I.C.Y.M.I.: Bernie Sanders Memes Take Over The Internet

Greetings, fellow pop culture aficionados, and welcome to week 43 of our I.C.Y.M.I. (In Case You Missed It) blog series, where we recap a handful of trending tidbits from the past week(s) in popular culture, in case you missed them.

Last week month (apologies for the brief hiatus!), we recapped a music saga that took the internet by storm in 2020. This week we begin with another viral moment, this one featuring Bernie Sanders (and his large coat and bulky mittens). Read on!

Bernie Sanders Inauguration Day Photograph Becomes Viral Meme

Examine every photo you see online a little more closely lately, and chances are you'll see Bernie Sanders somewhere in frame. The Vermont senator was photographed at Joe Biden's presidential inauguration this past Wednesday wearing his signature winter coat, large mittens, and medical mask.

Sanders' unique presence at the nation's historical event quickly spread on social media platforms, as memes popped up placing the photo of Sanders at endless locations and events in time. 

"I was just sitting there, trying to keep warm, trying to pay attention to what was going on," Sanders explains in a Thursday night appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers. 

Meanwhile, New York University grad student Nick Sawhney was doing everyone on the internet a favor, launching a "Bernie Sits" website that does exactly what it says on its one and only landing page: "Enter an address or location and bernie will appear there." The site taps into the Google Maps API, dropping the viral photo of Sanders anywhere that Google's Street View cars have traveled. Needless to say, the website helped several others get in on the meme action, including here at the Museum of Pop Culture:

Do you have a pop culture-related Sanders meme you want to share with us? Let us know on social media and we'll reshare some of our favorites! 

What Else To Catch Up On This Weekend

• Fans of last month's Founders Award honoring Alice In Chains can now catch a glimpse at unreleased footage from the event simply by donating any amount to MoPOP. For your support, you'll receive exclusive access to a never-before-seen performance from Kim Thayil and Shaina Shepherd with Bubba Dupree, Bill Herzog, and Nathan Yaccino performing "What The Hell Have I" by Alice In Chains. 
• Members of MoPOP's curatorial team continued their movie review series that rates the museum-world realism depicted in some of our favorite films, this week touching on the 1997 *air quotes* classic, Bean.
• Speaking of movies, our So Bad It's Good online watchalong series is in full swing, with a celebration of Con Air set for 6 p.m. PST on Saturday, February 13. 
• Also on the virtual program front, we have highlights from our recently wrapped up Minecraft Virtual Student Club, which saw students work together online to create a self-sustaining community in a survival Minecraft world.
• Our next Virtual Student Club centers on cosplay, with students ages 11-18 invited to explore the artform with professionals, join us for live demos, expert instruction, and a chance to meet up (virtually!) with others in the cosplay community. 
• Finally, for those of you looking to add to your reading lists in 2021, MoPOP Director of Curatorial, Collections & Exhibits Jacob McMurray shares 21 comic books and graphic novels he loved reading—and that you may have missed—last year.

What'd We Miss?

Now that we've filled you in on a few things, what do you feel we failed to mention? Let us know in the comments, or hit us up with a suggestion on social media. We'll look to include your ideas in our next edition of I.C.Y.M.I.

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If you like what you see, support our work by making a donation to MoPOP today!