# Maury Lie Detector
Maury Lie Detector, also known as The Lie Detector Determined That Was a Lie, is an advice animal image macro showing Maury Povich reading off a card, captioned with everyday exaggerations followed by the show's signature polygraph verdict. The format first showed up on Meme Generator in October 2012 and caught fire on r/AdviceAnimals in September 2013, when a joke about friends not repaying loans collected over 23,800 upvotes in two days.
## Origin
Episodes centered on polygraph tests have been a recurring segment on the Maury show, where guests agree to lie detector exams to support or dispute accusations, giving the host a predictable final beat when he reads the results aloud[5]. On October 2nd, 2012, a Meme Generator page titled "Maury Povich LOL" was launched with a screenshot of Povich seated and reading from a card, and users began adding captions ending with the phrase "the lie detector determined that was a lie"[6].
- **Platform:** Meme Generator (source) / Reddit (viral spread)
- **Creator:** Unknown
- **Date:** 2012
## Overview
Each image macro places Maury in his familiar seated pose, card in hand, with two lines of Impact text that treat any trivial statement like a sworn claim being tested on air[5]. A typical caption presents a mundane boast or excuse on top, and the punchline below reads "the lie detector determined that was a lie," applying the show's confrontational beat to student procrastination and unpaid loans[1].
The joke works because the setup mimics real episodes of Maury, where contestants answer paternity or infidelity questions before a live studio audience. Posters apply that same solemn presentation to petty lies, stretching the gap between daytime tabloid drama and ordinary deception[6]. Popular targets include professors promising easy exams and people who announce they are deleting their Facebook profiles[2].
## How to Use
Posters typically select a screenshot of Maury Povich seated with a card and add two lines of white Impact text. The top line presents a questionable claim, such as what someone said, promised, or bragged about, and the bottom line reads "the lie detector determined that was a lie." Common targets include authority figures making false promises and people exaggerating their own behavior[5].
## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is Maury Lie Detector?
Maury Lie Detector is an advice animal image macro showing Maury Povich with captions that treat trivial fibs like polygraph failures, ending with the line "the lie detector determined that was a lie"[5].
### Where did Maury Lie Detector come from?
A Meme Generator page titled "Maury Povich LOL" launched on October 2nd, 2012, with a screenshot of Povich reading from a card during a polygraph segment[6].
### What does Maury Lie Detector mean?
It calls out an obvious lie by applying the mock-serious tone of a real polygraph verdict from the Maury show to a petty everyday claim[1].
### How do you use Maury Lie Detector?
Pair a questionable claim as the top caption with "the lie detector determined that was a lie" underneath the standard Povich image[7].
### Is Maury Lie Detector still popular?
It is considered a classic Reddit-era advice animal, with the dedicated Meme Generator page holding over 1,000 user-made images as of September 2013[4].
## References
1. [https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/11vnxp/how_i_feeling_studying_for_an_exam/]()
2. [https://www.reddit.com/r/AdviceAnimals/comments/14iqfz/its_the_same_people_saying_this_every_week/]()
3. [https://www.reddit.com/r/AdviceAnimals/comments/1mtwfm/what_were_you_doing_last_night/]()
4. [https://www.reddit.com/r/AdviceAnimals/comments/1mzwyc/happens_every_time_i_loan_money_to_friends/]()
5. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/maury-lie-detector]()
6. [https://memegenerator.net/Maury-Povich-Lol]()
7. [https://memegenerator.net/Maury-Lie-Detector]()
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Source: https://meme.com/memes/maury-lie-detector
Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library