Here at Digg, we try our best to cover the most important and confounding memes that come across the timeline. But the web is littered with tons of great memes that never quite hit the mainstream and instead just bounce around the weird corners of Twitter or Reddit. Enter our recurring feature, Memes, Ranked.
This week, we’ve got a performance to forget — from an award-winning performer, nonetheless — an innovative way to hide identities online and, once again, The New York Times repeating why they're slowly becoming a joke.
3. Ariana DeBose
The meme
Award-winning actor and artist Ariana DeBose performed an opening number at this year's BAFTA, and it appears to have missed the mark. So much so that the show's producer came out and said that people's criticism of it was "incredibly unfair."
DeBose's rap was... interesting. It lacked a bit of a killer touch; maybe it needed more time. But you know how the Twitter mob is. No mercy when it comes to these things.
Examples
Me watching the Ariana DeBose vid over and over and over again pic.twitter.com/Qtza6WU8kc
— jack rem x (@jackremmington) February 21, 2023
Everyone getting ready to tweet the video of Ariana Debose saying Angela Basset did the thing when she wins the Oscar pic.twitter.com/ShuIWI8d5E
— Weslee (@WSpark98NZ2) February 21, 2023
Ariana DeBose talking to Angela Bassett about The Thing pic.twitter.com/20jpKiSU58
— Joe Gunn (@joegunn) February 21, 2023
ariana debose when angela basset doesn’t do the thing: pic.twitter.com/Fc6LzueNXK
— cam (@ikiruphoenix) February 21, 2023
Everyone writing thinkpieces tomorrow about Ariana Debose pic.twitter.com/Np44ynzmEY
— Rose Dommu (@rosedommu) February 21, 2023
ariana debose at the baftas pic.twitter.com/PIp8vE4ocD
— campbell (@rodeoman) February 21, 2023
who let her do this pic.twitter.com/S9LCbf0IY0
— kie (@criminalplaza) February 20, 2023
I’m not kidding this will make Ariana DeBose a gay icon for the rest of her life.
— Ben Yahr (@benyahr) February 21, 2023
pic.twitter.com/2uckbFMZPV
Adwait Patil
2. The 'NYT in defense of'
The meme
Well, the New York Times really stepped in it now. The “it” being a total pile of sh—t. First there was the weird coverage they did about trans people, then there was the letter signed by dozens of journalists calling out their coverage of trans people and then this got published, only adding insult to injury.
The campaign to characterize J.K. Rowling as a transphobe “is as dangerous as it is absurd,” writes Pamela Paul. https://t.co/Pa6lVo0vNV
— New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) February 16, 2023
It's only natural that the Times opinion section's defense of a monster turned into a templated-meme.
Examples
what the fuck... pic.twitter.com/U9nl3kapzd
— zach silberberg (@zachsilberberg) February 16, 2023
— zach silberberg (@zachsilberberg) February 16, 2023
Fucked up pic.twitter.com/YhxdlFw8Th
— John Frankensteiner (@JFrankensteiner) February 17, 2023
https://t.co/0ZBp9cffdy pic.twitter.com/zdKz1Ci4TL
— Janus Rose (@janusrose) February 16, 2023
average new york times article pic.twitter.com/C2KwOhtW4S
— Jeremy Kaplowitz (@jeremysmiles) February 16, 2023
In Defense of Chris McLean pic.twitter.com/vBFFZFXCZX
— Tad Strange (@bread157) February 16, 2023
“In defense of JK R-” pic.twitter.com/MLyrMBHCeN
— Sean (@flyingwalruss) February 16, 2023
IN DEFENSE OF JK ROWLING: nothing to say about trans stuff, i just think it's really cool that goblins have hook noses and work at banks and that house elves like to be slaves
— David Grossman (@davidgross_man) February 16, 2023
The campaign to notice that nighttime is when it gets dark is similarly dangerous and absurd. pic.twitter.com/I69qqYDHJi
— steve albini (@electricalWSOP) February 16, 2023
Time to share this article from @leahfinnegan again https://t.co/O2kJ2X3fOD
— Jason Silverstein (@Jason_Reads) February 16, 2023
Jared Russo
1. Yassifying a stranger
The meme
On Saturday, one of the greatest tweets in Twitter’s history was posted:
A lady at the airport brought her own personal tube of mayonnaise. I’ve yassified her to maintain anonymity but she’s my hero. pic.twitter.com/vaBvoZpdWX
— Michelle Collins (@michcoll) February 18, 2023
It’s instantly iconic: the terrifyingly warped face, the implication that yassifying a stranger beyond recognition is the normal way to protect their identity, everything. Unsurprisingly, the tweet inspired a flood of very good memes.
Examples
cinderella: how can I go to the ball? my stepmother will recognize me?
— harry (@slimjimpickins) February 21, 2023
fairy god mother: I will yassify you to protect your anonymity
Yassified to maintain anonymity pic.twitter.com/Zj3j9vQ0bV
— Claire St. Clair (@sleepy_homo) February 20, 2023
yassified to protect her anonymity pic.twitter.com/FqSa1P6J6h
— jeremiah (@horse_updates) February 20, 2023
a lady on vacation in sicily shot and killed her three gay kidnappers on a luxury yacht with their gun. i’ve yassified her to maintain anonymity but she’s my hero. pic.twitter.com/R6AIyV9QNE
— alex (@alex_abads) February 20, 2023
Armpit yassified to maintain anonymity https://t.co/Zcvt0kZSO3
— Aidan (@aidanthereup) February 20, 2023
Yassified to maintain anonymity pic.twitter.com/dE65U14GsV
— Thirstie Allsopp (@scrubmummy) February 20, 2023
Yassified to maintain anonymity pic.twitter.com/dE65U14GsV
— Thirstie Allsopp (@scrubmummy) February 20, 2023
Yassified to maintain anonymity pic.twitter.com/PPg5xfuYvl
— FELICI ⚡️🛸 (@unordinary_boy) February 21, 2023
Yassified her to maintain her anonymity pic.twitter.com/fjOMJx1HYS
— Joslyn Fox's Meaty Tuck (@EmilioEmm) February 21, 2023
she was the first to be yassified to maintain anonymity pic.twitter.com/2nuo6BweI6
— cousin greg (@se7enpsychos) February 21, 2023
The original Yassified For Anonymity pic.twitter.com/6YuIn5qpix
— Rosie Blackadder (@RosieBlackadder) February 20, 2023
the original “yassified to protect anonymity” pic.twitter.com/OH3Ucy6ouK
— jaris (@real_jaris) February 20, 2023
Yassified to maintain anonymity pic.twitter.com/smkfab3Iwz
— 🏳️⚧️ Dean Tāne 🏳️🌈 (@Maccadaynu) February 20, 2023
Yassified to maintain anonymity pic.twitter.com/d6sJkC5SIV
— lukey star (@luxxy_bee) February 20, 2023
Darcy Jimenez
And if you're hungry for more memes, here's the last edition of "The Week's Best Memes, Ranked”, where we had "Joker 2" images that went viral, Elon Musk's megalomania and Rihanna's Super Bowl.