# Ajit Pai

Ajit Pai memes mock the former FCC Chairman who led the December 2017 repeal of Obama-era net neutrality rules. The backlash produced viral clips of Pai dancing the Harlem Shake in a Santa hat and eating popcorn in front of a green screen, spreading across Reddit and Twitter through late 2017 and 2018.

## Overview
Ajit Pai memes are mocking images and video edits targeting the former Chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, who pushed through the December 2017 repeal of Obama-era net neutrality rules[3]. The backlash turned Pai into a lightning rod for meme-based political mockery on Twitter and Reddit through late 2017 and 2018[2].

Recurring elements include a green-screen clip of Pai eating popcorn and a Santa-hat Harlem Shake video published just before the FCC vote[1]. Remixers layered the popcorn footage with music, Droste effect loops, and captions blaming Pai for killing the open internet[4].

## How It Spread
On December 17th, 2017, Redditor Markmeoffended posted a green-screen video of Pai eating popcorn to /r/MemeEconomy, where it pulled more than 34,900 points and 560 comments within 24 hours[4]. The same user replied to their own thread with a Droste effect edit that looped the clip inside itself[4].

Attacks picked up again in May 2018 after the U.S. Senate voted to overturn the FCC repeal. Twitter user @SkurpsSLP called May 16th 'Everybody give Ajit Pai the middle finger' Day, and photos of raised middle fingers spread with the tag[5]. On May 17th, The Daily Dot ran an article titled 'Internet mocks Ajit Pai after Senate net neutrality victory' covering the wave of online jokes[2].

## How to Use
The typical Ajit Pai edit takes the green-screen popcorn clip[4] or the Daily Caller Harlem Shake video[1] and swaps in new backgrounds, subtitles, or music tied to a fresh grievance. Captions often frame Pai as smug about a policy decision that hurts ordinary internet users[2].

## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is Ajit Pai?
Ajit Pai is the former FCC Chairman who became a meme after leading the December 2017 repeal of net neutrality[3].

### Where did Ajit Pai come from?
The mockery kicked off with a December 13th, 2017 Daily Caller video showing Pai doing the Harlem Shake in a Santa hat[1].

### What does Ajit Pai mean?
As a meme, his name and face signal internet anger at telecom-friendly policy and the loss of net neutrality[2].

### How do you use Ajit Pai?
People remix the green-screen popcorn video or the Harlem Shake clip with new captions about internet regulation complaints[4].

### Is Ajit Pai still popular?
The meme peaked around the December 2017 FCC vote and the May 2018 Senate response, and faded once net neutrality dropped from the news cycle[2].

## References
1. [https://dailycaller.com/](<https://dailycaller.com/>)
2. [https://www.dailydot.com/](<https://www.dailydot.com/>)
3. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/people/ajit-pai](<https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/people/ajit-pai>)
4. [https://www.reddit.com/r/MemeEconomy/](<https://www.reddit.com/r/MemeEconomy/>)
5. [https://twitter.com/SkurpsSLP](<https://twitter.com/SkurpsSLP>)
6. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBt84HNAGwU](<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBt84HNAGwU>)

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Source: https://meme.com/memes/ajit-pai
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