Deconstructing a 9-Second Internet Meme

According to Google, “an internet meme is an activity, concept, catchphrase or piece of media which spreads, often as mimicry, from person to person via the internet.” We’ve all seen ‘em clogging up our Facebook news feeds, and usually it’s quite obvious why they’re A) funny or B) otherwise entertaining.

This week a nine-second video popped up on my newsfeed that so captured my attention, I was trapped in my cubicle at work trying desperately to stifle my would-be uproarious laughter. I must have watched it 30 times… straight. Each time, those nine seconds got funnier and funnier and I was at a complete loss as to why. Why was this video making me cry with laughter?

It didn’t make any sense. It was only nine seconds long. The real “meat” of it was only about three seconds. Yet, I couldn’t get enough. I made my cubemates watch it. I tweeted it. I even shared it on my own Facebook page, which is usually reserved for pics of my dog and not-so-subtle-pleas-for-traffic to this here blog of mine. In other words, I was completely infatuated with this video.

Ok, I’ll stop teasing you now and let you take a look. I cannot stress this enough: watch it at least ten times.

I’ve thought way too much about this video over the past several days, but I have come up with a three-point explanation as to why these nine seconds are, indeed, funny. If you’re ok with something being funny and need no proof, stop reading here. This deconstruction is meant only for those dedicated to the quest of understanding the depth (dare I say genius) of the humor.

1) The Inspiration

The first clue that this internet meme was truly funny became apparent to me around the 17th viewing. It was a near out-of-body experience as I was momentarily transported back in time and into the shoes of the video’s creator.

In what I imagine a life review feels like, I saw the moment of inception… the recognition in the creator’s mind that linked a guy losing his footing on solid ice and flinging his shovel uncontrollably into the air, to the precise rhythm and intonation of what I would bet is one of the creator’s favorite ‘90s jams. In that moment of clarity, this internet meme was born. I argue that kind of clarity is rare, thus lending legitimacy to the funny. But inspiration is nothing without action…

2) The Effort

There are million internet memes and YouTube videos that can make me laugh, but few make me laugh so hard I cry and break a sweat. What separates the gems from your everyday chucklers is the effort that goes into the creation… or, in the case of the musical snow shovel, the perfection.

Shortly after that 17th view and reliving the moment of inception, I realized not only was the creator tickled pink at what just popped into his head, he knew it was funny, knew it required action, and knew that if he didn’t make this video no one else would… and the world would miss out on nine seconds of pure, innocent delight. So, he took action. He made the film. He synced up the shovel with Nirvana and a breakthrough internet meme was born.

It sounds obvious, but without the effort there would be no video. Without the critical care taken to perfect the synchronization, so perfect that you actually miss it the first few times you watch it, this video would have never climbed the comedic scale to reach such heights of hilarious. And the fact that you DO have to watch it a few times to fully grasp the genius leads me to my third and final argument for why “Smells Like Teen Shovel” is so damn funny…

3) The Slow Burn

Exquisite. The slowly-developing experience of watching this video over and over again until the full genius reveals itself is exquisite. It’s no wham-bam, thank-you-ma’am internet meme. No, this one asks for your patience, and in return gives you nine seconds of ever-peaking enjoyment. It’s like a perfect summer romance: quick, intense, with not a lot of room for error… but also not enough time to get wrapped up in anything other than the fun of it all.

The slow burn is ultimately what makes “Smells Like Teen Shovel” funny. It forces you to watch it again and again. The nine seconds feels like an entire song, starting slow, teasing you with an initial slapstick laugh, and ending with six seconds of brilliantly subtle humor.

And, in similarly slow-burning fashion, after making your way through this deconstruction, here’s your payoff: a full five-minute loop of “Smells Like Teen Shovel”…