Anti Memes are image macros captioned with anti-jokes and meta humor that mock other internet memes, often by removing the punchline or replacing it with something flat and literal[3].

Where did Anti Memes come from?

The webcomic Big Fat Whale published a strip called 'Internet Anti-Memes & Non-Sensations' on January 30th, 2009, and the /r/antimeme subreddit launched on February 8th, 2012[1][4].

What does Anti Memes mean?

Urban Dictionary defines an anti-meme as 'a meme of which the joke is that there is no joke,' with the humor coming from subverting what viewers expect from a familiar template[3].

How do you use Anti Memes?

Take a recognizable meme template like Evil Kermit or This Is Fine and swap the punchline for a literal, sincere, or unrelated line, as Redditors jayjenks and Dr-Dangerous did in November 2016[6][7].

Is Anti Memes still popular?

The format hit peak attention with BuzzFeed's January 2017 listicle and the /r/MemeEconomy 'Sell!' post, and /r/antimeme is still active as a home for the style years later[2][8].

Anti Memes

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Published August 15, 2026

Anti-memes are image macros built around anti-jokes and meta humor that mock the conventions of other internet memes3. The concept was named in a 2009 Big Fat Whale webcomic and hit peak Reddit and BuzzFeed attention in late 2016 and early 20171 2.

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Overview

Anti Memes are image macros built around anti-jokes and meta humor that make fun of the conventions of other internet memes3. Instead of delivering a punchline, an anti-meme either strips the joke out entirely, explains the setup in the most literal way possible, or replaces a familiar meme template with a mundane, sincere, or completely unrelated caption6. The format shares DNA with Wholesome Memes and Reverse Memes, playing with reader expectations rather than trying to land a traditional gag.

Typical examples take a widely recognized template like Evil Kermit, This Is Fine or Bae Come Over and flatten the joke into something a real person might actually say in that situation7. Urban Dictionary sums up the appeal bluntly, defining an anti-meme as 'a meme of which the joke is that there is no joke'3. Many entries lean on MS Paint aesthetics and low-effort visuals as part of the bit.

Origin & Background

Platform

Big Fat Whale webcomic (2009 concept); Reddit / Imgur (2016 viral spread)

Creator

Big Fat Whale; format later community-driven on Reddit

Date

2009

The term traces back to January 30th, 2009, when the webcomic Big Fat Whale published a strip titled 'Internet Anti-Memes & Non-Sensations,' illustrating absurd and unlikely internet trends that would never actually catch on1. The comic predated the format's own viral moment by roughly seven years.

On February 8th, 2012, Reddit users launched /r/antimeme, giving the concept a dedicated subreddit that collected posts deliberately failing at being memes4.

How It Spread

On September 25th, 2016, the @memearchive Twitter account posted an image macro stitching together Bae Come Over, The Barber, Nut Button and Doggo into one incoherent joke, an early viral anti-meme3. About six weeks later, on November 6th, Imgur user TheRealOle uploaded a gallery titled 'A little bit of anti-memes'3.

The format broke into wider Reddit awareness on November 21st, 2016, when JarJarsMyHero posted 'Anti Memes are Skyrocketing! Buy Now!' to /r/MemeEconomy, pulling in over 4,600 points at 92% upvoted within a month5. The next day, Redditor jayjenks dropped an MS Paint style Evil Kermit edit captioned with a flat anti-joke about the format itself, hitting more than 3,200 points on /r/me_irl over two months6. On November 30th, Dr-Dangerous posted a This Is Fine edit where the dog just says 'This is a cup of coffee' to /r/me_irl7.

Mainstream pickup arrived on January 3rd, 2017, when BuzzFeed published a listicle titled '19 Anti-Memes For People Who Have Evolved Past Memes'2. The following day, Redditor mfkdso posted 'BuzzFeed has picked up Anti-Memes. Sell!' to /r/MemeEconomy, gathering more than 3,500 points at 95% upvoted and over 100 comments in 24 hours8.

How to Use This Meme

To make an anti-meme, start with a widely recognized template such as Evil Kermit, This Is Fine, or Bae Come Over6. Swap the expected punchline for something literal, sincere, boring, or wildly off-topic, letting the gap between the setup and the payoff carry the humor. Common conventions include MS Paint-tier art, over-explaining the joke, or having the character say something a normal person would actually say in that situation7.

Frequently Asked Questions

References (8)