South Africa, here’s what Twitter finds most annoying about you

It's Monday. But instead of throwing that alarm clock out of the window and cowering beneath the covers, why not take some time to bitch about how short the weekend was? And...

fikile mbalula memes south africa twitter

Why don’t South Africans create their own GIFs for memes?

Citizens of South Africa are no strangers to creating their own memes...

Here’s a hot dog meme compilation so that we can finally let him die

I could write a think piece on the Hot Dog meme that's...

History of Japan’s Bill Wurtz creates ‘Steve’ and a viral video

Bill Wurtz has a notoriously surreal internet presence, from his "History of"...

Girl photoshops Ryan Reynolds into prom photos and a meme is born

Gabi Dunn broke up with her boyfriend a few days after prom,...

#MissSAChallenge: gloves, hygiene and angry tweets flood SA Twitter
By Andy Walker: Editor on 6 July, 2017
Yesterday Miss South Africa Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters was in Soweto serving soup and bread rolls to kids. Today, it's one of Twitter's top trending topics. Why? Three words: gloves, hygiene and #MissSAChallenge. On Wednesday afternoon, this tweet published by the official Miss South Africa Twitter account became viral. We're helping @TheMaslowHotel with the #MaslowSoupKitchen here at Ikageng in Soweto. pic.twitter.com/eM25SPl0tS — Miss South Africa (@Official_MissSA) July 5, 2017 Noticeably, Nel-Peters is wearing gloves in these pictures. And Twitter wanted to know why. Some users gave their opinions. Why are you wearing gloves? Scared of catching the Black or?? — Rosalia (@MsZondi06) July 5, 2017 What's unhygienic about touching black...
Twitter memes girl who cleaned Donald Trump’s Hollywood star
By Julia Breakey on 4 July, 2017
When Makenna from Wyoming visited California, she made sure to stop by US President Donald Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to clean and polish it. The star was filled with scribbles, and Makenna didn't approve. She had her friend take pictures of her while she cleaned it, and posted them to Twitter claiming she was "#RaisedRight." Stopped to clean @realDonaldTrump Hollywood Star. Nothing but respect for MY President. #RaisedRight pic.twitter.com/jL4sqx4rlh — Makenna (@makenna_mg) June 28, 2017 "Nothing but respect for MY president," she wrote. Naturally, the tweet picked up traction. The first to respond was Alexa, who posted a picture of herself after...
Happy birthday to the GIF: 30 iconic GIFs for 30 years
By Julia Breakey on 15 June, 2017
It's difficult to imagine a world of communication without the wonder of GIFs, but that's how people had to live just 30 years ago. Today, 15 June, is the 30th birthday of the GIF and we thought it an apt time to pool together some of the most iconic looped images in celebration. It's party time. Dancing Banana Dancing banana came from web classic Peanut Butter Jelly Time and we owe so much of "random xD" culture to it. A blessing and a curse, but today we love you, banana. Perfectly looped rap battle This beautiful GIF feels like its been around since the world's existence, but somehow...
One year on, Cincinnati Zoo still hated by the internet for Harambe’s death
By Andy Walker: Editor on 29 May, 2017
It's been one whole year without Harambe, internet. Sunday marked 365 days since the silverback gorilla was shot at the Cincinnati Zoo after a four-year-old fell into its enclosure. The incident has become an iconic moment in pop culture, drawing criticism from both sides of the argument. While some blame the child's parents, others believe it was right to shoot the gorilla. A swathe of others believed that the Zoo should bear the brunt of the legal charges. But the internet doesn't forget, especially when Harambe is the topic of conversation. One Year Ago Today: We lost a great one. RIP Harambe pic.twitter.com/loTqPM2VGO — Gentleman's...
Donald Trump and the Western Wall star in an unlikely Twitter meme
By Andy Walker: Editor on 23 May, 2017
Donald Trump staring longingly into the Western Wall might just be the meme 2017 needs. On his state trip to Israel this week, the president of the United States visited the sacred Jewish site along with daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner. But while it should've been a moment of reverence, Twitter just couldn't help but turn it into an ironic meme. Because, you know, Trump's obsession with walls. "'Who paid for you?" he whispered. But the old wall keeps her secrets," the viral tweet read, posted on Monday. "Who paid for you?" he whispered. But the old wall keeps her secrets. pic.twitter.com/xplQhXvzQ3 —...
Shiba Inus borking at fidget spinners is YouTube’s next viral craze
By Andy Walker: Editor on 23 May, 2017
Although we've seen some pretty incredible things done with fidget spinners, some people still believe they're a waste of time, and potentially deadly. It seems that Banana, a lovable but derpy Shiba Inu has just joined the latter camp. A clip of the fluff ball and his human went viral this week after YouTube channel ShibeNation republished it. That version of the clip has over 730 000 views, and 21 000 likes. And it's easy to see why. Not sure whether to bork at it loudly or destroy it with his bare teeth, Banana has a mild internal conflict between his natural...
Katy Perry’s ‘Backpack Kid’ swishes his way into SNL history
By Andy Walker: Editor on 22 May, 2017
Sit down, Katy Perry. Clearly the people came to see the Backpack Kid. Performing at SNL this past weekend, the pop star whipped out her latest and catchiest single of 2017 dubbed Swish Swish. And while her vocal performance was solid, there's one particular area in which she was upstaged. Ladies and gentlemen, @katyperry performing #SwishSwish live in Studio 8H! 🎶 https://t.co/opaqgz9jaF #SNLFinale pic.twitter.com/pyztFyOxka — Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) May 21, 2017 First spotted by Rihanna late last year, 15-year-old Russell Horning took to the stage at the end of the performance and "flossed" his way into SNL folklore. Now, it's not exactly unusual...
#BowWowChallenge: you just can’t fool the internet, even if you’re Bow Wow
By Andy Walker: Editor on 11 May, 2017
Social media challenges are seemingly a genre of memes unto their own, but throw hip-hop artist Bow Wow into the mix, and you have yourself a viral fad. Posting a flashy Instagram snap to his timeline this week, the rapper whose real name is Shad Moss, seemingly lined up a charter flight on a jet, fit with Maybach in tow for a trip to New York. "Travel day. NYC press run for Growing Up Hip Hop. Lets gooo. I promise to bring yall the hottest show EVER," he writes on the post. But that was all just an illusion of reality. Travel day....
A tweet about chicken nuggets just broke Twitter’s all-time retweet record
By Andy Walker: Editor on 10 May, 2017
It's not often Twitter users see more than 1000 retweets for a single tweet, let alone 3.5-million, but that's what internet famous nugget-loving teenager Carter Wilkerson achieved this week. Ousting previous record holder Ellen DeGeneres for posting the most retweeted tweet of all time, Wilkerson has single-handedly turned the humble chicken nugget into a meme. HELP ME PLEASE. A MAN NEEDS HIS NUGGS pic.twitter.com/4SrfHmEMo3 — Carter Wilkerson (@carterjwm) April 6, 2017 In total, his tweet now boasts over 3.5-million retweets, compared that 2014 Oscar selfie with 3.4-million retweets. While he's still nowhere near that 18-million retweet milestone Wendy's set for "a year of free...
9GAG buries the ‘memeist’ monument ever made to confuse future humans
By Andy Walker: Editor on 3 May, 2017
Memes, by their very nature, don't last forever on the wide expanse of the internet or popular culture... but they could last a rather long time. That is, if you etch them on a stone monolith and bury them deep beneath the earth. That's exactly what meme aggregator and humour site 9GAG did to celebrate its seventh birthday. When the future generations find it, they will know humans were really funny. #FunLegacy #9GAG Discover the full story on our app (link in bio) A post shared by 9GAG: Go Fun Yourself (@9gag) on May 2, 2017 at 7:46am PDT The site asked its...
Thanks to Merriam-Webster, you can now officially call Apple fans ‘sheeple’
By Andy Walker: Editor on 2 May, 2017
You might've used the word sheeple to describe a certain population of buyers who regularly indulge in the likes of the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. You might've been ridiculed for doing just that too. But thankfully, Merriam-Webster now gives you license to call Apple fanboys "sheeple". Wake up! 'Sheeple' is in the dictionary now. https://t.co/pbXVADEoBm — Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) April 27, 2017 The near two-century-old company added the term to its online dictionary this weekend, defined as "people who are docile, compliant, or easily influenced" or "likened to sheep". But it's the example the company gives is what's really setting tongues a-wagging. Quoting CNN journalist...
These awful social media trends show that humans are just the worst
By Megan Ellis on 25 April, 2017
There are always those social media trends that make you roll your eyes and wonder what the internet has come to, but then there are others that take it a step further and make you doubt your faith in humanity. Whether they are trends that are incomprehensibly insensitive and morbid, or ones that are actually physically dangerous, social media has no shortage of either. We take a look at some of the worst social media trends, fads and memes to invade our screens. #DeadPose The dead pose trend is the most recent of those included in this list -- and is also...
In Loving Memeory: Afro Circus
By Julia Breakey on 18 April, 2017
In Loving Memeory is a series that pays tribute to memes that are no longer with us. They may be gone, but they should never be forgotten. Back in 2012, I met my best friend. We didn't stay friends for long. Some could even say it was only a day. But true friendships aren't about time. They're about impact, they're about feelings. And Afro Circus, you made me feel more than anyone else. Our love began when I was 16, scrolling Tumblr late at night like every other socially awkward teen. Someone I followed had reblogged an audio post, declaring the track Carly Rae...
Remembering failures: 5 memes that companies wish didn’t exist
By Larry Alton on 12 April, 2017
Sometimes technology just goes wrong. These are many, many epic failures in the tech industry. It could be said that an epic fail happen every day in the Silicon Valley and around the world. As Thomas Edison famously said before inventing the light bulb, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Learning from mistakes is a critical step in moving forward and creating great products. But first, you have to get over your wounded pride. When things go wrong, what could be a better solution than to laugh? While that might not be easy for Pepsi or...
#ZumaMustGoChallenge: South Africa’s newest dance mocks protesting grannies
By Julia Breakey on 11 April, 2017
South Africa has a rich history of struggle songs, with the likes of Siyaya, iYoh Solomon and Senzeni Na uniting protesters for decades. So when three white grannies tried to create their own, they should have realised the ridicule they'd be subjecting themselves to. Thus, the #ZumaMustGoChallenge was born. On 7 April, tens of thousands of South Africans took to the streets to protest President Jacob Zuma. But it's well known that South Africans know how to make light of a tense situation, and when journalist Mamaponya Motsai uploaded the video of three white grannies singing their own creation, she gave Twitter just...