40 People Who Found Fame As Memes – Look At Them Then Versus Now Because The Photos Are Surprising
There isn't an exact date that things started, but memes have dominated internet culture for quite some time now. Dating back to Grumpy Cat or even Bad Luck Brian, there are dozens of famous faces that people who frequent the internet appreciate thanks to all the laughs these images provide. Have you ever wondered where these people or animals are today? Well, fret not, because as you read on, you'll find out how these internet sensations are doing today. Get ready for a nice laugh as you travel back in time.
The Girl With First World Problems
Remember that time you woke up in the morning and prepared for a new day, but when you checked the charger your phone wasn't connected? Your battery was at two perecent and you were sure you were going to have a bad day now.
You can call that a first world problem, and this girl summarized those feelings perfectly with that lone tear coming down her face. The lady in this meme is actress Silvia Bottini and the picture comes from one of her performances. The buzz she received from the meme helped to boost her career, so that crying didn't happen in vain.
The Overly Attached Girlfriend
This one all started thanks to a Justin Bieber music video. The woman from this meme is Laina Morris, who made a parody video of Bieber's single, "Boyfriend." It was a creepy video that went viral.
Thanks to the success of the meme, she used that hype to create a successful YouTube channel and her Twitter is quite big now as well. In July of 2019, she decided to take a step back from social media and focus on her mental health. That's a smart move on her behalf.
He Wishes You Nothing But Success
Many of you will remember this little guy known as Success Kid. He was one of the first to gain a ton of attention and get reused on hundreds of outlets online.
His real name is Sammy Griner, and he was less than one year old when the image of him triumphantly clenching sand started to become popular. The cool part is, the meme helped his family raise some money to help get his father a kidney transplant! The internet isn't always bad!
Beware Of Side-Eye Chloe
If you and a friend are savvy with the gifs and images, then chances are you've sent out the Side-Eye Chloe meme. It's the perfect reaction to anything that doesn't float your boat or if you want to let someone know they're acting out of character.
It takes a lot to impress Chloe, which is why she went viral. After her parents informed her she would be going to Disneyland, she reacted very dryly. Now, Chloe and her sister share a joint Instagram as they try and launch their careers.
They Call Him Scumbag Steve
They call him Scumbag Steve, but his real name is Blake. The truth about this photo is that Blake took it as a joke while at his grandmother's place and he didn't think it would become as big as it did.
Now, he's just your regular guy trying to live his life. His Twitter bio reads: "I'm Blake Boston from Boston, aka the OG meme Scumbag Steve, father of 2 boys." The internet created ScumbagSteve, and it has run its course
The Doge
Who's a good boy? Who's a good little boy?! Okay, enough of talking to the photo as if the dog can hear, but it's hard not to ask this pup if he's a good boy because he looks so cute!
His name is Kabosu and the meme is called Doge. All his owner did was post a funny picture online and the internet did the rest. He was a puppy at the time of the photo, but now he's a big boi!
The Confused Math Lady
A meme like this comes in handy plenty of times when your friends or family say something to you that goes completely over your head. Confused Math Lady isn't just some random person, but a Brazillian actress named Renata Sorrah.
She acts in telenovelas, and given the confusing nature of those shows, its no wonder why she looks so perplexed. Let's face it, we all have out Confused Math Lady moments on occasion and lose all ability to come up with a clever response.
He's The Most Interesting Man In The World
Hopefully, when you think about the most interesting man in the world, this guy comes to mind. An ad for Dos Equis ended up becoming one of the biggest memes in 2009.
The name of the man you see is Jonathan Goldsmith. He had the pleasure of making incredibly hard tasks look supremely easy. That translated to meme culture pretty well, which is how it became as popular as it did. He's an actor in real life, but the ad campaign might be the most well-known thing on his resume.
The Crying Piccolo Girl
March Madness can get hectic. Schools put their all out there in the hopes of advancing to the National Championship game, all while having to keep up their grades. That includes the band members as well.
Villanova University senior Roxanne Chalifoux played for the final time after Villanova got knocked out of the tournament. This brought her to tears on live TV, but she would later go on to appear on The Tonight Show.
Call Him Bad Luck Brian
As one of the originators of meme cultures, Bad Luck Brian is one of those that people shared quite often when it first became popular. You're able to plug in any kind of bad luck situation for this meme and it'll work.
The funny part is that his name isn't Brian. His name is Kyle Craven and he doesn't know how this picture even surfaced on the internet since it wasn't in his high school yearbook. He works in construction now.
Holding In A Fart Dude
Maybe we've all been in the position when we have to hold in our gas when someone approaches us, or maybe we haven't. For those who have, you can relate to the Trying To Hold In A Fart meme.
Michael McGee is the name of the culprit here, but he wasn't trying to keep back bad air. He was only attempting to show his friends that he can make the veins in his forehead pop out. He's 21 now and living a normal life. Something worth noting is that he went to the same school as Overly Attached Girl.
Just Gavin
The child known as Gavin supplied the internet with one of its proudest moments. His facial expression is almost a combination of the confused lady and the Side-Eye Chloe. The bottom line is that he looks very perplexed.
His full name is Gavin Thomas and he has quite the following on social media. He showcases his adorable personality on Twitter and Instagram in case you wanted to give the little lad a follow. We're sure he'd be happy if you did!
This Is Sudden Clarity Clarence
Have you ever had that moment when something hits you and all of a sudden you're enlightened? The meme culture would like to call that Sudden Clarity Clarence, as that's exactly the facial expression this kid makes.
The only thing about this guy is that the web doesn't know much about him. He's done a brilliant job at staying out of the public eye, but people still use his legendary meme when the right occasion comes around.
My Momma Said You Need To Let Me Play With You
Younger siblings wanting to play with the older kids is something many people have to go through while growing up. It's not as fun when you're the younger one -- just ask Cardi B.
The now-viral meme of My Momma Said, features the rap sensation as a little kid, looking as if she's telling someone that they need to let her play. If the person doesn't, then she's moments away from telling her mom that they wouldn't let her.
Hide Them All!
If you see this man, you need to remember to hide the kids and hide your wife. In 2010, Antoine Dodson became a viral meme after getting interviewed by his local news station.
After getting asked about an intruder that broke into his home, he famously said, "Hide yo kids, hide yo wife." People began making remixes to songs with his voice clip, helping to further make him famous. Today, he's dipped into the realm of songwriting and tried some acting as well.
Good Luck Charlie
TV shows have a knack for producing some of the funniest meme images that people can use. The Disney show Good Luck Charlie is a prime example of that thanks to little Mia Talerico.
Talerico played Charlie in the series and gave us this golden moment. The super-famous shrug is an image that you can use whenever you don't know the answer to someone else's problems. She's now a little older and continuing to pursue her acting career.
The Attractive Felon
Some would say it's a crime for him to look so attractive. That's how he earned the name Felon Bae after his mugshot went viral and tons of people started to make memes out of it.
His name is Jeremy Meeks and he managed to create a highly successful modeling career all from one image. This is probably one of the few occasions where crime pays. There were people on Twitter going crazy for him and his unique eye color.
The Ancient Aliens Guy
Trying to explain something to people who think what you're talking about is utterly insane is a hard task. That's what Giorgio A. Tsoukalos experienced in this moment, which helped turn him into a popular meme.
The subject matter he touched on dealt with extraterrestrials, as he is an alien researcher. He's become well-known thanks to this viral moment and now tries to spread his knowledge of creatures from outer space to a larger audience.
Mr. Why You Always Lying?
As he attempted to grow his social media presence, Nick Fraser decided to make a cover of the song "Too Close" by Next. The results were amazing as his video went viral and a meme using his "lying" face was born.
He gathered so much attention that his social following blew up, and now, he continues to make his followers laugh with unique funny clips. His career didn't take off as fast as others, but he's still one of the most well-known influencers out there.
Grumpy Cat
Grumpy Cat is an original and unforgettable meme. This cat is the personified version of what Monday feels like after a fun and relaxing weekend. This feline became so big that she received a book, a shoe line, and a popular Instagram account.
Unfortunately, the last of her nine lives expired in May of 2019. While she's no longer with us in the physical, there are still thousands of memes out there with her face all over it.
Hide The Pain Herold
This is Hide the Pain Herald, the man who naturally looks like he's resisting the urge to cry, even while he smiles. Something about the way he holds tension in his eyes gives the impression there's something he's holding in, which most of us can relate to at one time or another.
The man with the famous expression is Andras Arato, a Hungarian who is very active on social media. Harold embraced his status, and even made a Ted Talk about what it's like to be a living meme. These days you can see him banging his drum at a Man City game in Manchester.
Ridiculously Photogenic Guy
When running a marathon, you would expect to look as haggard as you probably feel. For Zeddie Little, he looks like he's feeling chipper as ever on the inside. Few people can hold such a relaxed and casual smile while running any distance, let alone a marathon.
That's how Zeddie became the Ridiculously Photogenic Guy. The long-distance runner even went on Good Morning America over this meme. These days, he's still taking effortlessly good photos.
Blinking Guy
Drew Scanlon gained his reputation as the Blinking Guy all because of a picture of him with his eyes wide open, followed by one of him closing his eyes and "blinking." Fans of the meme would often repeat one or both photos to make it seem like he was blinking for a longer or shorter period of time, or profusely, depending on what best suited the caption.
Drew may have one of the most successful meme stories since he used the fame to launch his career. He now has a successful YouTube channel and a Patreon account, where fans can fund him.
The Old El Paso Girl
Remember the Old El Paso commercials from back in the day? Mia Agraviador was that little girl who convinced the town that they could have both hard tacos and soft tacos. The phrase, "why not both" was a perfect tagline to a variety of topics, thus the meme was born.
Mia is much older now and has left her acting day job behind her. The beautiful young lady is pursuing her higher education, but we're betting she still enjoys both soft and hard tacos.
Disaster Girl
Zoe Roth became known as Disaster Girl after a photo of her four-year-old self smiling in front of a burning building went viral. Obviously, the little girl had nothing to do with the disaster, but the photo implies that she has a secret.
Zoe is all grown up now and appears to have outgrown her devious look. She's studying at a university, but still enjoys poking fun at her childhood nickname. She knew what she was doing taking a photo in front of a bonfire.
The Roll Safe Guy
Kayode Ewumi dared to chase his dreams when he created a humorous Vine account. Later on, he collaborated with a friend to shoot a funny show that he put on YouTube. Two million views later, and this thinking face meme was born.
Their show became such a success that BBC 3 picked it up. Kayode went on to become the lead in BBC's Are You Being Served? and became the BAFTA Breakthrough Brit of 2016. He did a TED Talk to share his story and motivate others.
Ermahgerd! It's That Girl!
Maddie Goldenberger was just your average girl until she got her hands on the Goosebumps books. At that point, she transformed into the Ermahgerd girl. It was the late '90s when this photo was taken, and not long after it became an internet sensation.
After attending college and playing basketball, Maddie delved into her career as a nurse. While we can't confirm how she feels about Goosebumps these days, we're willing to bet she's still a huge fan.
Conceited The Rapper
This meme came from a famous rapper called Conceited. His duckface lips and raised eyebrows suggest that someone just said something questionable. That's what made the picture so relatable, and so viral.
These days, Conceited is still a rapper and has even been featured on an MTV series Wild n' Out. You can catch one of his many rap battles on the internet. Furthermore, he launched Battle Box Networks which is centered on battle culture.
The Squinting Woman
Kalin Elisabeth is a lovely social media influencer who was in the middle of a photoshoot when a less attractive photo was snapped. In said photo, she was hunched over and squinting, the perfect position to be in for a viral meme.
Fortunately for her, the attention her silly meme received brought followers flocking to her social media accounts. She now enjoys showing off her true modeling skills on social media. We're still crossing our fingers that she'll post another hilarious candid, though.
Lil Terrio
This is just one of several Lil Terrio memes that have circulated the internet. That's because the young child became an internet sensation when he posted some hilarious dance moves on Vine.
The young dancer is still busting a move along with multiple rappers who adapted his moves. These days, you can find multiple interviews of the young lad talking about life after becoming a child star on Vine. Many still follow him on Instagram.
Cash Me Outside
Danielle Bregoli shocked viewers when she appeared on Dr. Phil speaking such convoluted slang that he actually asked her if she had completed the fifth grade. Her most famous line was, "Cash me outside, how 'bout dat?" Translation: let's take this outside.
On the show, Danielle's mother accused her of being "all talk." Well, now she's making a career doing just that. The angsty teen is now a rapper under the stage name Bhad Bhabie.
Nick Young Looking Curious
Basketball fans will recognize Nick Young as a professional athlete, but others may only know him through his silly meme. The photo of his wearing a confused look on his face with question marks surrounding his head went viral after he was already a pro.
After playing for the Denver Nuggets and the LA Lakers, he's now a free agent. You may remember his short engagement to rapper Iggy Azalea. The two didn't work out, but he still has his off-again on-again relationship with his high school sweetheart.
The Hipster Barista
Dustin Cole was just your average barista before an interview changed his life. That's because the interviewer captured a photo of him in a black scarf, dark glasses, and a low v-neck exposing his tattoos.
In other words, he was presented as the quintessential hipster barista. While the meme pokes fun at the guy's style, it did gain him near-celebrity status when the meme blew up on the internet. Of all the things people are famous for, looking like a hipster isn't too bad.
Friend-Zone Johnny
Poor Johnny became an internet sensation for all the wrong reasons. He brought flowers and a snack to a girl's house to wish her a happy birthday, and she posted this picture of him on social media calling him a great friend.
The ultimate friend-zone move that his female friend pulled was made up for later on, though. Another meme later surfaced showing Johnny with his arm around the girl who had called him a friend. Johnny is pointing to the camera and the caption reads, "jokes on you."
The Skateboarding Professor
We think it's safe to say that if all college professors skateboarded, there might be a slightly lower dropout rate. Tom Winter proved that you can be awesome at any age, and in any profession, when he chose to ride his skateboard all over campus.
Best of all, the professor opted for his skateboard not to look cool, but to help out with environmental conservation. The word has yet to come out about whether he likes skating or teaching better.
It's Too Darn High!
Jimmy McMillian became an internet sensation after someone snapped a photo of him in a heated moment. He had been in a debate and stated that rent was too darn high! The relatable statement was made into a meme and the rest is history.
These days, Jimmy is still an activist and also, apparently, isn't afraid to pull a karate move in a park. We wouldn't be surprised if he garners another meme or two in the next few years.
Alex From Target
Alex from Target is one of those memes that isn't really explainable. It's merely a cute kid working at Target and putting items into a bag while someone snaps a candid photo. For whatever reason, it was enough to buy Alex his fifteen minutes of fame.
The meme grew so much so that Alex was even brought onto Ellen Degeneres' talk show! These days, he's just a normal teenager with a girlfriend and a ton of Instagram followers.
Crying Old Man
While seeing a crying old man is normally heartbreaking, this meme turned it into a hilarious picture. People captioned the frame with lighthearted jokes to turn that frown upside down.
The man in the photo is Bernard Cribbins, an actor who was previously on Doctor Who. This photo was from his last appearance on the show, which made this meme all the more fitting. Some fans expressed their grief over the departing character with this very meme!
Annoyed Picard
Years after Star Trek: The Next Generation became a smash hit, someone had the brilliant idea to take a still from an episode and turn it into a meme. The hilarious meme was such a hit that even non-Trekkies could understand it.
These days, actor Sir Patrick Stewart is still looking dapper as ever. He has continued in his acting career and has only gained more popularity thanks to this silly meme.
10 Guy
10 Guy is the only way to refer to this young man who appears to be under the influence of something. The meme exploded as a way to describe someone who has had too much of a little something, and thus became stupidly philosophical.
Though the number of memes that have used this image over the years is countless, no one has confirmed who the young man is. While we don't know for sure what he's up to now. We can only guess.
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