Help I Accidentally Build A Shelf

About

Help I Accidentally Build A Shelf or Help I Accidentally X refers to a series of exploitable phrasal template memes inspired by odd or unexpected Google Search Suggestions when typing in the phrase "help I accidentally." The meme can be traced back to the early 2010s, with later variations switching out "build a shelf" with other odd suggestions.

Origin

As per TinEye^[1] one of the earliest known memes made in reference to the phrase "help I accidentally build a shelf" was posted to Tapiture.com on August 5th, 2013 (seen below).

Another "Help I accidentally build a shelf" meme can be traced to a post on Froot.nl^[2] from February 3rd, 2015 (seen below).

Spread

The meme made a resurgence on Reddit in the late 2010s, with internet users sharing different yet similarly odd Google Search suggestions. Redditor^[3] /u/Weeaboo_JoJones posted a version of the meme that read, "Help I accidentally joined the Italian Mafia" to /r/AnimeMemes on August 27th, 2019. gathering over 7,000 upvotes in four years (seen below, left).

On November 4th, 2019, an unknown Redditor^[4] posted a version of the original meme to /r/ComedyCemetery (seen below, right).

On November 19th, 2019, Redditor^[5] /u/TJTikka posted a version of the meme to /r/memes gathering over 49,000 upvotes on a post featuring Master Oogway (seen below, left). On October 9th, 2021, Redditor^[6] /u/ iam-a-frickingod posted a version of the meme that read, "Help I accidentally summoned a lemon," gathering over 10,000 upvotes in /r/memes (seen below, right).

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References