# Big Chungus > Big Chungus is a 2018 absurdist image-macro meme featuring an overweight Bugs Bunny from the 1941 cartoon Wabbit Twouble, typically presented as a fake PlayStation 4 game cover. Big Chungus is a meme built around a screenshot of an overweight Bugs Bunny from the 1941 cartoon *Wabbit Twouble*, typically presented as a fake PlayStation 4 game cover. The meme went viral in December 2018 after a GameStop employee shared a story about a customer trying to buy the nonexistent game. It became one of the defining absurdist memes of late 2018 and eventually received official recognition from Warner Bros. ## Origin The image of the bloated Bugs Bunny comes from *Wabbit Twouble*, a Merrie Melodies cartoon that first aired on December 20, 1941[4]. In the short, Bugs is imitating Elmer Fudd, who was drawn much heavier than his usual design. The word "chungus" predates the meme by several years. Jim Sterling, an English video game journalist, reportedly started using the word around 2012 as a flexible nonsense term[5]. On December 26, 2012, an Urban Dictionary user defined "Chungus" as "meaning anything and everything, including but not limited to a chunky anus"[8]. The fat Bugs Bunny screenshot first appeared on 4chan's /lit/ board on May 27, 2017, posted by an anonymous user[3]. More posts followed on /lit/ and other boards throughout that year. On July 21, 2017, a screencap of one of these 4chan threads was posted to Reddit's r/4Chan. The very first use of the phrase "Big Chungus" actually appeared on Tumblr on November 19, 2016, when user gayreinhardt (now logarto) posted screenshots from Second Life featuring a character named BigChungus[3]. According to logarto, the name was inspired by Tumblr shitposting trends and nonsense words like "scringus" floating around at the time. They tried to register "big chungo" as their Second Life username, but it was taken, so they went with "bigchungus" instead[3]. The meme as we know it today was created by Reddit user GaryTheTaco, who first paired the fat Bugs Bunny image with the "Big Chungus" caption on March 20, 2018[6]. The image was designed to look like a PS4 game cover. GaryTheTaco didn't post it publicly until December 1, 2018, when it appeared on r/comedyheaven[3]. - **Platform:** Internet - **Creator:** Internet community (based on Bugs Bunny) - **Date:** 2018 ## Overview The meme centers on a single frame from a Merrie Melodies short where Bugs Bunny puffs himself up to mock a notably portly version of Elmer Fudd[4]. The screenshot shows Bugs with a round, bloated body, and the humor comes from pairing this ridiculous image with the made-up word "chungus" and presenting it as a legitimate video game. The fake PS4 cover format is the most iconic version, but the meme spread into countless edits, remixes, and ironic fan content[5]. The word "chungus" itself carries no fixed meaning. It was coined by video game journalist Jim Sterling as a nonsense term used in various contexts[5]. When combined with the fat Bugs Bunny image, it created a perfect storm of absurdist comedy that appealed to Reddit's irony-soaked meme culture. ## How It Spread The meme exploded in December 2018 through a perfect chain of events. On December 7, 2018, GameStop store manager Justin Laufer posted on Facebook about a customer who came in asking to buy a game called "Big Chungus" for PS4[6]. The next day, Twitter user @fluffypkmn shared a screenshot of Laufer's post, and the tweet racked up over 13,800 retweets in two weeks[3]. On December 10, a related meme hit r/me_irl and pulled in over 7,900 upvotes[3]. Three days later, one of the GameStop screenshots was posted to r/comedyheaven, where it earned 13,100 upvotes within a week. Between December 12 and 17, GaryTheTaco posted Big Chungus "sequels" as fake game covers to the same subreddit[3]. The meme tore through r/dankmemes, r/sbubby, and other subreddits, with users editing the chubby Bugs Bunny onto covers of popular games and creating endless variations[3]. The r/BigChungus subreddit, which had been created on September 16, 2018, by user youarepepemangay with no connection to the meme, suddenly found its purpose[3]. In January 2019, the meme crossed over with the Karen meme when someone created a Facebook profile for "Karen Chungus," combining anti-vaccination jokes with the Big Chungus format[3]. By mid-2019, Big Chungus had entered its ironic and post-ironic phase. The meme regained popularity on iFunny and certain Reddit communities, often appearing in "Reddit Moment" memes that made fun of Reddit's own meme culture[3]. The word "chungus" also started being used more broadly as slang for anything adorably chunky, similar to "chonky" in Doggo Lingo[5]. On October 8, 2019, the official U.S. Army Instagram account shared an image featuring howitzer art that included a Big Chungus reference, proving the meme had reached far beyond its internet origins[3]. ## How to Use The classic Big Chungus format involves placing the fat Bugs Bunny image on a fake PS4 (or other console) game cover. To make your own: 1. Grab the screenshot of bloated Bugs Bunny from *Wabbit Twouble*. 2. Drop it onto a PlayStation game cover template. 3. Add "Big Chungus" as the game title. Bonus points for sequel numbers or absurd subtitles. 4. Present it as if it's a real, purchasable game. ## Cultural Impact Big Chungus crossed from internet joke to official media when Warner Bros. included the character in *Space Jam: A New Legacy* (2021) and as a playable hero in *Looney Tunes World of Mayhem*[6]. Warner Bros. went further in August 2022, filing a formal trademark for "Big Chungus" with the EU Intellectual Property Office, covering use across multiple mediums including video games[7]. The U.S. Army's official Instagram featured a Big Chungus reference in October 2019, marking one of the more unexpected institutional adoptions of a meme[3]. The meme also left a linguistic mark. "Chungus" spread beyond the Bugs Bunny image to become general internet slang for anything adorably oversized, sitting alongside terms like "chonky" in the Doggo Lingo vocabulary[5]. ## Fun Facts - The Bugs Bunny screenshot is from a 1941 cartoon, making the source material over 80 years old when the meme went viral[4]. - GaryTheTaco created the original PS4 cover in March 2018 but didn't share it publicly until December, missing months of potential virality[3]. - The first ever use of "Big Chungus" as a name was on Tumblr in 2016 for a Second Life character, with zero connection to Bugs Bunny. The user wanted "big chungo" but it was already taken[3]. - Jim Sterling, who coined "chungus," tweeted in December 2018: "As the coiner of Chungus, it's weird seeing it pop up independently. I feel like my small business has been squeezed out by Big Chungus"[5]. - The r/BigChungus subreddit was created in September 2018 before the meme was even popular. It had nothing to do with the Bugs Bunny meme until December[3]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Big Chungus? Big Chungus is a meme featuring a fat, oversized version of Bugs Bunny, used for absurdist humor about size and overindulgence. ### What does Big Chungus mean? Big Chungus features an absurdly exaggerated, oversized version of Bugs Bunny. The meme celebrates the character's proportions in humorous ways. ### Where did Big Chungus come from? Big Chungus originated on Internet around 2018. Big Chungus emerged from web culture's fascination with oversized characters and absurdist humor. ### How do you use Big Chungus? Use Big Chungus for absurdist humor about size, overindulgence, or the character itself. The format works best ironically, celebrating the exaggerated proportions. ### Is Big Chungus still popular in 2026? Big Chungus has slowed down from its peak but still gets shared occasionally. Meme trends come and go in waves. ### Who created Big Chungus? Internet community (based on Bugs Bunny) created Big Chungus. Big Chungus emerged from web culture's fascination with oversized characters and absurdist humor. The Bugs Bunny character was reimagined with exaggerated proportions, creating instantly memetic content. ### When did Big Chungus start? Big Chungus first appeared around 2018 on Internet. Big Chungus emerged from web culture's fascination with oversized characters and absurdist humor. The Bugs Bunny character was reimagined with exaggerated proportions, creating instantly memetic content. ### What platform did Big Chungus originate on? Big Chungus originated on Internet around 2018. Big Chungus features an absurdly exaggerated, oversized version of Bugs Bunny. ### What are the best examples of Big Chungus? The best examples of Big Chungus showcase its core format at its most effective. Notable variations include Similar oversized character memes, Variations with different characters in exaggerated proportions, Self-aware Big Chungus memes acknowledging the meme's decline. ### What memes are similar to Big Chungus? Memes similar to Big Chungus include Deep Fried Memes, Surgery On A Grape, Baby Yoda, Ohio Meme. These share a similar format, humor style, or cultural context. ### Is Big Chungus dead? Big Chungus has slowed down from its peak popularity, but it still gets used occasionally. Older memes tend to resurface in waves. ### Has Big Chungus been used by celebrities or brands? Various brands and public figures have referenced Big Chungus in their social media and marketing. Memes with broad recognition like this one often get picked up for commercial use. ### Can I buy Big Chungus merchandise? Yes, Big Chungus merchandise is available on platforms like Redbubble, Amazon, and Etsy. You can find t shirts, stickers, mugs, phone cases, and other items featuring the meme. ### Where can I find the Big Chungus template? Templates and references for Big Chungus are available on sites like Imgflip and Know Your Meme. Search for the meme name to find usable versions. ### How do I make my own Big Chungus? Use Big Chungus for absurdist humor about size, overindulgence, or the character itself. The format works best ironically, celebrating the exaggerated proportions. ### Did Big Chungus inspire any other memes? Yes, Big Chungus inspired several variations and spinoffs, including Similar oversized character memes, Variations with different characters in exaggerated proportions, Self-aware Big Chungus memes acknowledging the meme's decline. ### Is Big Chungus copyrighted? Most memes exist in a legal gray area. The original image or video may have copyright protection, but meme formats are generally treated as fair use. That said, this is not legal advice. ## References 1. [Chungus]() 2. [Big Chungus - Urban Dictionary]() 3. [Big Chungus - Know Your Meme]() 4. [Wabbit Twouble (Short 1941) - IMDb]() 5. [Chungus | Slang | Dictionary.com]() 6. [Big Chungus Meme — Origin, Meaning, History | MemesGuy]() 7. [Why MultiVersus Fans Think This Infamous Looney Tunes Meme Is Being Added]() 8. [Urban Dictionary: Chungus]() 9. [Picture memes VfufoXnN4 by bigchungus_2016: 228 comments - iFunny]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/big-chungus Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library