Okay This Is Epic

2017Catchphrase / reaction imagesemi-active

Also known as: Now This Is Epic · This Is Epic

Okay This Is Epic is a December 2017 Ben Shapiro catchphrase that spread as both sincere and ironic mockery across Reddit's r/okbuddyretard and 4chan by 2018.

"Okay, This Is Epic" is a catchphrase originating from a December 2017 tweet by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro. The phrase spread across Reddit and 4chan as both a sincere reaction and ironic mockery of Shapiro's commentary style, becoming a staple of the r/okbuddyretard and r/gamersriseup communities throughout 2018. A related variant, "Now, this is epic," gained its own momentum in late 2018 through a viral VoiceoverPete video on YouTube.

catchphrase memesironic memespolitical satire memestwitter memes

Overview

"Okay, This Is Epic" is a short phrase pulled from a Ben Shapiro tweet that took on a life of its own as internet shorthand for exaggerated approval. In its original context, Shapiro was endorsing a political move by President Trump. Online communities stripped the phrase of its political meaning and repurposed it as a reaction to anything deemed impressive, absurd, or deliberately underwhelming. The humor comes from the deadpan simplicity of calling something "epic" with zero elaboration, making it perfect for ironic commentary2.

The phrase is typically paired with images of Shapiro or presented as a screenshot of his original tweet. It found a natural home in irony-heavy subreddits where mocking political commentary and exaggerating "gamer" culture were already popular pastimes2.

On December 20, 2017, Ben Shapiro posted a tweet reading "Okay, this is epic" in response to a Yahoo News tweet about President Donald Trump threatening to cut financial aid to countries that voted in favor of a UN resolution opposing the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital2. The tweet was a straightforward endorsement of Trump's foreign policy stance, but its blunt phrasing caught the attention of meme communities1.

The brevity and earnestness of the tweet made it ripe for ironic reuse. Screenshots of the tweet began circulating on Reddit, where users repurposed the phrase as a punchline detached from its original political context2.

Origin & Background

Platform
Twitter (source tweet), Reddit (viral spread)
Key People
Ben Shapiro, VoiceoverPete, MrPowerHD
Date
2017

On December 20, 2017, Ben Shapiro posted a tweet reading "Okay, this is epic" in response to a Yahoo News tweet about President Donald Trump threatening to cut financial aid to countries that voted in favor of a UN resolution opposing the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The tweet was a straightforward endorsement of Trump's foreign policy stance, but its blunt phrasing caught the attention of meme communities.

The brevity and earnestness of the tweet made it ripe for ironic reuse. Screenshots of the tweet began circulating on Reddit, where users repurposed the phrase as a punchline detached from its original political context.

How It Spread

After Shapiro's tweet, the phrase became a go-to way to mock his commentary style on Reddit. The subreddit r/okbuddyretard adopted it early, with a post pairing Shapiro with Nyan Cat earning over 900 upvotes. A July 14, 2018 post on the same subreddit combined a Shapiro image with multiple other meme formats and pulled in over 300 points.

The catchphrase also broke free from Shapiro-specific usage. On April 16, 2018, a post to r/dankmemes using a "This Is So Sad" meme carried the title "Okay, this is epic" and earned over 3,200 upvotes. A Retrowave Text Generator parody posted to r/gamersriseup on July 7, 2018 picked up over 2,700 points, tying the phrase to the ironic "Gamers Rise Up" movement.

On 4chan, the phrase circulated as a reaction to posts, used both sincerely and sarcastically depending on the board.

A second wave arrived in October 2018 when VoiceoverPete, a Fiverr personality known for comedic video commissions, recorded a skit urging "libtards" to share their credit card numbers to help Ben Shapiro. The video featured Kernkraft 400 (Sports Remix) playing over a Doge-patterned background, and ended with VoiceoverPete declaring "Now, this is epic". MrPowerHD uploaded the clip to YouTube on October 31, 2018, where it picked up rapid traction.

Isolated clips of the "Now, this is epic" line spread across YouTube as reaction clips, and GIFs and image macros appeared on Reddit and Twitter. The VoiceoverPete variant's virality faded relatively quickly but saw a resurgence in June 2020, popping up again across multiple social media platforms.

How to Use This Meme

The phrase works as a reaction caption or comment in a few common ways:

- Ironic approval: Post "Okay, this is epic" in response to something mundane, cringe, or deliberately unimpressive. The humor comes from the mismatch between "epic" and the actual content. - Screenshot format: Pair a screenshot of Shapiro's original tweet with an unrelated image for comedic contrast. - Sincere reaction: Some users drop the irony and use it as genuine praise for something they find cool, especially in gaming or meme contexts. - Video reaction: Use the VoiceoverPete "Now, this is epic" clip or GIF as a response to any so-called "Epic Gamer Moment".

The phrase is flexible enough to fit comment sections, image macros, or standalone text posts. It often appears in communities where ironic political humor and gaming culture overlap.

Cultural Impact

"Okay, This Is Epic" became one of several Ben Shapiro phrases absorbed into meme culture during 2017-2018, a period when online communities were heavily riffing on political commentary styles. The phrase's adoption by r/okbuddyretard and r/gamersriseup placed it at the center of two influential ironic meme movements.

The VoiceoverPete connection added a performative layer, turning a text catchphrase into a video format. VoiceoverPete's broader Fiverr career, which involved recording absurd messages for paying customers, was itself a meme phenomenon in late 2018, and the "Now, this is epic" clip became one of his most recognized outputs.

Fun Facts

Shapiro's original tweet was a political endorsement of Trump's UN stance on Jerusalem, a context almost entirely lost in the meme's spread.

The VoiceoverPete video featured a Doge pattern in the background, layering multiple meme references into a single clip.

The "Now, this is epic" variant experienced a delayed second life in June 2020 after its initial virality died down.

The phrase overlapped with the broader "Ben Shapiro DESTROYS" meme ecosystem, where his debate style was both celebrated and parodied online.

Derivatives & Variations

VoiceoverPete "Now, This Is Epic":

A video variant featuring the Fiverr personality delivering the line at the end of a comedic skit about Ben Shapiro and credit card numbers. Became its own reaction clip[1].

r/okbuddyretard edits:

Various image macros combining Shapiro with other meme formats like Nyan Cat, used as ironic shitposts[2].

r/gamersriseup crossover:

Retrowave-styled edits pairing the phrase with ironic "Gamers Rise Up" imagery[2].

"Epic Gamer Moment" reactions:

The VoiceoverPete clip was repurposed as a reaction video for highlights in gaming content[1].

Frequently Asked Questions

Okay This Is Epic

2017Catchphrase / reaction imagesemi-active

Also known as: Now This Is Epic · This Is Epic

Okay This Is Epic is a December 2017 Ben Shapiro catchphrase that spread as both sincere and ironic mockery across Reddit's r/okbuddyretard and 4chan by 2018.

"Okay, This Is Epic" is a catchphrase originating from a December 2017 tweet by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro. The phrase spread across Reddit and 4chan as both a sincere reaction and ironic mockery of Shapiro's commentary style, becoming a staple of the r/okbuddyretard and r/gamersriseup communities throughout 2018. A related variant, "Now, this is epic," gained its own momentum in late 2018 through a viral VoiceoverPete video on YouTube.

catchphrase memes ironic memes political satire memes twitter memes

Overview

"Okay, This Is Epic" is a short phrase pulled from a Ben Shapiro tweet that took on a life of its own as internet shorthand for exaggerated approval. In its original context, Shapiro was endorsing a political move by President Trump. Online communities stripped the phrase of its political meaning and repurposed it as a reaction to anything deemed impressive, absurd, or deliberately underwhelming. The humor comes from the deadpan simplicity of calling something "epic" with zero elaboration, making it perfect for ironic commentary.

The phrase is typically paired with images of Shapiro or presented as a screenshot of his original tweet. It found a natural home in irony-heavy subreddits where mocking political commentary and exaggerating "gamer" culture were already popular pastimes.

On December 20, 2017, Ben Shapiro posted a tweet reading "Okay, this is epic" in response to a Yahoo News tweet about President Donald Trump threatening to cut financial aid to countries that voted in favor of a UN resolution opposing the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The tweet was a straightforward endorsement of Trump's foreign policy stance, but its blunt phrasing caught the attention of meme communities.

The brevity and earnestness of the tweet made it ripe for ironic reuse. Screenshots of the tweet began circulating on Reddit, where users repurposed the phrase as a punchline detached from its original political context.

Origin & Background

Platform
Twitter (source tweet), Reddit (viral spread)
Key People
Ben Shapiro, VoiceoverPete, MrPowerHD
Date
2017

On December 20, 2017, Ben Shapiro posted a tweet reading "Okay, this is epic" in response to a Yahoo News tweet about President Donald Trump threatening to cut financial aid to countries that voted in favor of a UN resolution opposing the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The tweet was a straightforward endorsement of Trump's foreign policy stance, but its blunt phrasing caught the attention of meme communities.

The brevity and earnestness of the tweet made it ripe for ironic reuse. Screenshots of the tweet began circulating on Reddit, where users repurposed the phrase as a punchline detached from its original political context.

How It Spread

After Shapiro's tweet, the phrase became a go-to way to mock his commentary style on Reddit. The subreddit r/okbuddyretard adopted it early, with a post pairing Shapiro with Nyan Cat earning over 900 upvotes. A July 14, 2018 post on the same subreddit combined a Shapiro image with multiple other meme formats and pulled in over 300 points.

The catchphrase also broke free from Shapiro-specific usage. On April 16, 2018, a post to r/dankmemes using a "This Is So Sad" meme carried the title "Okay, this is epic" and earned over 3,200 upvotes. A Retrowave Text Generator parody posted to r/gamersriseup on July 7, 2018 picked up over 2,700 points, tying the phrase to the ironic "Gamers Rise Up" movement.

On 4chan, the phrase circulated as a reaction to posts, used both sincerely and sarcastically depending on the board.

A second wave arrived in October 2018 when VoiceoverPete, a Fiverr personality known for comedic video commissions, recorded a skit urging "libtards" to share their credit card numbers to help Ben Shapiro. The video featured Kernkraft 400 (Sports Remix) playing over a Doge-patterned background, and ended with VoiceoverPete declaring "Now, this is epic". MrPowerHD uploaded the clip to YouTube on October 31, 2018, where it picked up rapid traction.

Isolated clips of the "Now, this is epic" line spread across YouTube as reaction clips, and GIFs and image macros appeared on Reddit and Twitter. The VoiceoverPete variant's virality faded relatively quickly but saw a resurgence in June 2020, popping up again across multiple social media platforms.

How to Use This Meme

The phrase works as a reaction caption or comment in a few common ways:

- Ironic approval: Post "Okay, this is epic" in response to something mundane, cringe, or deliberately unimpressive. The humor comes from the mismatch between "epic" and the actual content. - Screenshot format: Pair a screenshot of Shapiro's original tweet with an unrelated image for comedic contrast. - Sincere reaction: Some users drop the irony and use it as genuine praise for something they find cool, especially in gaming or meme contexts. - Video reaction: Use the VoiceoverPete "Now, this is epic" clip or GIF as a response to any so-called "Epic Gamer Moment".

The phrase is flexible enough to fit comment sections, image macros, or standalone text posts. It often appears in communities where ironic political humor and gaming culture overlap.

Cultural Impact

"Okay, This Is Epic" became one of several Ben Shapiro phrases absorbed into meme culture during 2017-2018, a period when online communities were heavily riffing on political commentary styles. The phrase's adoption by r/okbuddyretard and r/gamersriseup placed it at the center of two influential ironic meme movements.

The VoiceoverPete connection added a performative layer, turning a text catchphrase into a video format. VoiceoverPete's broader Fiverr career, which involved recording absurd messages for paying customers, was itself a meme phenomenon in late 2018, and the "Now, this is epic" clip became one of his most recognized outputs.

Fun Facts

Shapiro's original tweet was a political endorsement of Trump's UN stance on Jerusalem, a context almost entirely lost in the meme's spread.

The VoiceoverPete video featured a Doge pattern in the background, layering multiple meme references into a single clip.

The "Now, this is epic" variant experienced a delayed second life in June 2020 after its initial virality died down.

The phrase overlapped with the broader "Ben Shapiro DESTROYS" meme ecosystem, where his debate style was both celebrated and parodied online.

Derivatives & Variations

VoiceoverPete "Now, This Is Epic":

A video variant featuring the Fiverr personality delivering the line at the end of a comedic skit about Ben Shapiro and credit card numbers. Became its own reaction clip[1].

r/okbuddyretard edits:

Various image macros combining Shapiro with other meme formats like Nyan Cat, used as ironic shitposts[2].

r/gamersriseup crossover:

Retrowave-styled edits pairing the phrase with ironic "Gamers Rise Up" imagery[2].

"Epic Gamer Moment" reactions:

The VoiceoverPete clip was repurposed as a reaction video for highlights in gaming content[1].

Frequently Asked Questions