# It's Beautiful I've Looked At This For Five Hours Now Tom Haverford gazed at an abstract painting during the credits of a 2009 Parks and Recreation episode and said, 'It's beautiful. I've looked at this for five hours now.' Years later, the still of Aziz Ansari staring in rapture started circulating on Tumblr as a reaction image, with users captioning announcements and fan art with it. By 2017, Overwatch fans and Elder Scrolls VI hype posts had made it their default sticker of approval. ## Origin The quote comes from Parks and Recreation season two, episode nine, 'The Camel,' which aired on NBC on November 12, 2009[3]. The Pawnee council tasks each department with pitching a replacement for the 'Spirit of Pawnee' mural, and Tom Haverford, played by Aziz Ansari, commissions a local artist to make one for him. In the end-credits tag, Tom sits in a chair staring at the finished abstract painting and quietly delivers the line that would later travel on its own[1]. - **Platform:** NBC (source scene) / Tumblr (viral spread) - **Creator:** Unknown - **Date:** 2009 ## Overview The format works as a sincere approval sticker, with the Haverford still placed under whatever the poster is admiring, from a game announcement to fan art[3]. Tom's rapt expression and the oddly specific 'five hours' turn enthusiasm into something hyperbolic and sincere at once. Posts usually feature a top image, then the Haverford still with the line captioned, often shortened to 'it's beautiful. I've looked at this for 5 hours now'[2]. Variants flip the sincere read into sarcasm, with creators labeling the Haverford figure as a stand-in for a community or character reacting to something ugly or absurd, like a YouTube clip of Shrek smiling[7]. It works equally well for fandom hype and honest art compliments. ## How to Use Posters typically place the subject they want to praise, like a trailer or a piece of art, above the Haverford still with the 'five hours' line captioned on the bottom. A common convention is to use the format sincerely for enthusiastic approval[5], while a sarcastic read works when the subject above is deliberately ugly or absurd. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is It's Beautiful I've Looked At This For Five Hours Now? A reaction image of Tom Haverford, played by Aziz Ansari, staring at an abstract painting with the quote 'It's beautiful. I've looked at this for five hours now' from Parks and Recreation[3]. ### Where did It's Beautiful I've Looked At This For Five Hours Now come from? The scene is from season two, episode nine of Parks and Recreation, titled 'The Camel,' which aired on NBC on November 12, 2009[1]. ### What does It's Beautiful I've Looked At This For Five Hours Now mean? The still signals sincere, hyperbolic enthusiasm for whatever is pictured above it, though it works ironically when applied to something ugly or absurd[2]. ### How do you use It's Beautiful I've Looked At This For Five Hours Now? Place a trailer, piece of art, or screenshot you admire above the Haverford still with the quote captioned, then post it as a reply or a standalone reaction[5]. ### Is It's Beautiful I've Looked At This For Five Hours Now still popular? The reaction stayed in use through at least 2019, when it hit r/dankmemes with a Shrek smiling clip for 54,000 upvotes[7], though no current-year sources confirm active circulation. ## References 1. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ4aLQWBRZM]() 2. [https://punkrockgrantaire.tumblr.com/post/154081210073]() 3. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/its-beautiful-ive-looked-at-this-for-five-hours-now]() 4. [https://imgur.com/gallery/Nu0dR]() 5. [https://twitter.com/OverwatchTXT/status/895044703502176257]() 6. [https://imgur.com/gallery/CLFkBQC]() 7. [https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/d5lghs/byootiful/]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/its-beautiful-ive-looked-at-this-for-five-hours-now Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library