads Teigen and Legend recreate the meme.
The use of a moment from a show about acceptance and personal growth as a symbol of dark humor and discomfort highlights the irreverent nature of the internet. Nothing is sacred online, but our continued reliance on the internet for laughs suggests that perhaps nothing needs to be sacred in the world of memes.
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*First published: January 28, 2024 at 3:20pm CST
Kyle Callis
Kyle Calise is a video producer, writer, and storyteller from southern New England. When he’s not creating instructional or cultural videos, he can usually be found out on nature trails admiring the trees.