In 2017, Pride Month is for the memes.
The Babadook’s recent coming out as the latest LGBTQ icon may have left you Baba-shook, but there’s a new icon taking gay Twitter by storm: Ladies, please try to hold your applause for: Cuca the Alligator.
Cuca originally appeared in the early 2000s as a character on Brazilian children’s television show called Sitio do Picapau Amarelo. In the show, Cuca struck fear in the hearts of Brazilian kids as a giant reptilian witch who hunted down children and ate them.
As terrifying a concept as a fully clothed walking land alligator is for any children’s show, there’s something about Cuca that just feels relatable. Maybe it’s her tell-it-like-it-is, IDGAF attitude that somehow translates well even if you don’t speak Portuguese. Or maybe it’s the wig.
According to Know Your Meme, Cuca’s first documented reappearance as a Twitter meme was in June 2017, when Twitter user @mrvicks tweeted a GIF of the gator captioned with lyrics from the equally iconic “Check It Out,” by will.i.am and Nikki Minaj.
“Da done done
— SAINTxCARTER (@MrVicks) June 15, 2017
The sun done
Yep the sun done
Came up but we still up in dungeon
Da done done
Yep in London” pic.twitter.com/mZmBKSi2p1
The meme then exploded when @shookshack tweeted another, this time with an infamous quote from a YouTube video titled “I ain’t one to gossip.”
https://twitter.com/shookshack/status/875539973134536704
Gay Twitter quickly latched on to Cuca memes and doesn’t seem to be letting them go anytime soon. Over the past week, images of Cuca have emerged IRL at Pride parades and events across the country.
https://twitter.com/sharkpizza/status/876203730508578820
https://twitter.com/blackzoneglory/status/876750016634732544
https://twitter.com/dukespearzz/status/875902864572514304
“I DONT NEED A SUGAR DADDY IVE NEVER HAD ONE BUT IF I WANTED A SUGAR DADDY THEN I WOULD GET ONE BECAUSE I AM WHAT? SICKENING!” #cuca #meme pic.twitter.com/6z2lJ5piFT
— Guicho (@Gu1ch013) June 16, 2017
gay twitter: babadook is the new gay icon!!!
— T. Kyle (@tkylemac) June 16, 2017
three days later: pic.twitter.com/9pF9kjq4w7
Cuca even took a casual dig at Katy Perry in reference to Lorde’s fire new album. Truly iconic.
https://twitter.com/KomptonMusic/status/875678313334751236
https://twitter.com/Em0jina/status/876632590886809600
The real question is: Will season 10 of RuPaul’s Drag Race feature a Cuca theme? Only time will tell if this meme is meant to live on before the next Twitter queen takes over.
Our beauty, fabulous and gourgeous lady alligator with wig! #cuca #Rupaul #Brazilians love u mamma @RuPaul
— The Only #RdelRio🧵 (@raphadelrio) June 16, 2017
and no ☕ no shade! pic.twitter.com/uyO97gnQ0e
