The Stories And History Behind 11 Iconic Memes

Oh, the meme. We see them everywhere! We frantically search Google for an image that makes a mockery out of any situation. It is the perfect escape to share how you feel and ROTFL at the same time.

But have you ever wondered where the most iconic images for memes came from? Let’s take a look at their history.

11. Side-Eyed Chloe

With over 17 million views on Youtube, this video Chloe was captured as maybe a little confused about going to Disneyland, while her sister, Lily, is crying hysterically. It didn’t take long for this to hit the internet and thus her side-eyed glare became a meme sensation.

10. Ermahgerd Gersberms 

Who can’t laugh at the nerdy girl with the Goosebumps books, pigtails, and a retainer? This picture started circulated the meme world in 2012 and has changed text several times, like my personal favorite “ERMAHGERD MERSHED PERDERDER” and the original  “ERMAHGERD GERSBERMS”.

Maggie Goldenberger, the girl in the photo and now a nurse in Phoenix, was 11 when this was taken. She loved acting out made-up characters with friends. So she grabbed her  “costume” and shot a hilarious photo. She later posted on social media and a Reddit User reposted the pic.

9. Disaster Girl

This little girl, Zoe Roth looks like she may have started the fire, amirite? That’s not really the case.

“The fire department in our town was test-burning a house, so we went down to check it out. My dad just got a new camera so he took pictures of me and my brother in front of it. I think I just thought it was super weird and dangerous. I didn’t know it was a test fire until later so I was pretty worried.”

It was later picked up online and eventually made it into JPG Magazine

“Funnily enough, some people asked to take a picture with me the other day at work for the first time ever!” Zoë said, who’s now in college. “It affects me when people make games and books with me in, but mostly my life hasn’t changed.”

8. Doge

This picture went full force 6 years ago and since then many other Shibu Inu memes sprung from this idea. The original, Kabosu, an 8-year-old recuse dog was discovered in a 2010 blog post. And the Verge was on a mission to find out more. After seeing her pup everywhere online the Owner, Atsuko Sato said, “I was taken aback. It felt very strange to see her face there. It was a Kabosu that I didn’t know.”

7. Overly Attached Girlfriend

Laina Morris was just a gal trying to get Justin Beiber’s attention. He announced a challenge to his fans to make a video countering “Boyfriend” and thus Morris’ character for “Girlfriend” was born. But when a Reddit user screenshotted the infamous creepy look, the meme caught fire.

6. Distracted Boyfriend

This stock photo, taken by Barcelona-based photographer Antonio Guillem, hit the internet in 2017. Guillem had used this image for a photo series on “infidelity” for Shutterstock. It hadn’t been a huge seller for the artist, so when two of the models brought the meme to his attention he was more than surprised.

“Regarding what I think about the photo has gone viral, I think the image was a good foundation to whoever had the great idea to turn it into a metaphor that works for almost everything,” he told Wired. 

5. Scumbag Steve

This image became popular in 2011 by, you guessed it, Reddit. Blake Boston had originally uploaded this gem on Myspace and he doesn’t find it funny that he is the face of all douchebag memes.

“The original meme was taken when I was 16 looking at my mom cuz she was torturing me for photos,” he said in an interview. “Was I wrecked at the time? I don’t remember, but I sure as s#%* thought I was a balla. Man, that coat was given to me in a swap for some s$%#.”

“Sucks man,” he said. “I guess people can’t separate the meme from the real me in some cases.”

4. Black Guy On Phone

This guy means business. I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that phone call. This photo of Martian Baker was published in The Guardian and quickly spread on Twitter. He had made headlines with being the only black person to attend Darren Wilson’s rally. (The police officer who fatally wounded Michael Brown.)

3. Bad Luck Brian

This poor guy will probably never live this meme down and he has his friend to thank for it. This yearbook photo of Kyle Craven was posted on Reddit by his lifelong friend Ian Davies, who has been Kyle’s friend since elementary school. He stole the photo, named it, and posted: “Takes driving test … gets first DUI.”

But maybe it wasn’t a bad move on his friend’s part as Craven estimates he’s made around $15,000-$20,000 in licensing deals. Maybe Brian doesn’t have bad luck after all.

2. White Guy Blinking

Listed as “The most relatable meme ever” by Cosmopolitan, The blinking White Guy has people wondering who he is. My first thought was Carey Elwes. Wrong. This is video producer Drew Scanlon from the video game studio Giant Bomb. Apparently, this was his reaction to something a co-worker said. A fan-made quick work of this reaction into a GIF and voila. But even with its growing popularity, Scanlon is rarely the one people recognize.

“People don’t expect memes to be real people,” he told Thrillist. “People understand that actors are real people that play in movies. But people don’t expect that from me. Memes just come from the internet.”

1. Guy Tapping His Head

In 2017 this hilarious meme shows a man tapping his head and giving bad advice like, “It’s not fast food if you eat it slowly.” Featured in this image is actor Kayode Ewumi from the UK. This shot originated from a web series, Hood Documentary. It was huge in the UK and Americans may only recognize him from the memes themselves.