The Family Guy Skin Color Chart meme, also known as the Family Guy Race Card, is a popular internet meme that utilizes a screenshot from the animated sitcom Family Guy. This exploitable image features a scene where Peter Griffin, disguised in a fez, encounters a toll booth worker who uses a “skin tone chart” to assess Peter’s racial eligibility for entry into the United States. Originating from a March 2013 episode, this scene quickly evolved into a versatile meme format by 2014. It’s predominantly employed as a reaction image across social media platforms like Twitter, serving as a satirical critique of perceived racism and discriminatory practices.
Origin of the Meme
The source of the “Family Guy Skin Color Chart” meme is Season 11, Episode 15 of Family Guy, which aired on March 17, 2013. In this episode, Peter Griffin befriends a Muslim individual named Mahmoud, who is later revealed to be a terrorist. A key scene unfolds as Mahmoud forces Peter to drive a van laden with explosives across a bridge. Upon reaching a toll booth, a toll worker scrutinizes Peter using a “skin color chart.” The chart humorously categorizes lighter skin tones as “OKAY” and darker tones as “NOT OKAY,” highlighting a satirical take on racial profiling.
While the precise origin of the meme is undocumented, one of the earliest known instances appeared on Memedroid on April 23, 2014, posted by user antHernandez94. This early iteration (shown below) garnered significant traction, accumulating over 2,000 votes within nine years, indicating the meme’s early appeal and resonance.
Early example of the Family Guy skin color chart meme, referencing police bias with "OKAY" and "NOT OKAY" labels on skin tones
Spread and Evolution of the Meme
The “Family Guy Skin Color Chart” meme gained momentum and expanded its reach in the following years. On October 25, 2014, a Redditor shared a meme variant related to the Ebola outbreak. This version quickly gained traction and was notably used as the thumbnail for the YouTube video “Ebola (La La)” on October 30th of the same year. The video itself became a viral sensation, amassing over 55 million views in nine years, demonstrating the meme’s capacity to tap into topical events.
Ebola themed Family Guy skin color chart meme, categorizing skin tones based on disease relevance
Further diversifying its application, on October 4, 2017, Redditor frenzy3 posted a meme on the /r/dankmemes subreddit referencing the 2017 Las Vegas shooting. This version cleverly repurposed the skin color chart to label lighter skin tones as “mentally ill” and darker tones as “terrorist,” offering a sharp commentary on societal biases in the aftermath of the tragedy. This post received over 4,900 upvotes in six years, highlighting the meme’s effectiveness in addressing sensitive social issues.
Family Guy skin color chart meme referencing the Las Vegas shooting, satirizing labels of "mentally ill" and "terrorist" based on skin tone
The meme’s template became readily available on Imgflip around 2017, facilitating widespread customization and proliferation. This accessibility led to numerous meme variations, catering to a wide array of contexts and social commentaries.
Popular example of the customizable Family Guy skin color chart meme, showcasing its versatility
In July 2020, Twitter user @ericalenee13 shared a version of the meme that garnered over 2,000 likes, further extending its reach across social media platforms. This tweet was subsequently reposted by Tumblr user mysharona1987, accumulating over 4,400 notes, illustrating cross-platform engagement with the meme. More recently, in September 2022, Redditor Lennsa posted a version on /r/memes about web browsers, which received over 4,000 upvotes in six months, demonstrating the meme’s enduring relevance. In January 2023, another Redditor posted a Velma TV series related meme on /r/dankmemes, gaining over 1,000 upvotes in two months before being deleted, indicating the meme’s continued adaptation to contemporary topics.
Family Guy skin color chart meme about web browsers, categorizing them as "OKAY" and "NOT ONAY"
Family Guy skin color chart meme referencing the Velma reboot cartoon and character designs
Diverse Examples of the Meme in Use
The “Family Guy Skin Color Chart” meme’s adaptability is evident in its diverse applications across the internet. It has been used to comment on workplace scenarios, historical inaccuracies, social justice issues, and international relations, among other topics. The examples below illustrate the breadth of its usage and its capacity to convey complex social critiques in a concise and humorous format.
Family Guy skin color chart meme about workplace discipline, contrasting "FIRED" and "TWO WEEK SUSPENSION"
Family Guy skin color chart meme satirizing the History Channel's content with "They did it themselves" and "They needed aliens"
Family Guy skin color chart meme addressing racial bias in crime reporting, referencing the Atlanta spa shootings
Family Guy skin color chart meme on American foreign policy, contrasting "AMERICAN FOREIGN" and a foreign language phrase"
Family Guy skin color chart meme commenting on police views of anti-mask protestors during the Ohio Statehouse protests
Meme Template Accessibility
The enduring popularity and widespread use of the “Family Guy Skin Color Chart” meme are partly attributable to the availability of its template. Readily accessible on platforms like Imgflip, the template allows users to easily customize the text on the skin color chart, adapting it to a constantly evolving range of topics and contexts. This ease of customization ensures the meme remains a relevant and adaptable tool for online commentary.
Family Guy skin color chart meme template, showing the blank chart for customization
Search Interest
[Search interest data or general statement about meme popularity can be added here if available]
External References
[1] MemeDroid – who’s your favorite Family Guy character
[2] Reddit – mildlyinteresting
[3] YouTube – itsRucka
[4] Reddit – dankmemes
[5] Imgflip – memetemplate
[6] Imgflip – memetemplate
[7] Twitter – ericalenee13
[8] Tumblr – mysharona1987
[9] Reddit – Lennsa
[10] Reddit (via wayback) – deleted
