Brian I'm Sorry — Two-panel Family Guy scene with man aiming shotgun at Brian the dog labeled 'I'm sorry' and Brian aiming pistol back labeled 'No, I'm sorry'

Brian I'm Sorry

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Published November 15, 2026

Brian I'm Sorry, also known as I'm Sorry, No, I'm Sorry, is an object labeling format from a 2016 Family Guy Old Yeller parody where Brian Griffin kills his owner first. Redditors turned it into a template in February 2020, and anime subreddits took it over within weeks for censorship and piracy jokes.

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Overview

Users slap labels over the two characters and their guns to show a sudden reversal of power1. The top panel shows the owner aiming his shotgun with an "I'm sorry," while the bottom shows Brian rolling aside, pistol drawn, delivering "No, I'm sorry" before firing2. Whatever label sits on Brian becomes the underdog that turns the tables.

Captions range from anime trope reversals to video game parry-counter jokes and sports upsets. The r/Animemes crowd found Brian I'm Sorry especially suited to anti-censorship and pirate-site punchlines4, often labeling the owner as Japanese law and Brian as the workaround5.

Origin & Background

Platform
Family Guy (source clip) / Reddit (viral spread)
Creator
Unknown
Date
2020

On October 23, 2016, Family Guy aired season 15, episode four, "Inside Family Guy," which is the source of the scene3. Brian retells Old Yeller as the dog, and when his owner says "I'm sorry" and raises the shotgun, Brian rolls out of the way, draws a pistol, and shoots the owner first while delivering "No, I'm sorry"8. Nearly four years passed before anyone reformatted the sequence as an object labeling template.

How It Spread

Redditor 0jack_robinson0 posted the blank template to r/MemeEconomy on February 23, 2020, titled "Invest in this new family guy format," earning 57 upvotes and 44 comments2. Later the same day, Redditor zDark_Knight21 took it to r/dankmemes with a "parry this you fucking casual" caption that earned over 34,000 upvotes1.

Within days the format spread to anime subreddits. Redditor DetectiveBaby_Legs cross-posted a variant to r/Animemes on February 25, 2020, with the template re-shared on r/MemeTemplatesOfficial for over 7,200 upvotes56. Redditor 7cmStrangler used it to joke about Japanese censorship laws on March 6, 2020, earning more than 20,000 upvotes4. On Twitter, user hoodieIamar replied to an ESPN NFL insider with the template on March 4, 20207.

Timeline

2016-10-23

Family Guy season 15 episode four, "Inside Family Guy," airs with the Old Yeller parody where Brian shoots his owner first.

2020-02-23

Redditor 0jack_robinson0 posts the blank template to r/MemeEconomy as "Invest in this new family guy format."

2020-02-23

Redditor zDark_Knight21 posts a "parry this you fucking casual" version to r/dankmemes that earns over 34,000 upvotes.

2020-02-25

Redditor DetectiveBaby_Legs cross-posts a variant to r/Animemes, later re-shared on r/MemeTemplatesOfficial.

2020-03-04

Twitter user hoodieIamar uses the template as a reply to an ESPN NFL insider.

2020-03-06

Redditor 7cmStrangler uses the format to joke about Japanese censorship laws on r/Animemes for over 20,000 upvotes.

How to Use This Meme

Pick a two-panel screenshot and label the owner with the apparent threat and Brian with whatever counters it. Some posters only label the characters; others label the shotgun and sidearm as well to specify what gets beaten by what.

Frequently Asked Questions