About

Jimmy Fallon and Lorne Michaels Ignore a Cheerleader is a series of image macros and Photoshop memes that use a photograph of late-night talkshow host Jimmy Fallon and television producer Lorne Michaels at basketball game, averting their eyes from a cheerleader dancing before them.

Origin

On March 28th, 2011, Getty Images^[1] photographer James Devaney uploaded an image of Jimmy Fallon and Lorne Michaels at a basketball game ignoring a cheerleader in front of them. The image (shown below) was then published on Popsugar.^[2]

Spread

On March 30th, 2011, Redditor ^[3] nomdeweb posted the image in the /r/pics subreddit. They titled the post "That awkward 'pretend not to look' look." The post received more than 950 points (94% upvoted) and 200 comments in seven years.

The following year, on April 18th, 2012, a Redditor^[4] that has since deleted their account posted the image with the title "When I know my wife is watching me." The post received more than 1,600 points (95% upvoted) and 230 comments.

By the end of the year, Redditor^[5] pakes58 posted an image macro of the photograph, adding the title "Whenever I see a handicapped person in public" and the image caption "I should look in the other direction so I don't look rude." The post (shown below, left) received more than 650 points (92% upvoted).

On May 8th, 2018, Redditor^[6] Geo-NS posted the photograph in the /r/photoshopbattles, where it received more than 24,000 points (93% upvoted) and 400 comments in one week. Redditor^[7] jnoble50 posted a gif that animated the scene and depicted Fallon sneaking a look at the cheerleader. The post (shown below, center) received more than 7,900 points in six days.

Redditor^[8] MC_Kloppedie posted a version based on a scene from the animated sitcom The Simpsons when the character Flanders wore a skintight ski suit. Within one week, the post (shown below, right) received more than 2,000 points.

On May 12th, Instagram ^[9] meme account @grapejuiceboys posted an object label image macro of the image in which Fallon and Michaels are labeled "Netflix users" and the cheerleader the cover for Amy Schumer's Netflix special, "The Leather Special." The post (shown below) received more than 30,000 likes in three days. The meme was also posted on the /r/MemeEconomy subreddit,^[10] where it received more than 17,000 points (92% upvoted) and 125 comments in two days.

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References