The latest leaders debate was mostly the same old – Labor leader Bill Shorten and Liberal leader Scott Morrison attempting to make questions fit their rehearsed answers while taking swipes at each other and what not. The usual.
But one thing from the debate naturally stood out to the young politically engaged audience – Bill Shorten attempting to explain a meme.
In response to moderator Sabra Lane asking both leaders about the woes of social media, Morrison commented,
“Social media can sometimes make public life very hard living? Yes. I Certainly agree with that. You should read my Twitter feed. The comments on it. I suspect Bill’s is similar.”
Bill took this opportunity to share an anecdote. Except an anecdotal explanation of a meme you saw once on the internet rarely lands, does it?
“I don’t always read my Twitter feed. I saw a very funny … cartoon? A … a meme?” he said, apparently unsure of what exactly he had seen, “…Of Michelle Obama. Barack Obama’s looking at a computer screen and Michelle is saying, ‘Don’t read that. Just go to bed.’ Good advice there, I suspect.”
We’ve all been there Bill, but trying to explain the visual and textual elements of a meme does not a funny make. It is a life lesson that is hard to learn, but well worth remembering.
Luckily, the internet swooped in to help Bill out by seeking out the meme that he was referencing. This way we can all feel a bit more part of the joke.
It’ll be this meme format pic.twitter.com/wMJXKcqRj3
— stripes (@burgotastic) May 8, 2019
Here is an ‘artist’s impression’ of the meme as described by Bill Shorten, which doesn’t quite pack the punch of your usual internet meme. It’s definitely missing key elements – like a punchline.
artists impression of the meme bill shorten described in last night’s debate #ausvotes https://t.co/TeNgBHwqzM
— casey briggs (@CaseyBriggs) May 8, 2019
But of course, the meme comment is merely a blip within a sea of much more important issues to be considered in the tight race for leadership. So make sure we listen up past the demonstrations of daggyness that inevitably come out of both party leaders. There’s a lot at stake, and come May 18 we have a chance to have our say on who’s policies we believe in will be best for Australia.