Today marks eight years since a Facebook post transformed a plain dance hall photograph into a meme. The image features a man yelling into a woman’s ear while she appears entirely uninterested. Folks posted it online with captions guessing what he could possibly be saying to cause that expression on her face.
This photograph came from Milk, a dance club in Edinburgh, Scotland. Since the club’s logo shows up on the picture, the meme earned the name the “Milk Edinburgh Club Photo,” or “Guy Explaining.”.
How It Started
The Facebook page for Milk Tuesdays posted the photograph on September 19th, 2018. Within a short time, it started moving through online conversation, with people remarking on how much they could relate to the image.
On September 22nd, 2018, Alex Hall shared a photo on Facebook with the caption, “Congratulations to Milk in Edinburgh on taking what I suspect may be the most relatable nightclub photo in the history of the art.”. The post attracted more than 21,000 likes and reactions, along with over 14,000 shares.
The Caption Jokes
Two versions of the caption stood out among the many that accompanied the photo. One came from Twitter user @RFBorthwick on September 21st, who posted the image with a caption where the man claims he plays for a Scottish football club. That particular tweet attracted over 3,100 retweets and 23,000 likes.
A user by the handle @MattCleland96 made a joke about the woman appearing to be holding a hedgehog, and that post gathered more than 16,000 retweets and 79,000 likes.
Over 190 retweets and 800 likes were given to @VRSJMS’ take on the USSR, where the man himself does the explaining. Meanwhile, @ESCPifPaf’s joke about Scotland’s showing in Eurovision drew over 180 retweets and 1,000 likes.
Who Is In The Photo
Lucia Gorman and Patrick Richie are the two people shown in the picture. According to reports, they were just catching up together. Neither of them recalls exactly what was exchanged, but Lucia has said she remembers being prepared to go, which explains her expression.
The Bro Explaining Format
The “Guy Explaining” meme follows a pattern the internet already knew. Bro Explaining refers to a photograph of a man wearing sunglasses and a Houston Astros shirt talking to a blonde woman in a white top. Circulated since 2011, the image gained popularity as a meme in which the man forces his knowledge about various topics, such as video game lore, onto the woman.
Other Memes In The Family
The photo, which goes by the names Girl Explaining, Girl Bro Explaining, or simply Bro Girl, shows a woman at a concert loudly talking to a man with a blank expression on his face. She has one arm wrapped around him while she gestures toward the distance in the direction of the camera. It first showed up in Spanish-speaking meme circles in early 2019, where it was circulated as a female-themed version of the Bro Explaining meme with the genders switched.
The image caption meme series known as John Silver Explaining to Anna Jay takes its source from a still of wrestler John Silver addressing wrestler Anna Jay, who looks away with her eyes wide in a manner that suggests whatever he is saying is unsettling her or making her want to get away. Originating from an episode of the “Being The Elite” YouTube series, the image went viral on Twitter in February 2022, where it was employed in a similar fashion to the Bro Explaining format.
The Media Coverage
BBC, The Sun, and The Irish Times all reported on the meme.
Key Facts Box
- Photo posted: September 19th, 2018
- Alex Hall post: September 22nd, 2018
- RFBorthwick tweet: September 21st, 2018
- Likes/reactions on Alex Hall post: 21,000+
- Shares on Alex Hall post: 14,000+
- Retweets on MattCleland96 tweet: 16,000+
- Likes on MattCleland96 tweet: 79,000+
- Retweets on RFBorthwick tweet: 3,100+
- Likes on RFBorthwick tweet: 23,000+
Comparison Table
| Meme | Description | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| Milk Edinburgh | Man shouting into woman’s ear | Football club, hedgehog |
| Bro Explaining | Man with sunglasses and Astros shirt | Video game lore |
| Girl Explaining | Woman loudly talking to guy | Female-themed versions |
| John Silver Explaining | Wrestlers’ image | Being The Elite YouTube |
The image plays with the contrast between the meme’s success comes from the gap between the man’s eagerness and the woman’s weariness. Viewers can attach their own complaints to the picture through the captions. It continues to hold up after eight years since the energy gap it captures has not changed.
Source material: “The Famous 'Milk Edinburgh Club Photo' Was Shared Online Eight Years Ago On This Day,” Know Your Meme.
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