# Side Eyeing Chloe
> Side Eyeing Chloe is a 2013 reaction-image meme of two-year-old Chloe Clem's bewildered side-eye glance, which became the definitive visual of internet skepticism and judgment.
Side Eyeing Chloe is a reaction image and photoshop meme featuring two-year-old Chloe Clem giving a bewildered sideways glance while her older sister Lily cries with joy after learning about a surprise trip to Disneyland. The screenshot, pulled from a September 2013 YouTube video, spread rapidly on Tumblr before crossing over to every major platform. BuzzFeed dubbed Chloe "the patron saint of Tumblr," and the image became one of the most recognizable reaction memes of the 2010s[10].
## Origin
On September 12, 2013, YouTube channel KAftC (Katie After the Chaos, run by Katie Clem) uploaded a video titled "Lily's Disneyland Surprise… AGAIN!"[4]. The video was a follow-up to a similar surprise Disneyland announcement from two years earlier that had already gone viral with over 19 million views[5]. In the 2013 version, Lily again broke down crying when she heard the news, but this time the camera caught her younger sister Chloe, then two years old, looking deeply unimpressed by the whole situation.
Six days later, on September 18, Tumblr user Lee (justtouchedawkwardly) posted an animated GIF set of highlights from the video. One frame isolated Chloe's sideways glance, captioned: "i just love this because chloe is like 'da hell is this girl cryin about'"[7]. The post picked up speed fast, collecting more than 895,700 notes in under a month[4].
- **Platform:** YouTube (source video), Tumblr (viral spread)
- **Creator:** Katie Clem (YouTuber / mother who filmed and uploaded the video), Lee / justtouchedawkwardly (Tumblr user who created the viral GIF set), Chloe Clem (subject)
- **Date:** 2013
## Overview
The meme comes from a single frame of a YouTube video where sisters Lily and Chloe Clem are told they're going to Disneyland instead of school. Lily immediately bursts into tears of happiness. Chloe, sitting next to her in the back seat, shoots a confused and slightly disturbed look sideways at her crying sister. That split-second expression of skepticism and bewilderment became the meme's entire foundation[5].
The screenshot works as a universal reaction image for any situation involving confusion, judgment, or the quiet realization that something weird is happening. Chloe's face captures a very specific emotion: "What is wrong with this person?" It's the look you give a coworker who just microwaved fish in the break room[9].
## How It Spread
BuzzFeed writer Matt Bellassai spotted Lee's GIF set on September 24, 2013, running an article titled "Girl Reacting To Disneyland Is The Only Reaction You'll Need For Anything Ever." He called Chloe's expression "the most important and universal reaction to anything ever"[9].
The Tumblr community ran with the screenshot. On November 1, user Yungbasedblogger posted a standalone reaction image of Chloe's face with the caption "could u f--king not," which racked up over 120,000 notes in two weeks[4]. By November 5, a dedicated Tumblr blog called "Chloe Queen of Everything" launched, posting photoshopped images of Chloe's face onto celebrities and historical figures[5]. The blog featured Chloe's expression on Abraham Lincoln, Lady Gaga album covers, and various other pop culture images[10].
On November 13, BuzzFeed published a second article, this time calling Chloe "officially the patron saint of Tumblr" and compiling the best photoshop edits from the Tumblr community[10]. The original YouTube video crossed 20 million views[5].
The meme saw a major resurgence in May 2017. The Clem family traveled to Brazil after Google invited Chloe to visit their São Paulo offices as part of an ad campaign[8]. The @lilyandchloeofficial Instagram account posted photos from the trip, showing Chloe posing next to Google office decorations featuring her own face[4]. On May 22, Twitter user @AnnaCrysti tweeted the photos with the caption "Y'all look at my girl Chloe all grown up," pulling in over 105,000 likes and 41,000 retweets within 72 hours[4]. BuzzFeed, Bustle, and Seventeen all ran stories about the now six-year-old[8][6].
## How to Use
Side Eyeing Chloe works best as a reaction image when you want to express silent judgment, confusion, or a "what is happening right now" vibe. Common approaches include:
1. **Straight reaction image:** Post the screenshot in response to something weird, cringeworthy, or hard to believe. The expression reads as quiet side-eye without needing any caption.
2. **Captioned version:** Add text like "When someone says..." above the image, with Chloe's face delivering the punchline of unspoken judgment.
3. **Face swap / photoshop:** Place Chloe's face onto another person or character in a photo to imply they should be giving side-eye in that situation. The "Chloe Queen of Everything" format popularized this approach[10].
## Cultural Impact
The meme's reach extended well beyond internet humor. Google ran a promotional campaign featuring Chloe in their São Paulo offices in 2017, decorating the building with her likeness and flying the family out for a visit[8]. The campaign generated its own wave of viral content when photos from the trip spread across Twitter[11].
In 2014, Chloe and Katie appeared on the Brazilian TV show Eliana to discuss the meme[5]. The family also appeared in BuzzFeed's 2019 video series "I Accidentally Became A Meme"[5].
The NFT sale in 2021 made Side Eyeing Chloe part of a broader wave of classic memes being auctioned as digital collectibles. The 25 ETH ($74,000) sale put it alongside other meme NFTs like Disaster Girl, Bad Luck Brian, and Overly Attached Girlfriend[5][2].
The meme also sparked conversations about children's privacy and the ethics of viral fame. Katie Clem's candid interviews about feeling guilt over her daughter's exposure gave the story a more complicated dimension than most meme origin stories. She turned down a Disney TV opportunity for Lily and deliberately scaled back content creation as the kids grew older[1].
## Fun Facts
- The 2013 Disneyland video was a sequel. The first surprise Disneyland announcement video, posted in 2011, already had over 19 million views before the meme version was uploaded[5].
- Chloe was born on November 30, 2010, in Utah, making her not quite three when the viral video was filmed[5].
- BuzzFeed covered the meme at least three separate times: a reaction GIF roundup in September 2013, a photoshop compilation in November 2013, and a "grown up" update in May 2017[9][10][11].
- During the Brazil trip, Katie said Chloe was particularly excited to see her own face on an elevator door at the Google offices[8].
- In 2021, Chloe and Lily appeared in two episodes of the satirical show The Beech Boys[5].
## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is Side Eyeing Chloe?
Side Eyeing Chloe is a reaction meme featuring a screenshot of two-year-old Chloe Clem giving a confused sideways glance at her crying sister in a 2013 YouTube video about a surprise Disneyland trip[4].
### Where did Side Eyeing Chloe come from?
The meme originated from a September 12, 2013 YouTube video titled "Lily's Disneyland Surprise… AGAIN!" uploaded by Katie Clem's channel KAftC. A Tumblr user named Lee created the viral GIF set six days later[7].
### What does Side Eyeing Chloe mean?
The image expresses silent judgment, confusion, or bewilderment. It's used when someone wants to convey a "what is happening right now" reaction without words[9].
### How do you use Side Eyeing Chloe?
Post the screenshot as a reaction image to express side-eye or disbelief. You can also add captions or photoshop Chloe's face onto other images, following the "Chloe Queen of Everything" format[10].
### Is Side Eyeing Chloe still popular?
The meme's peak was in 2013-2017, with a major resurgence during the Google Brazil campaign in 2017[8]. As of the most recent coverage in 2025, the image is still recognized but no longer at peak virality[1].
### Who is the girl in the Side Eyeing Chloe meme?
Chloe Clem, born November 30, 2010, in Utah. She was two years old when the video was filmed. As of 2025, she's 14 and mostly unrecognizable from her meme-famous toddler self[5][1].
### Why was Chloe making that face?
Chloe was confused by her older sister Lily's emotional breakdown after hearing about the Disneyland surprise. While Lily cried with joy, Chloe looked sideways with visible bewilderment[9].
### How much did the Side Eyeing Chloe NFT sell for?
The original image was sold as an NFT in 2021 for 25 Ethereum, approximately $74,000 at the time[5].
### What happened to the money from the meme?
Katie Clem said the licensing revenue "literally helped us survive for a decade," covering rent, bills, and food when the family was struggling financially. The NFT proceeds went toward Chloe's education fund[1][2].
### Why did Chloe's mom say she feels guilty?
Katie told People Magazine she carries "a lot of guilt" about exposing Chloe to viral fame at age two, especially as she realized the family was losing control over their daughter's image online[1].
### Did Side Eyeing Chloe visit Google in Brazil?
Yes. In May 2017, Google invited the family to their São Paulo offices as part of an ad campaign. Chloe's face was displayed on billboards and building decorations across the city[8][4].
### What TV shows has Chloe appeared on?
Chloe appeared on the Brazilian show Eliana in 2014 and in two episodes of The Beech Boys in 2021. She also featured in BuzzFeed's 2019 series "I Accidentally Became A Meme"[5].
## References
1. [12 Years After 2YO ‘Side-Eyeing Chloe’ Became A Meme, Her Mom Breaks Silence: “We Were So Poor” | Bored Panda]()
2. [Chloe Clem, From the 'Side-Eyeing Chloe' Meme to Today]()
3. [Chloe Swift -
meet hot swifties in your area]()
4. [Side Eyeing Chloe - Know Your Meme]()
5. [Side Eyeing Chloe]()
6. [You Have to See What Unimpressed Chloe From That Viral Meme Looks Like All Grown Up]()
7. [Yeah bitch! Magnets! - i just love this because chloe is like “da hell is...]()
8. [Side-Eyeing Chloe, AKA The World's Cutest Meme, Is All Grown Up Now]()
9. [Girl Reacting To Disneyland Is The Only Reaction You'll Need For Anything Ever]()
10. [Side-Eyeing Chloe Is Officially The Patron Saint Of Tumblr]()
11. [So, Side-Eyeing Chloe Is All Grown Up Now And My Heart Can't Take It]()
---
Source: https://meme.com/memes/side-eyeing-chloe
Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library