Unforgettable Reality TV Moments as GIFs
I’ll admit, I love reality TV. Reality is like the late night Taco Bell of television. It’s one of my guiltiest pleasures. Whether I’m on an elliptical at the gym or cuddled up with Netflix and a bottle of red, I’m probably watching something on the reality spectrum. From HGTV’s House Hunters to Oxygen’s Bad Girls Club, I watch it all.
Using analytics from WhereOnThe.Net, I took this (now not-so-secret) obsession and scoured the Internet to see which of these reality TV moments turned GIFs are getting the web recognition they deserve.
Jessica Simpson and Chicken of the Sea
In 2003, MTV launched Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, a reality series that offered a candid look into Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson’s first year of marriage. In the notorious debut episode, Simpson turned to now ex-husband Lachey and asked, “Is this chicken, what I have, or is this fish? I know it’s tuna, but it says ‘Chicken … by the Sea.’” Simpson later visited the Chicken of the Sea headquarters and discovered that the tuna is fish.
The GIF was created in March 2014, way past its prime if you ask me, and has only appeared on seven different websites. While it does have over 220 total occurrences, 93 percent of those are from Perez Hilton. If we were tracking videos though, I’m sure this moment would generate hundreds, if not thousands, of hits.
Susan Boyle shocks Britain’s Got Talent
Many had their doubts when Susan Boyle took the stage with her full eyebrows and unexpected sass in the third season premiere of Britain’s Got Talent. After blowing away the judges with her stunning rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” from The Wizard of Oz (if you missed it, you can watch it here), Boyle went on to place second in the competition and continues to maintain a thriving music career.
While the episode aired in April 2009, the GIF wasn’t created until later that year in November. It has generated over 30 appearances on nearly 20 websites, including Buzzfeed — with popularity spiking in early 2015 when news broke of Boyle becoming a multimillion pound brand.
Steve Harvey announces the wrong Miss Universe
At the end of the Miss Universe 2015 pageant, host Steve Harvey announced Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez as the winner. There were tears of joy as the crown was placed on Gutierrez and she took her first walk as Miss Universe with the promise of Colombia holding the title for another year.
The problem was… she wasn’t Miss Universe. Less than two minutes later, Harvey returned to the stage and admitted that he misread the card and that Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach was the true winner. The audience watched in heartbreak and horror as the crown was removed from Gutierrez and placed on Wurtzbach.
The cringe-worthy GIF went viral almost immediately after the live competition in December 2015 — landing on Marie Claire, Vine and 35 other websites. In addition, the still image of the crown being removed from Gutierrez’s head has over 1,500 occurrences online.
Teresa Giudice flips a table
The Real Housewives of New Jersey’s Teresa Giudice flips a table after an argument over Charles Kipps’ book Cop Without a Badge, which allegedly reveals secrets about co-star Danielle Staub’s past life. The discussion ultimately culminates into Giudice counting off the issues she has with Staub — including but not limited to “all the stripping, prostitution wh*re, f*cking engaged 19 times” — and then this epic freak out.
Since first gracing the web in November 2013, the GIF has gained over 200 appearances on 60 different websites, such as Huffington Post and TrueGif. The popularity has continued to increase over time, and honestly I think it’s because this GIF allows anyone to vicariously live out their table flipping fantasies (on the Internet).
Tyra Banks yells at an eliminated model
Episode seven in season four of America’s Next Top Model had a startling end when host Tyra Banks eliminated two girls from the competition instead of the usual one. Even more outrageous though was when she called the eliminated models back in front of her so she could “say one more thing” and launched into an explosive tirade against contestant Tiffany Richardson.
One of Banks’ infamous quotes from the scene, “I have never in my life yelled at a girl like this. When my mother yells like this it’s because she loves me. I was rooting for you, we were all rooting for you. How dare you. Learn something from this.” And of course, the Internet transformed it into a GIF.
The GIF didn’t emerge until April 2008, nearly three years after the season aired and has racked up over 605 hits on 170 websites. The people of the web have used this GIF to express their feelings on topics ranging from Amanda Bynes’ arrest to the ending of a book.
Snooki gets punched in the face
MTV’s Jersey Shore is one of those rare shows where the individual cast members are just as ridiculous and legendary as the series itself. One of those gems is Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, who you can see above being punched in the face after she shouted at this guy for stealing their drinks (what an absurd and exceedingly melodramatic reaction on his part, by the way). Following this moment, Polizzi lays on the floor and cries while the dude is promptly removed from the bar.
Imgur and SodaHead are just two of over 215 websites and 660 unique pages that have hosted the GIF since it first appeared in December 2009. Occurrences of the GIF is steady until a spike in March 2015, which is ironically when articles also were popping up about Polizzi’s daughter’s baptism.
Got a reality TV moment you’d like to learn more about? Find out where it is and where it’s been with WhereOnThe.Net and share your results with us.
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