00:00I go through waves, like, I think last time I talked to you, Arthur, I was sick of them,
00:05but now I like drawing them again.
00:07Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're diving into the dark side of internet culture as
00:12we count down our picks for the top 10 memes with the most unsettling or heartbreaking
00:17backstories.
00:18The Ladbible posted an apology saying they got this very, very wrong.
00:23Mental health is no joke or laughing matter.
00:27Number 10, the best cry ever guy.
00:29You got your boys on the couch, you should be a very proud man.
00:33Very much so.
00:35During an emotional episode of A&E's Intervention, former boxing champ Rocky Lockridge broke
00:40down on camera, and that raw moment quickly became a viral meme.
00:45While many found his outburst hilarious, most had no idea about the heartbreak behind it.
00:51I still love you!
00:53Rocky once had a flourishing boxing career, even beating the undefeated Roger Mayweather.
01:09But everything fell apart when he turned to drugs, costing him his family, his home, and
01:14his once great life.
01:16The viral moment was actually his family pouring out their hearts while mending their broken
01:21relationship.
01:23Sadly, after reconnecting with them, Rocky died from a stroke in 2019.
01:28So while the internet was mesmerized by his loud wailing, behind the meme was a man at
01:33his lowest.
01:34So if I'm 50, how much longer do I last before the master call me her?
01:44Number 9.
01:45The Deflated Garfield Meme Sure, maybe the Garfield comic can get a little
01:58sad on occasion, but leave it to the internet to take things to a completely new level.
02:03In 2020, a panel from a 1993 Garfield comic strip showing a limp Garfield in the arms
02:10of his heartbroken owner, John Arbuckle, went viral on social media.
02:14This flat cat meme blew up as a go-to for all kinds of funny messages, but the original
02:20scene is far from amusing.
02:23John is devastated, holding what looks like a lifeless Garfield, which is actually a decoy,
02:28and desperately trying to wake it up.
02:31Yeah, what has become a punchline in meme culture is actually John panicking, thinking
02:36he'd lost someone dear to him.
02:44Number 8.
02:45Coney 2012 In 2012, a short documentary by Jason Russell,
02:57the co-founder of the non-profit Invisible Children, grabbed global attention, but not
03:02without its baggage of problems.
03:04This film aimed to expose the atrocities of the Lord's Resistance Army, and make
03:08its leader, Joseph Coney, infamous enough to be arrested.
03:20But when this film went viral, it attracted a lot of bad press, with critics slamming
03:26it for oversimplifying a serious issue.
03:28The backlash hit Russell real hard, and things got so wild that a video of him having a breakdown,
03:35half-naked on the streets of San Diego, circulated online.
03:40He was also later hospitalized.
03:42Now more than a decade later, Coney's no longer deemed a threat, and Russell's digital presence
03:47has all but disappeared.
03:58Number 7.
04:00The Nodding Guy Meme You've probably seen the meme of the bearded
04:08guy nodding, often used to suggest approval of some sort, whether sarcastic or honest.
04:14Seems harmless, right?
04:16Well, that's until you learn its unsettling origin.
04:19For years, people assumed it was comedian Zach Galifianakis, because of its striking
04:24resemblance, but it's actually taken from the 1972 film, Jeremiah Johnson.
04:36Robert Redford plays the titular character, famously known as The Liver-Eating Johnson,
04:42a ruthless mountain man who went on a revenge spree after his wife was murdered by the Crow
04:48tribe.
04:49He tracked down his enemies, and had a, let's say, a unique and gory way of handling their
04:54corpses.
04:55Bizarre, right?
04:57Suddenly that approving nod feels more chilling now that you know the backstory.
05:10Number 6.
05:12The Doge Meme Based on a 2010 photo of the dog, Kabosu,
05:21with their head turned and paws crossed, this meme became incredibly popular in 2013.
05:27The round-faced dog, paired with funny internal monologue captions, became a meme culture
05:32icon, and even made its way into cryptocurrency discussions.
05:46But behind the fame, Kabosu's story isn't as light-hearted.
05:50She was rescued from a puppy farm by Atsuku Sato, where she was set to be put down, and
05:55the iconic meme came from a simple photo Sato posted of the now-adopted dog.
06:00Sadly, Kabosu was diagnosed with cancer in 2022, and passed away in 2024.
06:06To honor her, a bronze statue of Kabosu was unveiled at Sakura Furusatu Square, forever
06:12immortalizing her.
06:14Number 5.
06:15Pepe the Frog Meme Originally created by artist Matt Fury in
06:292005, this hugely popular icon started out as a meme with all kinds of meanings.
06:35With a catchphrase attached to it, it could convey sadness, anger, or surprise.
06:53But during the 2016 American election, Pepe the Frog got tangled up with Donald Trump's
06:58campaign, and alt-right groups, forever altering its harmless meaning.
07:03Internet trolls began creating even more twisted versions of Pepe, turning what was once a
07:08funny-looking frog into a symbol of hate and racism, much to Fury's despair.
07:13He tried to kill the character off, distance it from the negativity, and bring back its
07:18positive vibe, but nothing worked.
07:21It's a real shame, because the quirky Pepe was never meant to represent something sinister.
07:38Number 4.
07:39Wentworth Miller Meme Being in the spotlight can be both rewarding
07:53and damaging, and for Prison Break star Wentworth Miller, it was the latter.
07:58In 2016, a meme comparing his images at different body weights went viral after being posted
08:04by the Ladd Bible.
08:06But what seemed like a cruel, fat-shaming joke became heartbreaking when Miller revealed
08:10the reason for his changed appearance.
08:13In a moving essay, he opened up about how he'd been taking a break from acting and
08:17battling depression, which led to his weight gain.
08:27So while the internet was laughing, he was struggling with serious mental health issues.
08:32Although the entertainment website later apologized, such a cruel post never should
08:36have been shared.
08:40Number 3.
08:41The Deez Nuts Guy Welvin Harris, better known as WelvinDaGreat,
08:53shot to fame with his viral Deez Nuts video, which gained over 45 million viewers.
08:58This breakout moment opened doors for him, leading to appearances on radio shows and
09:03hangouts with big names like DJ Khaled.
09:06Fans flocked to him, and he was living the high life… until things took a dark turn.
09:11Footage and images began to circulate online of Welvin being involved in altercations with
09:16strangers in public, as well as seemingly unconscious at a downtown train station in
09:20Los Angeles.
09:21His account was hacked, causing him to lose millions of followers, and he quickly lost
09:25his trending status.
09:26Even worse, disturbing videos of him being harassed or appearing homeless started popping
09:31up.
09:32At one point, it was even rumoured that he had died.
09:34However, in 2023, it was confirmed that he was alive and well… just not the famous
09:39Welvin anymore.
09:48Number 2.
09:49The Grumpy Cat Meme
09:58In 2012, a cat named Tartarsauce became an overnight internet sensation when a photo
10:04of her iconic scowl surfaced online.
10:07With her grumpy face and big bubble eyes, she quickly became a viral meme for humour
10:12and cynicism.
10:13She was so popular, she had millions of followers on Instagram, Twitter, and beyond.
10:25Fans lined up just to meet her.
10:27This feline celebrity even appeared on shows like The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and a waxed
10:33figure of her was showcased in a San Francisco museum.
10:37But behind that distinctive look, Tartar suffered from an underbite and feline dwarfism, which
10:43caused her perpetually grumpy appearance.
10:45How sad.
10:46To make things even sadder, Tartar passed away a few years ago, leaving feline-loving
10:51fans heartbroken.
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11:16Number 1.
11:17The Star Wars Kid
11:26Think a meme can't ruin a person's life?
11:28Just ask Ghislain Raza, who unintentionally became infamous.
11:32It all started in 2002, when 15-year-old Raza recorded a fun video of himself mimicking
11:38a lightsaber battle.
11:53But when that private moment fell into the wrong hands, it exploded online, turning his
11:57life upside down.
11:59Dubbed the Star Wars Kid by blogger Andy Baio, Raza became a target of widespread ridicule
12:05and cyber abuse.
12:06It got so intense that he dropped out of school and suffered serious mental health
12:11issues.
12:12His parents even sued those responsible for making the video viral, but ultimately settled
12:16out of court.
12:17Decades later, an older Raza channeled his experience into a documentary to shed light
12:23on the impact of taunting and tormenting.
12:45Check out these other clips from WatchMojo, and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell
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