Rihanna's "Take a Bow" Is the Internet's New Favorite Viral Meme
When a new meme comes into your life, it’s a beautiful feeling. From Lil Nas X’s VMAs speech to Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next,” we all love a good meme — and Twitter has found its latest meme craze in Rihanna’s classic hit “Take a Bow.”
The song might have come out in 2008 as a heartbreaking R&B ballad, but 11 years later, one of its lyrics in particular has acquired a whole new meaning, thanks to the internet.
The meme material in question comes from the song’s chorus, where the musician turned beauty mogul sings, “That was quite a show, very entertaining…” The phrase — complete with the intensely dramatic and dismissive visuals — has understandably caught the internet’s attention for its undeniable versatility. Whether you want to express disgust, shock, or utter love — Rih’s words have got you covered.
As noted by Junkee, Twitter user @g0ld3nretriever is the mastermind behind the meme’s genesis. On October 19, they posted the short clip to illustrate a, ehm, common scenario. “‘Do you watch Succession?’ Me, lying,” they simply captioned the tweet, including Rih’s clip.
Following @g0ld3nretriever’s lead, other users also used the meme to pretend to like something they, in fact, hated — like being forced to watch Family Guy (something no one should ever endure).
But, if being dismissive isn’t really your thing, others have also used the clip to non-satirically commemorate memorable moments from pop culture annals (from Glee’s "Britney/Brittany" episode to Lady Gaga’s bloody “Paparazzi” VMAs performance in 2009) or our favorite music tours (from Ariana Grande’s Sweetener to Taylor Swift’s Reputation).
Some users have also taken the clip quite literally to remember their favorite shows — from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to That’s So Raven, Euphoria, and Game of Thrones (though only seasons one through four, ouch).
Others, however, have repurposed the original video to illustrate an array of everyday situations — from guilty pleasures to self-deprecating gags and eerily familiar scenarios (especially this time of the year). And, of course, it wouldn’t be a meme unless someone made it political.
It’s taken us over a decade, but “Take a Bow” is now officially a meme. Of course, this isn’t the first time Rihanna has gone viral or turned into a meme for that matter — that’s why some are even using the “Take a Bow” meme in a very meta way to wonder how she might be feeling about the latest one.
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