Who Is Katie Britt? The Senator's Weird And Irresistibly Memeable Speech, Explained

They say there’s no such thing as bad press, but, as Senator Katie Britt now knows, there may be such a thing as weird and unsettling press. That’s exactly what the Alabama senator is getting after what many found to be a bizarre rebuttal to Joe Biden's State of the Union last week.

Who Is Katie Britt?

Katie Britt is a Republican senator from Alabama who took office in January of 2023. She was a protege of Alabama’s old Senator, Richard Shelby, and for much of her career she worked in his office or for organizations associated with him.

Traditionally in the United States, a politician chosen by the opposing party gives a speech after the President does, laying out that party’s vision for America. This responsibility has often been given to up-and-coming stars, some of whom are less than ready for the spotlight.

Before Katie Britt’s address last week, Marco Rubio’s 2013 rebuttal was the most-memed State of the Union rebuttal, largely because of how dry the Senator's mouth became and a particularly awkward attempt at drinking water on live television.

Why Was Her Speech So Weird?

There were many things that led the internet to find Britt’s speech totally bizarre. The choice of a kitchen as a shooting location was unusual: some interpreted it as a Nara Smith or Tradwife kind of signal, making an argument that women belonged in the kitchen.

But whether that was Britt’s intention or not, her speech definitely made a big deal out of the kitchen as a place, in particular the table where she and her family apparently have “tough conversations.”

The other reason that many found Britt’s speech strange was her tone of voice and crisply enunciated syllables. Critics accused her of “overacting,” and her very-prepared speech felt inauthentic, a bit uncanny, like an AI-generated version of what a Republican female politician would say.

It was also, at times, difficult to pin down what her tone meant. It seemed like Britt was trying to convey anger, sadness and seductiveness all at the same time.

What Jokes And Memes Have People Made About Her?

Online, memes took the chance to remix and parody Britt. But there was also more serious work going on: a journalist on TikTok found out Britt had lied about a story she told concerning the assault and exploitation of a woman in Mexico, and publicized those findings.

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7344090454985624862

Scarlett Johansson delivered an impersonation of Katie Britt for Saturday Night Live in the days after the speech, validating the suspicions of many users on X that SNL would have a field day with the viral video.

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For the full history of "Katie Britt and her speech" check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.