Memes / Saturday Night Live

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The following SNL memes have not been ready for prime time since the mid-70s.

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• Any combination of characters in a car, edited to headbopping to "What is Love" as per the SNL skits about the Roxbury Guys; the one with Jim Carrey joining them, as the first such sketch, is apparently the best known.
• Then there's the whole "Dear Sister" meme, which started as a Saturday Night Live spoof of the ending to the second season finale of The O.C.. Just depict someone dying violently (particularly by gunshot), slow down the scene for maximum "Holy Shit!" Quotient, and play the "Mmm, whatcha say?" portion of Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek", and BAM! Instant funny.
• At its various peaks of comedy, SNL is practically a meme generator, as the popularity of "Lazy Sunday" (a rap by two white kids going to see Narnia), "Needs more cowbell", and Justin Timberlake's "Dick in a Box" (Um... Exactly What It Says on the Tin) would attest.
  • Last week, I saw a film. As I recall, it was a horror film. Walked outside into the rain, checked my phone and I saw you rang and I JIZZED IN MY PANTS
  • "I'm on a BOAT!"
  • I THREW IT ON THE GROUND! I'M NOT A PART OF YOUR SYSTEM! MAAAAAAAAAN!
  • I've frequently not been on boats.
    • No. What you've been, is not on boats.
    • "Like a BOSS!"
• Guess what!? This trope has a fever, and the only prescription...is more cowbell!
• We are going to pump *clap* you up!
• Don't forget Norm MacDonald's continuing hypothesis: Germans Love David Hasselhoff.
  • You guessed it. Frank Stallone!
• Makin' copies...
• Well isn't that special?
  • Could it be...SATAN!? ^explanationboth of the above are catch-phrases of Dana Carvey's "Church Lady" character.
• We are from France.
• Well, you know how, every year, (insert much-hated sports team of choice) comes in with impressive stats and all the hype, and, Every Year They Fizzle Out!
• (pompously) Ladies and gentlemen of the City Council, I'm just a caveman. Your world frightens and confuses me. When I see your tall buildings and flashing neon signs, sometimes I just want to get away as fast as I can, to my place in Martha's Vineyard and when I see a solar eclipse...I think "Oh no, is the moon eating the sun?" ...because I'm a caveman...but there is one thing I do know. The new resort housing development proposed by my partners and myself, will include more than adequate greenbelts for recreation and aesthetic enhancement. Thank you. (smug grin)
• "Well, excuuuuuuse me!"
  • We are two wild and crazy guys!
• REEEALLY.
• "Along comes Debbie Downer!" Wah-wah...
• Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.
• Come Christmas time, no one can resist my Schwetty Balls.
• ...When you're living in a van down by the RIVER!
• "I can see Russia from my house!" (Tina Fey as Sarah Palin)
  • Practically anything Tina Fey as Sarah Palin says.
• In the future, there was a nuclear war. And because of all the radiation, cats developed the ability to shoot lasers out of their mouths. Some will use the cats for good, others for evil. Who will win in a world of.... LASER CATS?! ^explanationThe opening to the Stylistic Suck running sketch "LASER CATS" and its sequels.
• NOT A BLOODY DRAGON, RINGO! COME ON!
• Again, you're welcome.
• She's chopping broccoli! She's chopping broccoli!
• And robots are strong. Because they're made of metal.
  • Oops! I Crapped My Pants holds a lot of dung!
• All I want is some Hi-C and some toikey!
• "Breaking news just in: Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead!"^ExplanationOne of the first major catchphrases from the show, this was Chevy Chase's way of parodying the constant news coverage of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco's failing health during his final weeks, via constantly delivering posthumous "updates" on Franco during the Weekend Update segments stating that he is, in fact, still dead. The bit became a popular subject for parody, invoking it in reference to either Franco himself or any news story that is constantly reported well past the point of obviousness.
• Jane, you ignorant slut.
• Discussions of DA BEARS! and Mike Ditka as a Memetic Badass. (When Ditka left Chicago, they continued with a sketch about the fictional Bill Braske, continuing the same joke.)
• Stefon's characteristic antsy hand movements and weird looping muttering.
• The Weekend Update closers. Includes:
  • Goodnight and have a pleasant tomorrow. ^explanationChevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler
  • I am outta here! ^explanationDennis Miller
  • That's news to me. ^explanationKevin Nealon
  • That's the way it is. ^explanationNorm Macdonald
  • That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. ^explanationColin Quinn
  • Also, Chevy Chase's introduction: I'm Chevy Chase, and you're not.
• Suck it, Trebek! ^explanationA recurring line in Celebrity Jeopardy with Sean Connery (Darrell Hammond) constantly taunting Alex Trebek (Will Ferrell).
• It's prrrrretty cool! ^explanationThe Catchphrase Vanessa Bayer uses in her impersonation of Miley in the "Miley Cyrus Show" sketch. It helps that it's become an Ascended Meme due to Miley (and sometimes her little sister Noah) quoting from it on Twitter and YouTube.
• YEEEEEAH!! I'm tropin' up all in this bitch! And you know I'm gonna live forev--
  In Memory of "Ass Dan" - 1980 - 2012 ^explanationA common Running Gag in the show's "Under Underground Rock Festival" infomercial parodies is the various In Memoriam spiels of the character "Ass Dan."
• NOT!!
  • Schwing!!
  • No way! Way!! No...way? Way! Excellent!
  • We're not worthy!! We're not worthy!!
• Buh-Bye!
• Not gonna do it. Wouldn't be prudent.^ExplanationDana Carvey's impression of George H. W. Bush.
• I'm not a strong swimmer. ^explanationFrom a digital short featuring Martin Short and Christopher Guest as a pair of Olympic hopefuls training for a run at Synchronized Swimming.
• I was there with my wife Morgan Fairchild. Yeah! That's the ticket!
• "Coffee Talk with Linda Richman" has a host of memes, including "It's like buttah!", "spilkes in the genechtagazoink", "I'm a little verklempt!" and of course, "Talk amongst yourselves, I'll give you a topic".
• CHEEEBURGER CHEEEBURGER CHEEEBURGER ^ExplanationFrom the Olympia Cafe sketches, set in a cafe run by implacable vaguely Mediterranean immigrants that served only three things: cheeseburgers, chips, and Coke.^NoteNo Coke. Pepsi
• "I loved it. It was much better than Cats. I'm going to see it again and again."^ExplanationThe Amazing Alexander, Broadway Hypnotist, hypnotized an entire theater to say the same line in a Creepy Monotone.
• To this day, the term "Bad Idea Jeans" is mentioned in reference to someone's plans to do something stupid, in reference to a fake commercial from the early 90's.
• "Aw hell naw Karen, keep your bland-ass potato salad to yourself!"^explanationT'Challa's answer on Black Jeopardy once he gets the gist of the game. Widely credited with introducing the term "Karen" to white people
• "Ladies and Gentlemen, The Weeknd." ^ExplanationDaniel Craig introduces The Weeknd for the next musical act which got the audiences cheering. The introductory part gets its own Twitter account where every Friday night, Craig will remind everyone that the weekend is here.
• You can just go ahead and pop that beanie back on... ^ExplanationA Running Gag in the sketch "Dry Fridays" with Kristen Stewart, where Stewart's character mentions that she got a "nohawk" while drunk, pulling off her beanie to reveal a reverse-mohawk. Throughout the rest of the sketch, characters repeat this quote to her while she has her head uncovered.
• The "Rap Roundtable" sketch from the season 46 episode hosted by Timothée Chalamet has become a Fountain of Memes, especially on TikTok, whose userbase the sketch was mocking.
  • YEET^ExplanationZan Mob's song, which mainly consists of "yeet!"s and "skrrt!"s, as well as ear-splitting "singing" from Guaplord (Pete Davidson), became a trending sound on TikTok.
  • "You was in Yo Gabba Gabba?" "One episode, like ten years ago." "Respect. You a legend for that."^explanationAn exchange between $mokedcheddathaassgetta (Chalamet) and Questlove. The sound is often used to point out Retroactive Recognition, people and/or characters who look strikingly similar to each other, and even celebrities who have appeared on Yo Gabba Gabba!.
• Three Sad Virgins (Taylor's Version)^ExplanationBuilding off of the Colon Cancer memes from the Swiftie fandom, Taylor Swift's cameo in the "Three Sad Virgins" song of the Please Don't Destroy sketch series has led to fans labeling hypothetical versions of the song with titles such as "Three Sad Virgins (Taylor's Version)" or even further additional versions like "(10 Minute Version)" or "(From the Vault)".
• I'm Holly... I'm Nora... And I'm Dooneese!^ExplanationThe Maharelle Sisters' introductory catchphrase in The Lawrence Welk Show parodies. It's used as a sound on TikTok.
• "Tragedy today, as former President Gerald Ford was eaten by wolves. He was delicious." ^ExplanationIn a season 22 episode in October 1996, Dana Carvey as Tom Brokaw pre-recording news briefs for every possible death of Gerald Ford including suicide, overdosing on crack cocaine, walking into a propeller, and being eaten by wolves.
• "I'm 35 years old, I'm thrice divorced, and I live in a van down by the river!" ^ExplanationHow Matt Foley (Chris Farley) introduced himself in every sketch.
• Bill Hader's impression of Keith Morrison of Dateline has led to many gifs, usually used when reacting to something seemingly horrific that one is still gleefully fascinated by.
• Talking with this, like, LA Mushmouth thing. ("You think I sound LA? Thank you, I love LA!")^ExplanationOne sketch from Season 48 has Pedro Pascal play amnesiac Charlie, who wakes up from a coma mumbling like a delirious Valley Boy; his confused best friend comes up with this description. Charlie's wife, sister, friend, and doctor all end up respectfully copying his dialect, and some viewers later admitted doing so as well. Even in some interviews promoting Pascal's other TV shows, the reporter will sometimes imitate Charlie for him.
• "Now, this might strike some viewers as harsh, but I believe everyone involved in this story should die."^ExplanationA quote from one of Norm Macdonald's weekend updates, which gained a resurgence in popularity in 2021. It's often used to react to scenarios where everyone involved is a terrible person.
• "I'm just Pete and I like jugs! I'm mentally ill and I'm on drugs!"^ExplanationThese lyrics from Pete Davidson's "I'm Just Pete" parody of "I'm just Ken" from Barbie (2023) picked up usage on TikTok following his 2023 hosting appearance.
• "You definitely did not see me in Madame Web (2024)".^ExplanationA viral line from Sydney Sweeney's Season 49 monologue.

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