Why Are People Making Memes About John Fetterman's 'Body Double'? 'That's Not John Fetterman' Jokes Explained

The internet is no stranger to accusing a celebrity of being a "clone" or a "body double" if they deem them to be acting too out of character or erratically. Britney Spears was accused of having been replaced with a body double for years, while Kanye West's erratic behavior in the late 2010s also had people speculating about clones being involved.

But in 2023, Philadelphia Senator John Fetterman is facing bizarre accusations of using a body double or being replaced by a supposedly unconvincing clone after being elected to office. Here's a timeline of the accusations and the memes that erupted out of them.

Where Did John Fetterman's 'Body Double' Accusations Come From?

U.S. Senator John Fetterman was hospitalized twice in February of 2023, with an extended stay starting on February 16th that irked several conservative commentators online. Fetterman was released from the hospital after two weeks of recovering from a stroke, but conspiracy theorists were already hatching theories about the hospitalization actually being a ruse to find a body double for the Senator.

The rumors about Fetterman having a body double grew to the point where Fetterman decided to address the rumors himself. He posted a humorous video making it appear as though he really did have a body double, poking fun at the bizarre accusations flying around his hospital visit.

Thought it was time to address the rumor: I do not have a body double. pic.twitter.com/dndGUt9OK7

— John Fetterman (@JohnFetterman) April 18, 2023

How Did Conspiracy Theories About Fetterman Spread?

A video of Fetterman where his arm tattoos were not clearly visible became the subject of much speculation in September 2023, with some internet users thinking the footage was damning proof that Fetterman was in fact replaced by a (puzzlingly tattoo-less) body double.

.@SenFettermanPA reacts to Speaker McCarthy moving forward with a House impeachment inquiry into POTUS…

(Just watch) pic.twitter.com/jg3aeyDW7F

— Liz Brown-Kaiser (@lizbrownkaiser) September 12, 2023

People shared photos comparing Fetterman's arms, sparking renewed interest in the Fetterman-clone conspiracy theory.

How Did 'This Is Not John Fetterman' Become A Meme?

The increasing frequency of people sharing clearly unconvincing images to insist that Fetterman has been replaced by a clone or body double led to people making ironic memes mocking the conspiratorial sentiment. Several internet users posted pictures of Fetterman beside bald celebrities to joke about the theories regarding his supposed "clone."

For the full history of This Is Not John Fetterman, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.