Replace Racist Statues

2017Snowclone / Twitter joke formatsemi-active

Also known as: Replace Statues With · Replace Confederate Statues

Replace Racist Statues is a 2017 Twitter snowclone where users jokingly propose ridiculous alternatives to controversial monuments, contrasting the gravitas of public statuary with absurd suggestions ranging from Pokémon to sled dogs.

Replace Racist Statues is a recurring Twitter meme format where users offer humorous, absurd, or pointed suggestions for what should replace statues of controversial historical figures like Confederate generals and Christopher Columbus. The joke format first picked up steam in 2017 after Confederate monuments were removed following the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, then surged again in 2020 during the George Floyd protests when statues were toppled worldwide4. The humor works by contrasting the supposed gravitas of public monuments with ridiculous alternatives, from Pokémon characters to sled dogs to a random horse sculpture found outside a Marriott hotel.

political satire memestwitter memessnowclone memesstatue memesprotest memes

Overview

The format follows a simple template: users propose replacing a statue of a controversial figure with something unexpected, funny, or deliberately absurd. Suggestions range from fictional characters (Columbo, Bulbasaur, Tony Soprano) to beloved real figures (Dolly Parton, Selena) to completely random objects (a horse sculpture, air dancers, a sandwich)34. The joke works on multiple levels. It mocks the idea that public statues are sacred and untouchable, while also making a sincere argument that the current statues honor the wrong people. Some proposals are genuine (replace Columbus with actual Italian-American heroes), while others are pure comedy (replace everything with Balto the sled dog).

The earliest known example of the format appeared on March 22, 2017, when Twitter user @IanBoothby tweeted a suggestion to replace all statues of Christopher Columbus with the fictional detective Lieutenant Columbo4. The tweet picked up over 150 retweets and 300 likes. The joke landed because Columbus and Columbo share a name but represent wildly different legacies, and because the mental image of a Peter Falk statue in a rumpled trenchcoat standing where a conquistador used to be is genuinely funny.

The format gained real momentum later in 2017 after multiple Confederate statues across the American South were removed or toppled during protests following the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia6. The sudden wave of statue removals created a natural opening for the joke. On September 21, 2017, @TogetherPangea suggested replacing Confederate statues with statues of Buc-ee, the grinning beaver mascot of the Texas convenience store chain Buc-ee's4. On November 13, @TeddyRedder proposed replacing them with statues of Chill Cat4.

A petition on Change.org also went around calling for Confederate monuments in New Orleans to be replaced with statues of Britney Spears2. New Orleans had removed its remaining Confederate monuments in May 2017, and the petition argued that Spears, a Louisiana native, was a more worthy representative of the state's cultural contributions.

Origin & Background

Platform
Twitter (joke format), real-world protests (catalyst)
Key People
@IanBoothby, community-created format
Date
2017

The earliest known example of the format appeared on March 22, 2017, when Twitter user @IanBoothby tweeted a suggestion to replace all statues of Christopher Columbus with the fictional detective Lieutenant Columbo. The tweet picked up over 150 retweets and 300 likes. The joke landed because Columbus and Columbo share a name but represent wildly different legacies, and because the mental image of a Peter Falk statue in a rumpled trenchcoat standing where a conquistador used to be is genuinely funny.

The format gained real momentum later in 2017 after multiple Confederate statues across the American South were removed or toppled during protests following the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The sudden wave of statue removals created a natural opening for the joke. On September 21, 2017, @TogetherPangea suggested replacing Confederate statues with statues of Buc-ee, the grinning beaver mascot of the Texas convenience store chain Buc-ee's. On November 13, @TeddyRedder proposed replacing them with statues of Chill Cat.

A petition on Change.org also went around calling for Confederate monuments in New Orleans to be replaced with statues of Britney Spears. New Orleans had removed its remaining Confederate monuments in May 2017, and the petition argued that Spears, a Louisiana native, was a more worthy representative of the state's cultural contributions.

How It Spread

The meme saw its biggest spike during the 2020 George Floyd protests, which triggered a global wave of statue removals far larger than what happened in 2017. The most dramatic incident came on June 7, 2020, when protesters in Bristol, England used ropes to pull down a statue of Edward Colston, a 17th-century slave trader whose monument had stood in the city since 1895. Crowds cheered, knelt on the toppled statue, rolled it through the streets, and dumped it in Bristol's harbor. Video of the event went viral across the UK and worldwide.

With statues falling in multiple countries, the "replace them with..." jokes came back stronger than ever. Twitter user @BYaugs suggested a statue of the Pokémon Bulbasaur, gaining over 230 retweets and 650 likes. User @moeiswe pitched Hello Kitty statues, pulling over 30 retweets and 110 likes. Other suggestions included replacing Christopher Columbus with "a far more deserving Italian" (a sandwich), swapping Confederate monuments for Selena statues in Texas, and installing Leonora Carrington's surrealist sculptures in place of every racist monument.

The Mary Sue published an article rounding up the best suggestions and making the case that "literally anything would be better," pointing to Balto the sled dog as the ideal replacement. The article highlighted a Budapest statue of Peter Falk as Columbo as proof the concept could actually work, and noted John Boyega's Instagram post saying the only statues that didn't freak him out were Balto in Central Park and Yoda in San Francisco.

A Change.org petition also proposed replacing racist statues with inflatable tube men (air dancers) as placeholders until proper statues of people of color could be built. The petition doubled as a fundraising pitch for Black Lives Matter-related charities.

The format also sparked some genuine policy conversations. In Bristol, a petition circulated calling for Colston's statue to be replaced with one of Paul Stephenson, who campaigned for racial equality in the city during the 1960s. Tennessee saw calls to replace all state monuments with statues of Dolly Parton.

How to Use This Meme

The format is straightforward:

1

Pick a controversial statue or category of statues (Confederate generals, Christopher Columbus, colonial-era figures)

2

Suggest a replacement that is either genuinely better, hilariously random, or both

3

Post with a photo of the proposed replacement if possible

Cultural Impact

The meme crossed over from pure internet comedy into real political discourse. Bristol's mayor Marvin Rees acknowledged the Colston toppling as a moment that forced the city to "have a conversation" about its history. UK Home Secretary Priti Patel called the statue removal "utterly disgraceful," while police superintendent Andy Bennett said he understood why it happened and that officers made a tactical decision not to intervene.

Several of the joke suggestions reflected a genuine cultural shift in how people thought about public monuments. The Dolly Parton proposal in Tennessee gained traction because Parton had actually asked state legislators in 2021 not to erect a statue of her, saying it wasn't the right time. The Britney Spears petition for New Orleans connected to broader conversations about who Louisiana chooses to honor.

The meme also fed into a real pattern of statue replacements. While most of the joke proposals stayed online, the underlying argument, that public monuments should honor different people, led to actual policy changes in cities across the US and UK.

Fun Facts

The Budapest statue of Peter Falk as Columbo actually exists and was frequently shared as evidence that the Columbus-to-Columbo swap was not just a joke but an achievable goal.

John Boyega posted on Instagram during the 2020 protests that the only statues he found acceptable were Balto in Central Park and Yoda in San Francisco.

Bristol police deliberately chose not to stop the Colston statue toppling, with a superintendent explaining they wanted to avoid triggering wider unrest.

The Buc-ee's suggestion (a gas station mascot for Confederate monuments) was specifically targeted at Texas, where many Confederate statues stood near actual Buc-ee's locations.

One user suggested replacing all Confederate statues with "monuments to the people who knocked them down".

Derivatives & Variations

Britney Spears Petition:

A Change.org petition specifically calling for all Confederate monuments in New Orleans to be replaced with Britney Spears statues, tying into the city's removal of its remaining Confederate monuments in May 2017[2].

Balto the Sled Dog Proposal:

Championed by The Mary Sue, this recurring suggestion argued that a heroic sled dog who delivered medicine during a diphtheria epidemic was objectively a better use of a pedestal than any slave trader[3].

Air Dancer Petition:

A Change.org campaign proposing inflatable tube men as temporary replacements until proper statues of people of color could be commissioned[5].

Columbo for Columbus:

The original variant by @IanBoothby, suggesting the TV detective replace the explorer, which kicked off the entire format[4].

Business Horse:

Twitter user @TheWilderThings proposed a random horse statue found outside a Courtyard Marriott in Louisville, gaining significant traction for its sheer absurdity[3].

Frequently Asked Questions

Replace Racist Statues

2017Snowclone / Twitter joke formatsemi-active

Also known as: Replace Statues With · Replace Confederate Statues

Replace Racist Statues is a 2017 Twitter snowclone where users jokingly propose ridiculous alternatives to controversial monuments, contrasting the gravitas of public statuary with absurd suggestions ranging from Pokémon to sled dogs.

Replace Racist Statues is a recurring Twitter meme format where users offer humorous, absurd, or pointed suggestions for what should replace statues of controversial historical figures like Confederate generals and Christopher Columbus. The joke format first picked up steam in 2017 after Confederate monuments were removed following the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, then surged again in 2020 during the George Floyd protests when statues were toppled worldwide. The humor works by contrasting the supposed gravitas of public monuments with ridiculous alternatives, from Pokémon characters to sled dogs to a random horse sculpture found outside a Marriott hotel.

political satire memes twitter memes snowclone memes statue memes protest memes

Overview

The format follows a simple template: users propose replacing a statue of a controversial figure with something unexpected, funny, or deliberately absurd. Suggestions range from fictional characters (Columbo, Bulbasaur, Tony Soprano) to beloved real figures (Dolly Parton, Selena) to completely random objects (a horse sculpture, air dancers, a sandwich). The joke works on multiple levels. It mocks the idea that public statues are sacred and untouchable, while also making a sincere argument that the current statues honor the wrong people. Some proposals are genuine (replace Columbus with actual Italian-American heroes), while others are pure comedy (replace everything with Balto the sled dog).

The earliest known example of the format appeared on March 22, 2017, when Twitter user @IanBoothby tweeted a suggestion to replace all statues of Christopher Columbus with the fictional detective Lieutenant Columbo. The tweet picked up over 150 retweets and 300 likes. The joke landed because Columbus and Columbo share a name but represent wildly different legacies, and because the mental image of a Peter Falk statue in a rumpled trenchcoat standing where a conquistador used to be is genuinely funny.

The format gained real momentum later in 2017 after multiple Confederate statues across the American South were removed or toppled during protests following the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The sudden wave of statue removals created a natural opening for the joke. On September 21, 2017, @TogetherPangea suggested replacing Confederate statues with statues of Buc-ee, the grinning beaver mascot of the Texas convenience store chain Buc-ee's. On November 13, @TeddyRedder proposed replacing them with statues of Chill Cat.

A petition on Change.org also went around calling for Confederate monuments in New Orleans to be replaced with statues of Britney Spears. New Orleans had removed its remaining Confederate monuments in May 2017, and the petition argued that Spears, a Louisiana native, was a more worthy representative of the state's cultural contributions.

Origin & Background

Platform
Twitter (joke format), real-world protests (catalyst)
Key People
@IanBoothby, community-created format
Date
2017

The earliest known example of the format appeared on March 22, 2017, when Twitter user @IanBoothby tweeted a suggestion to replace all statues of Christopher Columbus with the fictional detective Lieutenant Columbo. The tweet picked up over 150 retweets and 300 likes. The joke landed because Columbus and Columbo share a name but represent wildly different legacies, and because the mental image of a Peter Falk statue in a rumpled trenchcoat standing where a conquistador used to be is genuinely funny.

The format gained real momentum later in 2017 after multiple Confederate statues across the American South were removed or toppled during protests following the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The sudden wave of statue removals created a natural opening for the joke. On September 21, 2017, @TogetherPangea suggested replacing Confederate statues with statues of Buc-ee, the grinning beaver mascot of the Texas convenience store chain Buc-ee's. On November 13, @TeddyRedder proposed replacing them with statues of Chill Cat.

A petition on Change.org also went around calling for Confederate monuments in New Orleans to be replaced with statues of Britney Spears. New Orleans had removed its remaining Confederate monuments in May 2017, and the petition argued that Spears, a Louisiana native, was a more worthy representative of the state's cultural contributions.

How It Spread

The meme saw its biggest spike during the 2020 George Floyd protests, which triggered a global wave of statue removals far larger than what happened in 2017. The most dramatic incident came on June 7, 2020, when protesters in Bristol, England used ropes to pull down a statue of Edward Colston, a 17th-century slave trader whose monument had stood in the city since 1895. Crowds cheered, knelt on the toppled statue, rolled it through the streets, and dumped it in Bristol's harbor. Video of the event went viral across the UK and worldwide.

With statues falling in multiple countries, the "replace them with..." jokes came back stronger than ever. Twitter user @BYaugs suggested a statue of the Pokémon Bulbasaur, gaining over 230 retweets and 650 likes. User @moeiswe pitched Hello Kitty statues, pulling over 30 retweets and 110 likes. Other suggestions included replacing Christopher Columbus with "a far more deserving Italian" (a sandwich), swapping Confederate monuments for Selena statues in Texas, and installing Leonora Carrington's surrealist sculptures in place of every racist monument.

The Mary Sue published an article rounding up the best suggestions and making the case that "literally anything would be better," pointing to Balto the sled dog as the ideal replacement. The article highlighted a Budapest statue of Peter Falk as Columbo as proof the concept could actually work, and noted John Boyega's Instagram post saying the only statues that didn't freak him out were Balto in Central Park and Yoda in San Francisco.

A Change.org petition also proposed replacing racist statues with inflatable tube men (air dancers) as placeholders until proper statues of people of color could be built. The petition doubled as a fundraising pitch for Black Lives Matter-related charities.

The format also sparked some genuine policy conversations. In Bristol, a petition circulated calling for Colston's statue to be replaced with one of Paul Stephenson, who campaigned for racial equality in the city during the 1960s. Tennessee saw calls to replace all state monuments with statues of Dolly Parton.

How to Use This Meme

The format is straightforward:

1

Pick a controversial statue or category of statues (Confederate generals, Christopher Columbus, colonial-era figures)

2

Suggest a replacement that is either genuinely better, hilariously random, or both

3

Post with a photo of the proposed replacement if possible

Cultural Impact

The meme crossed over from pure internet comedy into real political discourse. Bristol's mayor Marvin Rees acknowledged the Colston toppling as a moment that forced the city to "have a conversation" about its history. UK Home Secretary Priti Patel called the statue removal "utterly disgraceful," while police superintendent Andy Bennett said he understood why it happened and that officers made a tactical decision not to intervene.

Several of the joke suggestions reflected a genuine cultural shift in how people thought about public monuments. The Dolly Parton proposal in Tennessee gained traction because Parton had actually asked state legislators in 2021 not to erect a statue of her, saying it wasn't the right time. The Britney Spears petition for New Orleans connected to broader conversations about who Louisiana chooses to honor.

The meme also fed into a real pattern of statue replacements. While most of the joke proposals stayed online, the underlying argument, that public monuments should honor different people, led to actual policy changes in cities across the US and UK.

Fun Facts

The Budapest statue of Peter Falk as Columbo actually exists and was frequently shared as evidence that the Columbus-to-Columbo swap was not just a joke but an achievable goal.

John Boyega posted on Instagram during the 2020 protests that the only statues he found acceptable were Balto in Central Park and Yoda in San Francisco.

Bristol police deliberately chose not to stop the Colston statue toppling, with a superintendent explaining they wanted to avoid triggering wider unrest.

The Buc-ee's suggestion (a gas station mascot for Confederate monuments) was specifically targeted at Texas, where many Confederate statues stood near actual Buc-ee's locations.

One user suggested replacing all Confederate statues with "monuments to the people who knocked them down".

Derivatives & Variations

Britney Spears Petition:

A Change.org petition specifically calling for all Confederate monuments in New Orleans to be replaced with Britney Spears statues, tying into the city's removal of its remaining Confederate monuments in May 2017[2].

Balto the Sled Dog Proposal:

Championed by The Mary Sue, this recurring suggestion argued that a heroic sled dog who delivered medicine during a diphtheria epidemic was objectively a better use of a pedestal than any slave trader[3].

Air Dancer Petition:

A Change.org campaign proposing inflatable tube men as temporary replacements until proper statues of people of color could be commissioned[5].

Columbo for Columbus:

The original variant by @IanBoothby, suggesting the TV detective replace the explorer, which kicked off the entire format[4].

Business Horse:

Twitter user @TheWilderThings proposed a random horse statue found outside a Courtyard Marriott in Louisville, gaining significant traction for its sheer absurdity[3].

Frequently Asked Questions