By Shaun Clayton in
Daily Lists, Miscellaneous
Monday, Dec. 28 2009 @ 8:02AM
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We live in a time where virtually anyone can make a video and certainly anyone can watch that video, and thus there are a lot of videos to watch. Admittedly, about 99% of them are terrible; however, some fall into a weird vortex where they are somehow terrible and yet fascinating. These become insanely popular in a very short time. Because we're too enamored of WHOSE RESPONSIBLE THIS to discuss all memes of the '00s impartially, we figured we could manage to look back at the video memes of this almost finished decade. Here now is this writer's humble opinion of the 10 most infamous of them.
Jonti Picking decided to make an animation that is perhaps the most quintessential of internet memes -- take something random, put it with something else random, put it to music, and repeat endlessly. In this case, it's badgers. Endlessly appearing badgers, a shot of a mushroom, and occasionally a snake. Set to music. There ya go.
9) This! Is! Sparta!
The movie 300 was a beautifully ridiculous film, which will only become more hilarious as time goes on. In the trailer, the most notable scene is where as Gerard Butler as King Leonidas shouts "This! Is! Sparta!!!" with such overacting flair it rivals Kirk shouting "KHANNNN!" in Star Trek II. So, of course, people stole this already hilarious moment and applied it to every movie, meme and internet video available.
8) Diet Coke and Mentos
The Diet Coke-Mento's combination has been known since at least the '80s. But Steve Spangler was apparently the one to combine the Diet Coke-Mento's reaction (specifically, that if you take Mento's [preferably four, and preferably mint] and put them in a two-liter bottle of Diet Coke, you get a giant Diet Coke foam eruption) and internet net videos to create its own unique explosion. Later, Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz went and created a Diet Coke and Mentos version of the fountain display at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. Pretty soon everyone was doing this, because it's so simple and the only thing you have to risk is getting diet soda everywhere and/or your stomach exploding.
7) Charlie The Unicorn
It's a really strange animation about a unicorn and his psychotic unicorn friends. How this got so insanely popular is beyond us, but we're ever so glad it did.
6) Fensler Films' G.I. Joe PSAs
Virtually everyone remembers the classic '80s G.I. Joe cartoon public service announcements; quick clips which came at the end of every episode to teach a safety lesson and to pretend the show had value beyond selling toys. Eric Fensler didn't just rescript these PSAs; he turned them into surreal nightmares with new, terrifying voices and incomprehensible dialogue, the most famous being "Porkchop sandwiches!" Nothing was safe, and no safety was learned.
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75 comments
Comments
rickicker said:
AAAAAAAUUUUGH!!! WHOSE RESPONSIBLE THIS?!!
brings back the hours of memories i wasted on youtube searching for the latest updates of these gems when i'm supposed to be, you know, working. but i am a little disappointed that THIS! IS! SPARTAAAH! replaced KHAAAAAN! i mean, c'mon, man! it's one syllable! it's catchy!
but overall a good list, rob! and welcome back, and THANK YOU FOR SPARING US OF AN FFF!! XD
Rattrap007 said:
No David After Dentist?
Is this real life?
The Yellow Dart said:
so i figure that 90% of this comment section is going to be people naming memes that weren't on the list.
i'll start:
David After Dentist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txqiwrbYGrs
AndyHel said:
I agree on David after dentist. It's recent but that shit was huge and awesome.
But as for classics...no Star Wars kid???
ZADL said:
Um the GI Joe and All Your Base are 00's? I thought those were like 98, 99 - at least that's when I remember seeing them.
'Course I could be wrong.
maachubo replied to ZADL:
I thought that, too. Although "All your base" might be from early 2000, so technically counted as this decade. Although it should be much, much higher on the list. Really, that clip is the reason we have memes now. It made mainstream news long before Leeroy, and it showed up >everywhere
Checked back to my website i used as a blog on AOL in 1999, and it turned out the "All Your Base" thing peaked in February, 1999. here is the link to my old site, where i talked about misc. crap. Mostly my cheating girlfriend and beer.
http://web.archive.org/web/20010517224019/members.aol.com/docdroz/
Also listed is the sites who linked "all your base", and the ones that made it popular.
Monkey boy said:
Uhm number 1 is a meme I barely even heard of. Not that the list isn't good, but I think # 1 veers away from "meme so popular everyone knows about it" to "meme that nerds think is cool". Seeing as how this list is "top memes" I think the top spot should maybe be a tad less obscure.
JayWicky replied to Monkey boy:
Agreed. The rest of the list makes perfect sense to me, but this n°1 is even more obscure than WHOSE RESPONSIBLE THIS is (let's admit it, is WRT that popular out of the Topless Robot readership?). And as AndyHel said, the absence of the Star Wars Kid is perplexing.
Lithroe replied to JayWicky:
I have to say that it's pretty popular. My parents know what it is. At its peak it was on the news three nights in a row.
Anonymous replied to Lithroe:
Pretty popular I'm not questioning, but meme of the decade? # freaking 1? No star wars kid, no chocolate rain, no numa numa song? Consider that weezer did a whole music video devoted to memes, and unless I'm mistaken Leroy Jenkins was not referenced. Not that weezer is a pop culture barometer, but well...actually they kind of are. When a popular band makes a video specifically about memes, they're going to feature the most widesrpead, recognizable ones. Same with the south park episode about memes. I dunno what kind of excruciatingly slow news week would produce 3 days of mentioning Leroy Jenkins, but that pales in comparison to the ridiculous amounts of parodies and pop culture references and water cooler talk devoted to most of the memes on this list (and several that weren't). Charlie bit my finger? The laughing baby? I'm not trying to say this list didn't include a lot of good choices and I'm not trying to make the comment nothing but "what should have been" but Leroy Jenkins at the top spot is a pretty spectacular letdown.
Jacen replied to Anonymous:
Jenkins appeared on a Jeopardy! question whose answer was WoW.
Yeah, Jenkins deserves the spot... but #1? errr.....
CHARLIE! Yayyyyyy Charlie!
Rattrap007 said:
Also forgot "I like Turtles" zombie kid
Dread said:
Wife and I actually watched Downfall a few days ago. Great film.
McRowan said:
I only heard of 4 or 5 of these memes. I think I've failed the internet and should go back to BBS'.
bort said:
Yes Leroy Jenkins may be big online, but the only time I've seen it in "the real world" was Neil Patrick Harris on How I Met You Mother charging into a room shouting BARNAAAAY STIN-SOOON!!!
Pandora's Homeobox replied to bort:
They referenced it on Jeopardy.
Dread replied to Pandora's Homeobox:
And the average Jeopardy! fan absolutely did not get the joke.
Monkey boy replied to Pandora's Homeobox:
They referenced on jeopardy and nobody rang in. Look I know we're all super nerds and we'd love to think your average mainstream d bag has knowledge of what goes on in WoW but the truth is mos non gamer people don't know dick about it beyond those ozzy osbourne and mr t commercials and defintely only gives a shit about Warcraft when a naked chick takes a picture of herself playing it (which happens surprisingly often, by which I mean twice). Referenced on jeopardy does not make it worthy of # 1 meme. Sneezing panda deserves the top spot more.
Asdf replied to Monkey boy:
Actually they referenced it twice on Jeopardy. The second time it was used during the Teen Championships and they were able to answer it correctly: "What is world of warcraft?" under the Video Games category.
WFROSE replied to bort:
Southpark, Mass Effect 1 (the first guy to die when you start playing is named L. Jenkins), Magic: The Gathering,Monsters Vs Aliens (deleted scenes), a Toyota commercial, and Year One all have references to Leeroy Jenkins.
I have doubts about it permeating media more than Rickroll or most assuradly the Dancing Motivational Speaker, but it had a good media saturation beyond the internet.
RobP said:
How much ribbing can a single post on the internet receive, when it's on a site almost dedicated to internet memes, and said post is about the TOP internet memes of the last decade? The math here is beyond me, suffice to say, it could to be exponentially infinite. But, surely, someone can figure out the quantum dynamics before this thing goes nuclear. Or, something.
Also: LEEEEE-ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOY JENKINS!
miggles said:
Chocolate Rain? Leave Britney Alone? Hmm.
RobP said:
Oh, and I'd never heard of Charlie the Unicorn before, but clearly, my life was incomplete until this moment. Thank you, Topless Robot, and gods bless us, everyone.
Goob said:
Where is the Juggernaut bitch?
Gareth replied to Goob:
That's two for The Juggernaut Bitch. I think my friends finally stopped quoting it like a year ago.
"This is a Dodge!"
Dirtiest D replied to Gareth:
Thirded.
Arcane replied to Gareth:
I was impressed that "Juggernaut Bitch" got a reference in an actual X-Men movie. Unfortunately it was X3.
Zorpheus said:
Don't taze me, bro!
Kurono K said:
This list... Kind of fails. Seriously? Leeroy Jenkins? Meme of the Decade? Ehhh... Rickroll has caused the most damage and everyone knows it.
capybara said:
It's not a chipmunk or a groundhog, it's a prairie dog. Know your rodents, people!
klinteastwood said:
never heard of that leroy jenkins video before...oh man thats funny
Morgenstern said:
uhm Hitler was not played by a German, but by a Swiss in the Downfall (Bruno Ganz). Also Hitler had been portrayed by German Actors several times before the movie was made (Heinz Schubert for example).
Dread replied to Morgenstern:
That's true. Ganz was born in Zürich.
B.C. Cakes said:
Charlie bit my finger!
Church said:
As noted above, AYBBTU predates the decade.
Play this list off, Keyboard Cat.
mr hyz replied to Church:
My favorite, keyboard cat, was not on this list. WWWWWWWRRRRRRYYYYYYYYY???? It even got the Colbert Bump. I think a readers favorite list is in order, because this is severely lacking in win.
yIntagh said:
What about Old Gregg?
What about "I'm Rick James,B****!"?
=O
Charlie said:
Hi, my name is Charlie and number 7 on your list has ruined my life. Thank you for once again reminding all of my friends how much they like to torture me.
Best list ever by the way.
Post said:
this most be a hard list to make, as there are over 9000 memes
Teddy said:
I'd never actually seen #10 before (and a few of the others too). But it's actually a reference to a raid fight in Everquest 2. The enemy (a kind of panda/racoon) continuously calls for "Badger" "Mushroom" or "Snake" during the fight. Each of which has an effect (Snake being the most dangerous one, hence the "Argh" in the video). Not sure if anyone knew that.
chudleycannonfodder replied to Teddy:
Actually, Everquest 2 is referencing the meme. The meme came out years before Everquest 2.
demoncat said:
i am suprirsed rick rolled was not number one considering how Leroy Jenkins is now dated. plus Rick ashley has been using that thing to keep his career living again. and the joe psa's should have been higher since they up the chessiness of the orignals and make them better. and no star wars lightsaber kid surprise it got left off the list.
Eye-Roller Lass said:
I guess Tunak Tunak Tun wasn't as big in the US as I thought.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bAN7Ts0xBo
(sorry about the earworm!)
MattK said:
Surely Hitler Meme combined with WHOSE RESPONSIBLE THIS is the meme of the decade...if not the century...or even the millenium?!
Oh heck, of all time! ;)
Poopenshaft said:
Don't taze me bro and juggernaut bitch both should have made the list. Or at leasyt honorable mentions. Otherwise, awesome.
Yakub Shabazz said:
Count me as another who is not familiar with half of these. But seriously, you're missing the true number one that everyone knows but no one likes to think about: 2 Girls 1 Cup. And then, yes, Rick Rolled deserves the second spot. Beyond that, many people above listed much better known and widespread memes (particularly David After The Dentist, which became incredibly well known after it became a source of controversy) than are present on this list.
My own personal favorite, though certainly not deserving of this list? "Cat, I'm a kitty cat, and I meow meow meow..."
DoctorSmashy said:
Dude - Two Girls, One Cup? Laughing Baby? Sneezing Panda? Charlie Bit My Finger? WAAAAY more infamous than Charlie the Unicorn.
DoctorSmashy replied to DoctorSmashy:
Nice nostalgic list all the same, though. Memes have actually been a pretty important part of the 'noughties', which I guess says a lot about this generation.
FuryOfFirestorm said:
No "leekspin" or it's perverted cousin, "meatspin"?
FuryOfFirestorm said:
What? What? No, "What, what, in the butt?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbGkxcY7YFU
Even South Park made a parody of it!
NameofRain said:
LOL! Rickroll'd!
Dan B said:
"Play Him Off Keyboard Cat" didn't make the list?! Damn shame.
The Man With Two Brains said:
Quit your bitching! These are the 10 BIGGEST memes, it's not supposed to be your favorites, and there's no denying that these are the ones with the biggest mainstream recognition!
Jeez! Remember that more people than us nerds use the internet!!!
To be fair, though, Keyboard Cat, Chocolate Rain, and the Numa Numa Dance probably should've been in there and this list expanded to a Top 15 or Top 20 to accomidate that.
Nrp said:
SALAD FINGERS!!!!!???????
FireKraken said:
I don't know if these count for this list because there aren't popular vids for them but Goatse, Lemon Party, the De-Motivation Posters, and most importantly LOLCATS deserve a mention at the very least.
Cdaja said:
I'm with the people crying out for at least the Numa Numa dance.
There were very few of these I hadn't seen before...fond (and not so fond) memories. I think Rick Roll should have made the #1 spot. Is there anything more infamous than the Rick Roll?
I only very recently discovered the Hitler Downfall one... Were some of these really that deserving for the top meme spots?
Scortia said:
I'm thinking back to lots of older stuff. Peanut Butter Jelly Time was pretty big... same with Banana Phone.
This flash of Banana Phone sort of exemplifies how annoying a meme can get after you hear it forever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ4j-MBnLQo
Mullon said:
2005!? Really!?
chudleycannonfodder said:
Actually, Germans had played Hitler on film before Downfall. Downfall was impressive because it was taboo to have Hitler as the lead character in a German film.
steve said:
never heard the leeroy jenkins b4 today and i still cant stop laughing nice list!
Nepheliad said:
No Numa Numa makes this list a bit suck. I mean really, I heard that shit remixed in a small Chinese clothing store. In CHINA. Along with seeing the damn clip on a tour bus - in KARAOKE form.
It doesn't have to be first, but Leeroy Jenkins didn't go global - hell, most of these didn't. Numa Numa, though, absolutely did.
HAHA GUY said:
WHEREZ HAHA GUY?!
Counterattack said:
I'm starting to think that you might save yourself some massive criticism if you just stop numbering your lists and say, "In no particular order."
RockYHORRor said:
NINTENDO SIXTYPHOOOAAARRRR!!
I like the list coz i didn't know some of em!
ChrisD said:
I know it cliche to list popular memes not on the list but honestly....no NUMA NUMA? That has to be the biggest one of the decade: and what about the Pork and Beans video, which encapsulates most of the good ones nicely?
JosephFM said:
A bit more obscure but my personal favorite is the Light Eats a Potato Chip meme that came from the overacting in the English dub of the anime Death Note.
BoredLizzie replied to JosephFM:
While your talking Death Note memes, don't forget Swimming Lessons!
