The popular meme “Elmo Rises” appeared during a protest in Philadelphia. The meme, sometimes referred to as “Hellmo,” is a fan favorite on the internet, especially over the past few months. It has classics sesame sugar Character Elmo, Photoshopped in Rising Flames. It often appears on social media, sometimes as a reaction gif. However, as often happens with memes, users sometimes add other characters or text to “Elmo Rise”, with a popular version featuring SpongeBob SquarePants.
Ironically, another popular internet meme also had a flame: the more famous “This Is Fine,” which shows a dog sitting in a house, surrounding it on fire. The meme has also become more relevant this year to the coronavirus pandemic. This particular meme originally came from a webcomic and reappeared a year later as the now known meme. Overall, memes can provide social media users with a perfect response to any situation they find themselves in. They also represent the creation of the collective internet, where the same image remains fresh and interesting just because of the context in which it is used.
The “Aimo Rising” meme received more attention this weekend thanks to a protester dressed as Elmo. In photos shared by many Twitter users, a figure in Elmo’s costume stands in front of the burning object, fists raised in the air, bringing the “Elmo Rises” meme to life. One user even offered a side-by-side comparison between the Philadelphia Elmo and the meme. Check out a selection of photos below:
This isn’t the first time pop culture has been part of protests this weekend. Also in Philadelphia, a man dressed as Batman took to the streets to the cheers of the crowd. One Twitter user even pointed out that the scene was reminiscent of a fight between Bane and Batman. Graduate darkness hydrophobic rise. Meanwhile, Marvel’s Hawkeye is gaining attention for the wrong reasons, with a man shooting an arrow into a crowd, scaring nearby peaceful protesters, which has attracted attracted attention on Twitter.
It’s no surprise that pop culture emerges at such an important time and it shows the importance of social media. It’s a great source to share information as well as photos and videos during this weekend’s protests. It also allows individual protests across the country to be connected to a common cause. While the “Elmo Rises” photo may not have had as much of an impact as others shared this weekend, it’s impressive to see people find humor in stressful times.
source: Black Stone Wednesday, S Rifai, alex mason