The Family Guy Color Card meme, also known as the Family Guy skin tone chart, has become a prevalent reaction image across the internet. This meme utilizes a screenshot from the animated sitcom Family Guy to deliver satirical commentary on various forms of perceived bias and discrimination. Originating from a scene that itself satirized racial profiling, the meme has evolved into a versatile tool for online discourse. It allows users to inject humor while criticizing societal prejudices, making it a powerful form of internet expression.
Origin: A Satirical Scene is Born
The genesis of the “Family Guy color card” meme can be traced back to Season 11, Episode 15 of Family Guy, which aired on March 17th, 2013. In this episode, Peter Griffin develops a friendship with a Muslim man named Mahmoud, who is later revealed to be a terrorist plotting an attack. A pivotal scene unfolds as Mahmoud forces Peter to drive a van laden with explosives across a bridge. At a toll booth, a toll worker holds up a “skin color chart” to Peter’s face, who is notably wearing a fez hat in this scene. The chart itself is starkly satirical, labeling lighter skin tones as “OKAY” and darker shades as “NOT OKAY.” This scene, embedded with Family Guy‘s signature brand of edgy humor, was intended to mock the absurdity of racial profiling and prejudiced judgments.
The Meme Takes Off: Early Spread and Variations
While the precise origin of the screenshot’s meme usage remains unclear, early instances surfaced online as early as 2014. One of the earliest documented examples appeared on Memedroid on April 23rd, 2014, posted by user antHernandez94. This iteration of the meme cleverly repurposed the color chart to comment on perceived police bias, labeling lighter skin tones “OKAY” and darker ones “NOT OKAY” in the context of law enforcement. This post garnered significant traction within the Memedroid community, indicating early recognition of the meme’s potential for social commentary.
COPS BE LIKE OKAY NOT OKAY W YOU
Image: An early example of the Family Guy color card meme, posted on Memedroid in 2014, satirizing perceived police bias based on skin color.
The meme’s virality continued to expand. In October 2014, a Reddit user shared a link to a meme variation referencing the Ebola virus outbreak. This version, which used the color chart to humorously categorize “Ebola” and “No Ebola,” gained further prominence as the thumbnail for a YouTube video titled “Ebola (La La)” uploaded on October 30th. The video’s massive popularity, amassing over 55 million views, significantly broadened the meme’s reach and introduced it to a wider online audience.
No Ebola Ebola 3 Global
Image: A variation of the Family Guy color card meme referencing the Ebola virus outbreak, demonstrating the meme’s adaptability to different topics.
Meme Evolution and Broader Usage
As the meme matured, its application broadened beyond its initial focus on racial bias. Users began to recognize its versatility as a template for commenting on various forms of perceived discrimination and societal issues. In October 2017, a Redditor posted a meme to the /r/dankmemes subreddit utilizing the color chart to address the sensitive topic of the 2017 Las Vegas Strip shooting. This version labeled lighter skin tones as “mentally ill” and darker tones as “terrorist,” drawing a controversial parallel between how different groups are often stereotyped and perceived in the aftermath of such events. While potentially contentious, this example showcased the meme’s capacity to tackle complex and sensitive social issues through satire.
Mentally ill Terrorist
Image: A Family Guy color card meme applied to the context of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, highlighting societal biases in labeling individuals.
The accessibility of meme templates further fueled the “Family Guy color card” meme’s proliferation. Meme generator platforms like Imgflip hosted templates of the meme, enabling users to easily create their own variations. This user-friendly access contributed to a surge in meme creation and sharing across various online platforms.
imgflip.com not with a sus group sus
Image: An example of a meme created using an Imgflip template of the Family Guy color card, showcasing the ease of meme creation and sharing.
Social Media and Continued Relevance
The meme maintained its relevance and continued to spread across social media platforms. In July 2020, a Twitter user shared a version of the meme, which resonated widely, garnering thousands of likes. This tweet was subsequently reposted on Tumblr, further amplifying its reach and solidifying its presence on diverse social media networks. More recently, in September 2022, a Redditor posted a meme to /r/memes about web browsers, again utilizing the color chart to satirically categorize browser compatibility. In January 2023, another Reddit user employed the meme to comment on the Velma animated series reboot, demonstrating the meme’s continued adaptability to contemporary pop culture and online discussions.
OKAY NOT ONAY O 3
Image: A Family Guy color card meme about web browsers, illustrating the meme’s application to everyday topics and internet culture.
HBO max Characters in Rebooted Cartoons
Image: A Family Guy color card meme referencing the Velma reboot, showcasing the meme’s ongoing relevance to contemporary media and online conversations.
Diverse Examples: Highlighting Versatility
The enduring popularity of the “Family Guy color card” meme stems from its remarkable versatility. It has been applied to a vast spectrum of topics, consistently serving as a satirical lens through which to examine perceived biases and inequalities. Examples range from workplace scenarios to historical interpretations, current events, and even foreign policy discussions. Its adaptability allows users to inject humor and critical commentary into diverse online conversations, making it a highly effective and relatable meme format.
imgflip.com FIRED TWO WEEK SUSPENSION Global
History channel be like : They did it themselves They needed aliens 8013
Gunman Who Killed 6 Asian Women Was
AMERICAN FOREIGN ست Global
Erica @ericalenee13 Police viewing the anti-mask people at the Ohio Statehouse right now imgflip.com PROTEST RIOT 3:12 PM – Jul 18, 2020 803 …
Image series: Diverse examples of the Family Guy color card meme applied to various contexts, including employment, historical narratives, current events, foreign policy, and social protests, demonstrating its wide-ranging applicability.
Template and Remix Culture
The “Family Guy color card” meme’s enduring presence is also attributable to its readily available templates. These templates empower internet users to participate in the meme’s remix culture, fostering creativity and allowing for continuous adaptation to new contexts and online trends. The meme’s simple yet impactful visual structure, combined with its satirical undertones, makes it an ideal tool for expressing nuanced opinions and engaging in online commentary.
ಓಟ Global
Image: The template for the Family Guy color card meme, readily available online for users to create their own variations and contribute to the meme’s remix culture.
Conclusion: A Meme Reflecting Societal Critique
In conclusion, the “Family Guy color card” meme has evolved from a satirical scene in an animated sitcom into a powerful and versatile tool for online expression. Its enduring popularity lies in its ability to succinctly and humorously critique various forms of perceived bias and societal inequalities. As a reaction image and exploitable template, the “Family Guy color card” meme continues to be a relevant and impactful element of internet culture, reflecting ongoing societal conversations about prejudice and discrimination.
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
