Where Did The Phrase 'How Can She Slap?' Originate? The Classic Internet Meme Explained

"How can she slap" is a classic internet meme that predates the 2010s. Despite the scene originally being filmed as part of an Indian reality TV show in 2008, TMZ's decision to share the clip to their own website sparked off a months-long remix trend that has lasting internet cultural influence today. If you've seen the fateful clip of a vest-wearing man exclaiming, "How can she slap!?" and wondered where it even originated, here's more on the origin and history of the meme.

Where DId 'How Does She Slap' Originate?

In 2008, a reality television show called Dadagiri: Beat The Bullies aired on Indian television. The show, which called itself the "meanest show on Indian TV," featured a set of participants being put through a series of Fear Factor style challenges. The first season showed four participants enduring college hazing-type abuse, often at the hands of a female bully on screen.

After a bully named Esha cursed at a contestant named Ravi Bhatia, his retort earned him an unscripted slap across his face. Ravi, apparently not being one to take abuse lying down, responded to Bhatia's slap with his own unscripted slap across her face. The interaction caused several show crew members to descend upon Bhatia and proceed to beat him up, during which Bhatia delivered the now-famous catchphrase, "HOW CAN SHE SLAP!?"

How Did The Phrase 'How Can She Slap?' Become A Meme?

TMZ caught hold of the aforementioned video and published it on their own website under the title, "When a Man Slaps a Woman — The Indian Edition." The clip was subsequently picked up by an American meme creator base, who began making remixes using the footage.

What Did Bhatia Have To Say About The Viral Incident?

Bhatia participated in various interviews following the infamy of the viral clip in an attempt to clarify his side of events. He explained that the show, up until the slap incident, had been largely scripted with some improvised dialogue and that nothing in the contract allowed or prepared him for the physical altercation.

There was this girl called Isha opposite me who was supposed to abuse me, and I was to retaliate, but calmly. After a while, when it came to improvisations, I presume she was out of words and came and slapped me hard. I was shocked, and in the heat of the moment, I slapped her back. That led to the entire unit of about 70 people jumping on me beating me black and blue. It was a miracle in itself that I managed to escape from there.

For the full history of the "How can she slap?" meme, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.