Why the Lisa Simpson presentation meme captured our attention

The Lisa Simpson presentation meme uses a screenshot from an episode of The Simpsons in which Lisa gives a presentation on a stage. Fans use this image as a macro to make any point that any internet user might find to be either important or profound without having to do the work of putting together a whole Ted Talk.

This is just one of a long line of Simpsons memes as one of the most versatile TV shows in the history of memes.

What is the Lisa Simpson presentation meme?

The screenshot from a 2001 episode of The Simpsons shows Lisa in the middle of speaking on the stage in her school auditorium with a note card in her hand and a serious look on her face. Above and behind her hangs the blank white screen she used to project her visual aids, upon which meme lovers can write their own statements.

Some write these memes as presentation titles, such as “Reasons Why We Should Deport Furries” or “Why Anime Was a Mistake.” The more typical use of the Lisa Simpson presentation meme is to use it to make a declarative statement about something the user believes and thinks other people believe.

Sometimes this statement is a joke, and sometimes not. Alternately, folks have used it to point out a new way to look at something we take for granted.

Origins of the Lisa Simpson presentation meme

On March 11, 2001, The Simpsons aired an episode titled “Bye Bye Nerdie” in which Lisa becomes the target of a new bully in her class, Francine. Mystified by why Francine targets her when she was only trying to be nice, Lisa reviews the school security tapes and realizes that the bully appears to be detecting her by scent.

To test her theory, Lisa collects sweat from other geeks and nerds in Springfield Elementary and presents her findings in front of the whole school in the auditorium.

Predicting that this moment would be prime meme fuel, user thomas22howe of the “Meme Economy” subreddit posted the template with the title “Simpsons memes are always a good investment so BUY BUY BUY.” This post, originating on May 16, 2018, has since been deleted, but the user’s prediction proved correct.

Meme spread

Reddit users took to the Lisa Simpson presentation format with gusto. On the same day, Redditor Paralaxien used it to make the aforementioned point about anime. A few hours later, the image spread to the Dank Memes sub where people were already mixing it with other memes.

As it rose in popularity, people began to replace Lisa entirely with other characters and even switch out members of the audience. This could be seen often during the 2019 “war” between Dank Memes and meme accounts on Instagram as Redditors replaced all characters in the Lisa Simpson presentation image with “Snoo” characters.

Other Simpsons memes

Of the many memes inspired by The Simpsons, the Lisa Simpson presentation meme is the only one starring the middle child that has gained widespread recognition. She has appeared in basic formats showing her storming into the kitchen, leaning over her plate with a weird blank stare, or that one that compares her in jewelry and makeup with her when her face is swapped with that of Mr. Burns.

Simpsons memes are more likely to feature Homer, Bart, or Marge, but have also starred characters like Ralph Wiggins, Principal Skinner, and Grandpa Simpson.

Lisa Simpson presentation meme template

Examples

More The Simpsons memes:

• The story behind the ultimate Homer Simpson meme
• ‘I’m in Danger’: The evolution of a one-liner into a viral meme
• Bart hitting Homer with a chair is the latest ‘Simpsons’ meme to take over the internet
• It’s Thursday the 20th, so be prepared to post this ‘Simpsons’ meme

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