Cheese Slap

2006viral videoclassic

Cheese Slap is a prank format where someone throws or slaps a slice of processed cheese onto a person's or animal's face, then films the reaction. It started on YouTube in 2006 and blew up on Twitter and TikTok in late 2018 and early 2019, often set to The Village People's YMCA.

prank memeschallenge memesparticipatory video memespet video memesdelayed virality memes

Overview

Cheese Slap, also called Cheesing or the Cheese Challenge, is a prank in which someone throws or slaps a single slice of processed cheese onto another person's or animal's face and films the reaction3. The gag works because the cheese sticks for a second before peeling off, giving the target a beat of confusion before they react. Urban Dictionary entries describe wetting the slice slightly and aiming for someone asleep or an unsuspecting pet for maximum effect2.

While the basic act is dumb by design, the format picked up a distinct visual identity during its 2018 viral run: single-slice American cheese, a startled face, and often The Village People's YMCA playing over the top3. A spin-off called Dog Cheese, where the target is specifically a dog, became one of the most shared versions online3.

How It Spread

In November 2018, TikTok users started tossing cheese slices at mirrors while YMCA played, giving the old prank a new soundtrack3. On November 10th, 2018, Twitter user @blargmyschnoople 4 posted the Dog Cheese tweet, framing landing a slice on a dog as a game, and the post picked up around 126,000 likes and 27,000 retweets3. TikTokers then merged Dog Cheese into the wider Cheese Slap trend through December 2018, and Cool TikToks published an early compilation on December 27th, 20183.

The real explosion came on February 28th, 2019, when Twitter user @unclehxlmes posted a clip of a cheese slice being tossed onto a child's face. It hit more than 10.3 million views, 750,000 likes and 250,000 retweets before being deleted3. The next day, @unclehxlmes 5 tweeted that he pulled it because things got "way out of hand"3. In the same 24-hour window, @annaclairerusso's version drew over 12.7 million views and 830,000 likes, and @TEJAX001's clip of him cheesing his cousin crossed 520,000 views within a week3.

On March 3rd, 2019, Twitter user @nasiijau posted an animated parody with a Scorbunny Pokemon taking the slap, showing the format had jumped from real pranks into fan art and remixes3. From there, Cheese Slap settled in as a recurring joke template that resurfaces whenever a new pet or baby reaction video hits the timeline.

How to Use This Meme

A typical Cheese Slap video is short and single-take: film a person or pet who isn't paying attention, throw or press a slice of processed American cheese onto their face, and let the reaction play out unedited. The 2018 TikTok convention often paired the throw with the horn hit in YMCA3, and some creators labeled the cheese with a caption like "my love and affection" to add a punchline on top of the prank3. For the Dog Cheese variant, the goal is simply landing the slice on the dog's snout in one try3.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cheese Slap

2006viral videoclassic

Cheese Slap is a prank format where someone throws or slaps a slice of processed cheese onto a person's or animal's face, then films the reaction. It started on YouTube in 2006 and blew up on Twitter and TikTok in late 2018 and early 2019, often set to The Village People's YMCA.

prank memes challenge memes participatory video memes pet video memes delayed virality memes

Overview

Cheese Slap, also called Cheesing or the Cheese Challenge, is a prank in which someone throws or slaps a single slice of processed cheese onto another person's or animal's face and films the reaction3. The gag works because the cheese sticks for a second before peeling off, giving the target a beat of confusion before they react. Urban Dictionary entries describe wetting the slice slightly and aiming for someone asleep or an unsuspecting pet for maximum effect2.

While the basic act is dumb by design, the format picked up a distinct visual identity during its 2018 viral run: single-slice American cheese, a startled face, and often The Village People's YMCA playing over the top3. A spin-off called Dog Cheese, where the target is specifically a dog, became one of the most shared versions online3.

How It Spread

In November 2018, TikTok users started tossing cheese slices at mirrors while YMCA played, giving the old prank a new soundtrack3. On November 10th, 2018, Twitter user @blargmyschnoople 4 posted the Dog Cheese tweet, framing landing a slice on a dog as a game, and the post picked up around 126,000 likes and 27,000 retweets3. TikTokers then merged Dog Cheese into the wider Cheese Slap trend through December 2018, and Cool TikToks published an early compilation on December 27th, 20183.

The real explosion came on February 28th, 2019, when Twitter user @unclehxlmes posted a clip of a cheese slice being tossed onto a child's face. It hit more than 10.3 million views, 750,000 likes and 250,000 retweets before being deleted3. The next day, @unclehxlmes 5 tweeted that he pulled it because things got "way out of hand"3. In the same 24-hour window, @annaclairerusso's version drew over 12.7 million views and 830,000 likes, and @TEJAX001's clip of him cheesing his cousin crossed 520,000 views within a week3.

On March 3rd, 2019, Twitter user @nasiijau posted an animated parody with a Scorbunny Pokemon taking the slap, showing the format had jumped from real pranks into fan art and remixes3. From there, Cheese Slap settled in as a recurring joke template that resurfaces whenever a new pet or baby reaction video hits the timeline.

How to Use This Meme

A typical Cheese Slap video is short and single-take: film a person or pet who isn't paying attention, throw or press a slice of processed American cheese onto their face, and let the reaction play out unedited. The 2018 TikTok convention often paired the throw with the horn hit in YMCA3, and some creators labeled the cheese with a caption like "my love and affection" to add a punchline on top of the prank3. For the Dog Cheese variant, the goal is simply landing the slice on the dog's snout in one try3.

Frequently Asked Questions