How the“McKayla is Not Impressed” Meme Came to Be and Why It Became Viral
The meme of Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney is a good example of the power of social media and virality. It all started during the medal ceremonies of the London 2012 Summer Olympics. A 16-year-old gymnast on the US National team named McKayla Maroney was visibly annoyed at her results in the gymnastics competition. She was awarded a silver medal for vault event. While she thought her performance was nearly perfect, she did stumble towards the end of the routine causing her to fall and thus, points to be reduced.
She made this scowl, mouth twisted to the side, which the internet named, “McKayla is not impressed”.
This viral meme is interesting because it essentially became viral twice. The first time it happened, it started on the internet, more specifically, on Tumblr. After a photographer took her photo at the medal ceremony for gymnastics, a Tumblr blog was started in which McKayla Maroney was photo-shopped into historical or “popular” moments (Brad, “McKayla is Not Impressed”). Here are two examples:
A predecessor to this blog was a blog named “Spock is not impressed”. While the context is essentially the same, Spock’s expression (in a Star Trek movie) was not as pronounced as McKayla Maroney’s (see below).
Moreover, the popularity of the meme was propelled into a different level once President Obama brought more media attention to it. Her expression became iconic. People were just rehashing the meme and making their own versions of it.
The second time it became viral was because then-President Obama had heard about it. McKayla Maroney and her team did really well at the London 2012 Olympics, and were invited to the White House. This is where McKayla Maroney and President Obama spoke about the meme, followed by them taking a photo in which they are both sporting the same pose and scowl.
Obama brought the McKayla Maroney meme back into the spotlight and made it relevant again. He “breathed new life into it” which helped make the meme go viral for a second time (Brad, “McKayla is Not Impressed”). It is also important to note how someone in one of the most powerful positions in the US came across that meme, Because McKayla Maroney, alongside the rest of her team, did really well at the London 2012 Olympics, they received a huge amount of media attention. Nicknamed “The Fierce Five,” they received a lot of press coverage. On one side of this virality equation is the fact that the subject of the meme (McKayla) was quickly becoming a recognized Olympian due to her achievements at the Olympics.
The expression that McKayla Maroney displayed in that moment which became viral is very relatable. It very blatantly portrayed on her face and at such a public event which is probably why is it went viral. Her expression resonated with many people and could be applied to many different situations. At the White House dinner where McKayla Maroney met President Obama, he told her “I make this face at least once a day” (Brad, “McKayla is Not Impressed”). It can represent disapproval, distaste, annoyance, and many other emotions. The meme can also be applied to a variety of different situations, and many are quite funny. People rehashed this meme in many different ways, and can share a few laughs over these memes. It definitely served its purpose.
Brad. “McKayla is Not Impressed.” KnowYourMeme, 2012, http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/mckayla-is-not-impressed. Accessed 29 January 2017.
