We already knew Daily Caller co-founder and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson had a massive success on his hands with his new Twitter show.
The first episode, a 10-and-a-half-minute monologue that dropped Tuesday night, racked up 100 million views in just two days. At 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, he released a second episode, and after less than an hour it had already been viewed more than two million times.
In addition to racking up massive numbers, however, Tucker’s new Twitter monologues are also making an impact on the larger zeitgeist. And how can I tell what’s going on in the zeitgeist? It’s easy: look at the memes. (RELATED: Tucker Carlson’s Twitter Show Surpasses 100 Million Views)
The new meme format based on Tucker’s post-Fox project seems to be the brainchild of Twitter user @MogTheUrbanite. On Thursday morning, he shared a screenshot from Tucker’s first episode along with a fake transcript that perfectly mimicked both the ratings titan’s cadences and his skeptical attitude toward establishment narratives.
“Of course, if Giants were real, our scientific institutions would tell us, wouldn’t they? After all, we pay these people millions of dollars to study archeology. It’s their job,” @MogTheUrbanite wrote. “Well that’s where it gets interesting. Our producers reached out to the Smithsonian institute…” (RELATED: He’s Back: How ‘Tucker On Twitter’ Can Shape The GOP Primaries)
“Of course, if Giants were real, our scientific institutions would tell us, wouldn’t they? After all, we pay these people millions of dollars to study archeology. It’s their job.
Well that’s where it gets interesting.
Our producers reached out to the Smithsonian institute…” pic.twitter.com/LgczOs8TkG— EnochPowell (@MogTheUrbanite) June 8, 2023
It was the perfect meme: funny, easy to grasp and endlessly adaptable. The format’s creator urged other Twitter users to share their own versions, and from there it spread like Canadian wildfire.
User @Antweegonus photoshopped a horned helmet onto Tucker’s head, and wrote up some commentary from the world of the hit role-playing video game “Skyrim”:
“Of course, if Dragons had returned, our Fair Jarl of Haafingar would tell us, right? After all, we pay the Imperials millions of septims in taxes to ‘protect us’—in theory.
Well that’s where it gets interesting.
We reached out to the ‘Greybeards’ at the Throat of the World…” pic.twitter.com/x5MWc6Ilp7— Lunkhead (@Antweegonus) June 8, 2023
@MrPrudentialist had Tucker investigate the divinity of Jesus Christ:
“Of course, if Jesus of Nazareth really was the Messiah, the Pharisees would tell us so, wouldn’t they? After all, we pay these people millions of denari to study religion. It’s their job.
Well, that’s where it gets interesting. Our producers reached out to Pontius Pilate…” pic.twitter.com/HD4GxUrkjH
— The Prudentialist (@MrPrudentialist) June 8, 2023
The meme got a “Star Wars” twist courtesy of @Aristos_Revenge:
“If the death star had a profound weakness the Emperor would have it fixed, wouldn’t he? After all, we pay billions in credits in taxes to build these doomsday weapons.
Well that’s where it gets interesting. Our producers reached out to Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan…” pic.twitter.com/FDsPYldkow
— 🏛 Aristophanes 🏛 (@Aristos_Revenge) June 8, 2023
Twitter user @punishednrx drew on lore from Frank Herbert’s “Dune,” giving Tucker glowing blue eyes and moisture-conserving nose tube:
“Of course, if Muad’Dib were the Lisan al Gaib, our reverend mothers would tell us, wouldn’t they? After all, we supply melange to these addicts so they can guide us. It’s their job.
Well that’s where it gets interesting. Our producers reached out to the Padishah Emperor…” pic.twitter.com/mSFTm5JYQf
— Rubicon♔ (@punishednrx) June 8, 2023
This is just a sampler, and I’m sure we’ll see plenty more of these memes as Tucker continues to release hard-hitting new episodes. Just type “our producers reached out” into the Twitter search bar, and scroll to your heart’s content.