In the age of Milkshake Ducks and folks becoming Twitter's Main Characters for being politically inflammatory, last weekend's big Twitter story was a simple, refreshing callback to days when a person could go viral simply by being adorably dim.

That person was Jonathan Kay, an editor for online magazine Quillette, who took to Twitter to air his grievance that he'd been bamboozled into using dog shampoo.

so it turns out I've been using dog shampoo on my hair for the last few months. (I only discovered it when I ran out and needed to get more.) this is partly my own fault but it doesnt help that @ArmandHammer has the word "pets" in like 4-pt typeface. I'm guessing this is common pic.twitter.com/SHEaDrEW7J

— Jonathan Kay (@jonkay) January 31, 2021

In his estimation, anyone could make the mistake of using Arm and Hammer's "Soothing Oatmeal Shampoo for Pets" because the words "for pets" are in "like 4-pt typeface." Others pointed out that he probably could have inferred the shampoo's intended use by noting the giant dog on the bottle.

you’re stupid.

— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) January 31, 2021

Sir there’s a dog on the bottle https://t.co/0WyXZrDcp4

— andi zeisler (@andizeisler) February 1, 2021

im fucking dying bro how dismissive do you have to be to see a fucking dog on your shampoo and not think "oh this is dog shampoo" https://t.co/Bbn31wIDiT

— dumbbaby (@literaldumbbaby) January 31, 2021

The Intellectual Bark Web https://t.co/2Cab7clUD3 pic.twitter.com/XI46tLlNzG

— David Allsopp (@doublehelix) January 31, 2021

In an attempt to save face, Kay said the dog picture "doesn't mean anything. Lots of shampoos i used in the past have pictures of waterfalls, or people cleaning dishes, or gauzily drawn women frolicking in pastures, or dudes under waterfalls with chests provocatively projected outwards, or whatever."

"but Jon, is has a pic of a dog!"
doesn't mean anything. Lots of shampoos i used in the past have pictures of waterfalls, or people cleaning dishes, or gauzily drawn women frolicking in pastures, or dudes under waterfalls with chests provocatively projected outwards, or whatever

— Jonathan Kay (@jonkay) January 31, 2021

This was meant to be a joke implying Kay had made the mistake of washing his hair with dish soap, but as he'd already admitted to using dog shampoo, it didn't quite land.

There has never been a shampoo with people cleaning dishes on it in the history of man. https://t.co/tZHkGD1eCL

— (⌐■_■) kyle (@kset03) February 1, 2021

This guy has 100% used laundry detergent and dish washing liquid as shampoo https://t.co/nE52k1jLEA

— Aradinobot (@AradinaVarren) February 1, 2021

Ultimately, Kay had to commit the grave comedy sin of explaining the joke to get people off his back, but by that point the damage had been done. Kay was "dog shampoo guy" for the rest of the weekend.

This guy has 100% used laundry detergent and dish washing liquid as shampoo https://t.co/nE52k1jLEA

— Aradinobot (@AradinaVarren) February 1, 2021

finding out the dog shampoo guy is a quillette editor really elevates the whole thing

— Lauren (not a hologram) (@ActNormalOrElse) January 31, 2021

if i was a grown man who had been using dog shampoo on my hair for the last couple months i would simply not tell twitter, and if i did tell twitter i would probably not follow up by saying i have also washed my hair with dish detergent in the past

— first-mate prance (@bocxtop) January 31, 2021

some people don’t like this part of the online, but i for one love when i realize i need to search “dog shampoo guy” and just lock in for the next 30 minutes or so. it’s better than almost anything on television

— Jake Kemp (@NotJackKemp) January 31, 2021

Clued in to dog shampoo guy because my town has started running the air raid sirens every time Twitter’s Star Of The Day has been found

— The 💿🐴 (@Hellalena) January 31, 2021

Thanks for the laughs, Mr. Kay. May your hair's smell be tamed by your new shampoo's Advanced Odor Control.