For three and a half years, from 2008 to 2011, Urlesque was the definitive site covering the internet as its own culture. Then AOL shut it down and erased it from the web.

The rise and fall of Urlesque, the site that wanted to take memes mainstream

core/paragraph

Kira Deshler is a former assistant newsletter editor at the Daily Dot. Kira received a Master&#8217;s in Media Studies from UT Austin and has previously written for sites like Slash Film and Looper. She runs her own Substack newsletter, Paging Dr. Lesbian, and is a member of GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics.

Kira Deshler

Gwenpool, Gwen Stacy mashup has Marvel fans rolling their eyes

Neil Gaiman fans reevaluate identity, fandom following harrowing exposé

Comic fans sound off about Superman’s new look in upcoming film

‘Arcane’s’ CaitVi relationship has fans cheering for more

The band Twenty One Pilots surrounded by fan art. There is text in a Daily Dot newsletter web_crawlr font that says 'Decoding Fandom' in the bottom right corner.

For Twenty One Pilots fans, fan art is a means of expression, community-building

Katy Perry on helicopter holding light against close up of her. There is text that says Decoding Fandom in the bottom left corner.

The Katy Perry fandom can’t save her from flopping

Main Header Menu

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Register to continue

The Daily Dot

Sayantan is a Senior Writer with over six years of experience covering the entertainment industry. With a keen eye for pop culture, he explores films, television, anime, video games, and emerging digital trends. His work is driven by a focus on crafting engaging, insightful stories that connect with a global audience.

Sayantan

Woman holds a restaurant receipt with “cake-cutting” circled in red

Culture

Beverly Hills Rooftop Restaurant Charges $110 Cake-Cutting Fee — and the Internet Is Divided

Sohini is a digital media writer and editor with nearly five years of experience covering trends, entertainment, and online culture. She has contributed to multiple national and international publications in editorial and management roles. When she’s offline, she’s usually watching TV shows and movies with her dog.

Sohini

Internet Reacts After Ohio Woman Shows Shocking Food Bank Donations, Including Half-Eaten Peanut Butter and 4-Year-Expired Canned Food

Internet Reacts to Ohio Food Bank Video Showing Half-Eaten Peanut Butter, Canned Goods That Expired 5 Years Ago

Reni is a digital culture writer with over three years of experience. From breaking TV and movie news to deep dives into pop‑culture shifts and politics, she loves tracking the pulse of the internet. Beyond writing, she’s a shark researcher and conservationist, often found underwater or analysing shark documentaries.

Reni

Creepy man would buy out all the rubbing alcohol in stock and get it bagged by one particular woman at the story.

Man Bought Every Bottle of Rubbing Alcohol in Stock and Always Chose the Same Woman Bagging Groceries

Internet shocked after DoorDash Driver scooped up a dropped smoothie with his bare hands and delivered it to a customer.

DoorDash Driver Scoops Dropped Smoothie Off Floor With Bare Hands—The Internet is Horrified

Dad's 'Baskin Robbins' Nickname for Daughter's Boyfriends Goes Too Far

Dad Called His Daughter’s Boyfriends “Baskin-Robbins” as a Joke — Reddit Explained Why It Was Not Funny

White trim beside a wooden ruler aligned at the 1-inch mark

The rise and fall of Urlesque, the site that wanted to take memes mainstream

Read More:

Stay in touch

More from The Daily Dot

Beverly Hills Rooftop Restaurant Charges $110 Cake-Cutting Fee — and the Internet Is Divided

Internet Reacts to Ohio Food Bank Video Showing Half-Eaten Peanut Butter, Canned Goods That Expired 5 Years Ago

Man Bought Every Bottle of Rubbing Alcohol in Stock and Always Chose the Same Woman Bagging Groceries

DoorDash Driver Scoops Dropped Smoothie Off Floor With Bare Hands—The Internet is Horrified

Dad Called His Daughter’s Boyfriends “Baskin-Robbins” as a Joke — Reddit Explained Why It Was Not Funny

“Not Quite ½ Inch”: Amazon Review Goes Viral After Customer Uses Ruler Backwards