# Nope Chuck Testa > Nope Chuck Testa is a 2011 image-macro meme from a viral taxidermy commercial where photoshopped edits pair the catchphrase "Nope!" to reveal everyday objects are actually Chuck Testa's taxidermy. "Nope! Chuck Testa" is a catchphrase meme from a 2011 taxidermy commercial featuring Chuck Testa of Ojai Valley Taxidermy in California. The ad, produced by YouTube filmmakers Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal for their IFC show *Commercial Kings*, went viral after hitting Reddit's front page in September 2011, spawning thousands of photoshop edits and image macros built around the punchline format. ## Origin In May 2011, Chuck Testa's Ojai Valley Taxidermy was selected to appear on *Commercial Kings*, an IFC reality show where YouTube creators Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal produced commercials for small businesses[8]. Rhett and Link had already built a track record making viral local ads through their "I Love Local Commercials" web series, including spots for Red House Furniture and Cullman Liquidation Center[4]. The finished commercial was uploaded to Chuck Testa's YouTube channel on August 14, 2011, where it gathered views slowly for about a month[4]. Then on September 15, 2011, Reddit user LunaMcLovin submitted the video with the title "This is probably the funniest low-budget commercial I have ever seen." It hit the front page and pulled in over 12,000 upvotes within 24 hours[4]. Within eight months, the video had racked up over 11 million views on YouTube[5]. Testa himself was blindsided by the whole thing. In a BuzzFeed interview, he admitted he didn't even own a cell phone and had never heard the word "meme" before his commercial blew up. "I didn't even know this kind of thing existed," he said, "but I love seeing all the pictures and the positive support from everybody"[1]. - **Platform:** YouTube (commercial), Reddit (viral spread) - **Creator:** Rhett McLaughlin (co-director/writer), Link Neal (co-director/writer), Chuck Testa (subject/performer) - **Date:** 2011 ## Overview The meme centers on a low-budget TV commercial for Ojai Valley Taxidermy in Ojai, California. In the ad, unsuspecting people react to what appear to be live animals in absurd situations, like a bear in a bed or an antelope driving a car. Each time, taxidermist Chuck Testa pops up to deliver his deadpan catchphrase: "Nope! It's Chuck Testa." The campy repetition of the line, combined with Testa's earnest delivery and the obviously fake scenarios, made the phrase irresistible for remixing[4]. The meme format typically involves presenting something that appears to be real or alive, then revealing it as one of Testa's taxidermy creations with the "Nope!" punchline[6]. ## How It Spread The day the Reddit post hit, September 15, 2011, coverage appeared on BuzzFeed, The Huffington Post, and VH1's Best Week Ever[2]. That same day, Redditor KerrickLong posted the first photoshop derivative, an image of a shark attacking a man climbing into a helicopter, captioned with the "Nope" punchline. It also reached Reddit's front page with over 11,000 upvotes[4]. By September 16, round-ups of Chuck Testa image edits were posted on Boing Boing and BuzzFeed[3]. An AMA Request for Chuck Testa went up on Reddit, and a dedicated "Nope, It's Chuck Testa" Tumblr blog launched[4]. On September 18, Testa uploaded a YouTube video titled "Chuck Testa says thank you," addressing the sudden fame directly[4]. On September 19, Smosh published a collection of notable photoshopped examples. The following day, CNBC ran an article titled "An Internet Sensation? Nope, It's Just Chuck Testa," noting the video had passed 2.8 million views[4]. The meme spread across Memebase, FunnyJunk, and Tumblr under the tag "#chuck testa"[9]. By April 2012, a Facebook fan page for Chuck Testa had over 54,000 likes[4]. In their BuzzFeed interview, Rhett and Link explained they had deliberately scripted the repetition of "Nope, it's Chuck Testa" to be funny and quotable, though the online reaction exceeded anything they expected. Link noted that having a strong catchphrase was the key difference between this ad and their earlier Cullman Liquidation spot, which got 2 million views but didn't spawn a meme[1]. ## How to Use The standard "Nope! Chuck Testa" format works like this: 1. Present an image or scenario where something appears to be alive, real, or present (often a dead celebrity, a fictional character, or something too good to be true) 2. Follow up with an image of Chuck Testa and the caption "Nope! Chuck Testa" or simply "Nope." ## Cultural Impact The commercial earned coverage from mainstream outlets including CNBC, Fox News, and CBS[5]. Time named it the #10 meme of 2011[5]. Rhett and Link's success with the ad reinforced the power of catchphrases in viral marketing. Link specifically noted that the Cullman Liquidation Center ad, which won Ad Age's Best Ad of the Year but lacked a catchphrase, didn't generate the same meme traction[1]. For Testa himself, the viral fame didn't dramatically change his client base. "I haven't really gotten new clients since the commercial," he told BuzzFeed, though he appreciated the attention and positive response[1]. The experience did shape how Rhett and Link approached future content, with both citing the importance of repeatable, quotable lines[1]. The meme's music crossover came in 2019 when Yung Gravy and bbno$ featured Testa in the "Whip a Tesla" music video, introducing him to a new generation[5]. ## Fun Facts - Chuck Testa didn't own a cell phone when his commercial went viral and initially called memes "mimes" during his BuzzFeed interview[1]. - Before becoming a taxidermist, Testa managed his father's Baskin-Robbins store in Venice Beach[5]. - Rhett and Link didn't upload all their *Commercial Kings* spots to YouTube. Testa himself uploaded the ad to his own channel in August 2011, a month before it went viral on Reddit[1]. - The ad was part of IFC's *Commercial Kings* season that began in July 2011, but the meme didn't take off until two months later[1]. - Testa's website claims he has over 40 years of taxidermy experience, mentored by "the most respected and awarded Taxidermists in history"[7]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is "Nope! Chuck Testa"? It's a catchphrase meme from a 2011 TV commercial for Ojai Valley Taxidermy, where taxidermist Chuck Testa reveals that realistic-looking animals are actually his taxidermy work by saying "Nope! It's Chuck Testa"[4]. ### Where did "Nope! Chuck Testa" come from? The commercial was produced by Rhett and Link for IFC's *Commercial Kings* show. It was uploaded to YouTube on August 14, 2011, and went viral after being posted to Reddit on September 15, 2011[4]. ### What does "Nope! Chuck Testa" mean? The phrase is used as a punchline when something appears to be real or alive but isn't. It comes from the commercial's recurring gag where people mistake taxidermied animals for living ones[6]. ### How do you use "Nope! Chuck Testa"? Present something that looks real, alive, or too good to be true, then follow with "Nope! Chuck Testa" to reveal it's fake. It works as an image macro, a comment reply, or a standalone joke[6]. ### Is "Nope! Chuck Testa" still popular? The meme peaked in late 2011 and early 2012. It saw renewed attention in 2019 through the Yung Gravy song "Whip a Tesla" and a 2020 Know Your Meme follow-up interview with Testa[5]. ### Who are Rhett and Link? Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal are YouTube filmmakers who created the Chuck Testa commercial as part of their IFC show *Commercial Kings*. They had a track record of viral local ads before the Testa spot[1]. ### Did the meme help Chuck Testa's business? Testa told BuzzFeed that he hadn't really gained new clients from the viral fame, though he enjoyed the attention and positive support[1]. ### What was the controversy about Chuck Testa's hat? On September 16, 2011, viewers noticed what appeared to be a Nazi SS Death's Head symbol on Testa's hat in the commercial. Boing Boing reported on it, and Testa addressed the rumors in the YouTube comments[3]. ### What is "Dope Zebra"? A January 2012 video by Rhett and Link featuring a person in a zebra suit revealed to be Chuck Testa. It earned over 3.6 million views in three months[4]. ### Has Chuck Testa appeared in music? Yes. The 2019 song "Whip a Tesla" by Yung Gravy and bbno$ references the meme in its chorus, and Testa made a cameo in the music video[5]. ## References 1. [The BuzzFeed Interview: The Chuck Testa Phenomenon]() 2. [Ojai Valley Taxidermy Commercial Is The Perfect Local Ad (VIDEO) | HuffPost Entertainment]() 3. ["Chuck Testa Taxidermist" TV commercial goes viral in spite of Nazi insignia - Boing Boing]() 4. [Nope! Chuck Testa - Know Your Meme]() 5. [Chuck Testa]() 6. [Chuck Testa Meme Blurs The Line Between Life And Death (MEMETRACKER) | HuffPost Entertainment]() 7. [Ojai Valley Taxidermy Commercial Is The Perfect Local Ad (VIDEO) | HuffPost Entertainment]() 8. [News | VH1]() 9. [The Best Taxidermy Commercial Ever]() 10. [Meme Alert: The 10 Best Examples Of Chuck Testa's Taxidermy Skills]() 11. [Chuck Testa Meme Blurs The Line Between Life And Death (MEMETRACKER) | HuffPost Entertainment]() 12. [Ojai Valley Taxidermy – The most lifelike dead animals anywhere…..PERIOD!!]() 13. [VIDEO Must see Chuck Testa taxidermy ad from ‘Commercial Kings’ – Starcasm]() 14. [Memebase - Chuck Testa - All Your Memes In Our Base - Funny Memes - Cheezburger]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/nope-chuck-testa Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library