The famous "Elmo Rise" meme has sprung into real life at a protest in Philadelphia. The meme, sometime referred to as "Hellmo," is a fan favorite on the Internet, especially in the last few months. It features the classic Sesame Street character Elmo, photoshopped over rising flames. It pops up often on social media, sometimes as a reaction gif. However, as is often the case with memes, s sometimes add other characters or text to "Elmo Rise," with one popular version featuring SpongeBob SquarePants.
Ironically, another popular meme on the Internet also has flames: memes can provide social media s with the perfect reaction to whatever situation they're in. They also show the creativity of the collective Internet, with the same image remaining fresh and funny just because of the context it's used in.
The "Elmo Rise" meme received some added attention this weekend, thanks to a protester dressed as Elmo. In photos shared by various Twitter s, a person wearing an Elmo costume head stands in front of a burning object with his fist in the air, making the "Elmo Rise" meme come to life. One even provided a side-by-side comparison of Philly Elmo and the meme. Check out a selection of photos below:
This isn't the first time pop culture has factored into this weekend's protests. Also in Philadelphia, Marvel character Hawkeye got some attention for the wrong reasons, trending on Twitter after a man shot an arrow into the crowd, terrifying nearby individuals who were protesting peacefully.
It's not surprising to see pop culture play a role in a key moment like this one and also shows the importance of social media. During this weekend's protests, it was an important resource for sharing information, as well as photos and videos. It also allowed separate protests across the nation to remain connected to a common cause. Though the "Elmo Rise" photos may not make quite as much of an impact as others shared this weekend, it's impressive to see people finding humor during a stressful time.
Source: Blackrock Wednesday, S. Rifai, Alex Mason