Bill Cosby

2004image macrodeclining

The Bill Cosby meme is a decades-spanning cluster of image macros, YTMND remixes, and catchphrases built around the comedian, starting in 2004 with audio loops of his slurred delivery. After sexual assault allegations resurfaced in 2014 and Cosby was convicted in 2018, most online jokes pivoted to reference the crimes.

scandal memesytmnd memesbackfire memesdark humor memesearly internet memes

Overview

The Bill Cosby meme is a loose collection of image macros, remix pages, and catchphrases built around comedian Bill Cosby, best known for the 1980s sitcom The Cosby Show and Jell-O pudding commercials3. Early jokes focused on his exaggerated cadence and Coogi sweater aesthetic, with YTMND sites looping clips of him mumbling over Pokémon graphics and other absurd visuals2.

After sexual assault allegations against Cosby drew renewed attention in 2014 and he was convicted in April 2018 of drugging and assaulting Andrea Constand, the tone of most Cosby content turned darker1. Urban Dictionary entries defined the verb "to Bill Cosby" as slang for spiking a drink5. Cosby's own attempts to court the meme audience through his verified accounts backfired repeatedly.

How It Spread

Cosby content moved off YTMND in the late 2000s. On July 27th, 2009, Cosby's official Facebook page launched, and his @BillCosby Twitter account debuted the same month3. In June 2011, he opened the TheOfficialBillCosby YouTube channel, which pulled over two million views in four years3. On November 10th, 2014, Cosby posted a photo of himself and invited Twitter users to caption it using the hashtag #CosbyMeme, which immediately filled with jokes about the assault allegations already dominating headlines that year3.

The tone hardened after his April 2018 conviction. On Father's Day 2019, an account operated by his spokesman Andrew Wyatt posted a message from prison calling Cosby "America's Dad"1. Users piled on with reaction GIFs and jokes about him being incarcerated at the time, and one reply from @KayleighShae reading "45k views and only 378 likes. I think it's safe to say America fired you, pops" summed up the mood1.

How to Use This Meme

Cosby jokes typically pair a wholesome sitcom-era image of the comedian (Coogi sweater, pudding cup, "Hey Hey Hey" catchphrase) with a caption referencing the assault cases. YTMND-style audio remixes still float around that loop his delivery of "Let's get high and have fun" over unrelated visuals2.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bill Cosby

2004image macrodeclining

The Bill Cosby meme is a decades-spanning cluster of image macros, YTMND remixes, and catchphrases built around the comedian, starting in 2004 with audio loops of his slurred delivery. After sexual assault allegations resurfaced in 2014 and Cosby was convicted in 2018, most online jokes pivoted to reference the crimes.

scandal memes ytmnd memes backfire memes dark humor memes early internet memes

Overview

The Bill Cosby meme is a loose collection of image macros, remix pages, and catchphrases built around comedian Bill Cosby, best known for the 1980s sitcom The Cosby Show and Jell-O pudding commercials3. Early jokes focused on his exaggerated cadence and Coogi sweater aesthetic, with YTMND sites looping clips of him mumbling over Pokémon graphics and other absurd visuals2.

After sexual assault allegations against Cosby drew renewed attention in 2014 and he was convicted in April 2018 of drugging and assaulting Andrea Constand, the tone of most Cosby content turned darker1. Urban Dictionary entries defined the verb "to Bill Cosby" as slang for spiking a drink5. Cosby's own attempts to court the meme audience through his verified accounts backfired repeatedly.

How It Spread

Cosby content moved off YTMND in the late 2000s. On July 27th, 2009, Cosby's official Facebook page launched, and his @BillCosby Twitter account debuted the same month3. In June 2011, he opened the TheOfficialBillCosby YouTube channel, which pulled over two million views in four years3. On November 10th, 2014, Cosby posted a photo of himself and invited Twitter users to caption it using the hashtag #CosbyMeme, which immediately filled with jokes about the assault allegations already dominating headlines that year3.

The tone hardened after his April 2018 conviction. On Father's Day 2019, an account operated by his spokesman Andrew Wyatt posted a message from prison calling Cosby "America's Dad"1. Users piled on with reaction GIFs and jokes about him being incarcerated at the time, and one reply from @KayleighShae reading "45k views and only 378 likes. I think it's safe to say America fired you, pops" summed up the mood1.

How to Use This Meme

Cosby jokes typically pair a wholesome sitcom-era image of the comedian (Coogi sweater, pudding cup, "Hey Hey Hey" catchphrase) with a caption referencing the assault cases. YTMND-style audio remixes still float around that loop his delivery of "Let's get high and have fun" over unrelated visuals2.

Frequently Asked Questions