What Is The 'My Dog Stepped On A Bee' Meme?

The Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial has inspired an endless stream of coverage and discussion since it started back in April 2022. Among all the serious conversations that the case has brought up, it's also inspired more than a few viral moments and memes, from Depp's questioning of the term "mega pint" to Heard's use of Amica Cream and the very intriguing tale of the revenge poop.

One of the most viral moments, however, came when Heard cringed dramatically after recalling a moment when her dog stepped on a bee, a feeling of pain that most dog lovers can relate to regardless of their opinions on Heard.

The phrase may seem unrelated and you may have even heard an attorney say, "objection, relevance," in the clip you saw, but there's more to the phrase than it might seem. Here's the full context.

Where Does "My Dog Stepped On A Bee" Come From?

The full background behind the quote is a lot more disturbing than you might expect. On May 4th, 2022, Amber Heard took the stand to testify against Depp. At one point, she tells a story about an alleged trip she, Depp and a few friends took to Hicksville Trailer Palace, where they planned to take hallucinogenic and "laughy" drugs together.

However, the night took a turn for the worse when Depp allegedly got high and accused Heard of hiding drugs from him. She claims he ended up trashing the trailer and giving Heard a full cavity search. After telling the story, Heard says that the next day, "My dog stepped on a bee," then winces, saying they took the dog to the vet.

How Is "My Dog Stepped On A Bee" Used In Memes?

The clip blew up as a meme on May 5th when TikToker @brandonharvey94 posted an edited version of it adding a clip of Depp's attorney saying, "objection, relevance," to the end. His original upload gained over 15 million views in under a month.

TikTokers then used the video's original sound to lip dub over Heard's voice while doing their best impressions. At the same time, another trend took off where users Stitch the video with a clip of themselves saying a phrase that rhymes with "my dog stepped on a bee," like, "my dad has to pee" or "I forgot my house key," always adding that wince to the end.

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7094658077491809542

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7098334402563935494

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7098384655078001926

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7094566498622115078

Did The Attorney Object To "My Dog Stepped On A Bee?"

The attorney objecting to Heard saying "my dog stepped on a bee" for relevance was added to the video by a third party, likely TikToker @brandonharvey94, who is seemingly the earliest user to post it. The clip has become more viral than the original on TikTok, but it is not the original version.

---

For the full history of "My Dog Stepped On A Bee," be sure to check out our entry on the slang term here for even more information.