Why Is Everyone So Obsessed With Danny DeVito Right Now?

Tatum Dooley
From viral memes to sold out merch, the established actor is becoming a pop culture icon for young people.

Could the meme-worthy line in Mean Girls, “OMG Danny DeVito I love your work,” possibly be Patient 0 in the flourishing wave of Danny DeVito love? After years of getting the meme treatment, the popularity of actor Danny DeVito has reached an apex this month with the recent addition of a Danny DeVito crop top and we have some questions as to how this is all happened.

People have reported the yellow crop-top, which has the name “Danny DeVito,” embroidered across the chest, haunting them as social media ads. It seems like the relentless advertising campaign has paid off because the shirt is now sold out on Dolls Kill (but don’t worry, you can still buy it here). And last week, a writer for Garage Magazine tracked the shirt back to the brand O-Mighty, the same brand that previously created the meme-ready Quentin Tarantino crop top. We wonder who they’ll knight with the honor of appearing on their crop tops next. Perhaps Jeff Goldbum or Keanu Reeves?

But why does this crop top exist? Danny DeVito, the highly acclaimed actor who has appeared in big movies such as Batman Returns, Hercules, and Taxi, has been making the rounds as a cult sensation, the subject of many a meme. For example: last June, high school senior Allison Cross brought a cardboard cutout of the Always Sunny In Philadelphia actor to prom. Danny Devito returned the favor by posing with a cardboard cutout of her. She’s living a dream we didn’t know we had.

Fast-forward to this May when the Danny Devito content began amping up. A predecessor to the crop top in question, content-creator Ryan Beard uploaded a song “worshiping our Lord and Savior @DannyDeVito.” This song spurred many pronouncements of love on TikTok, including one user who recreated Danny DeVito’s face out of melty beads (we say: put THAT on a t-shirt!!).

We have a theory as to the popularity of the amiable actor. Danny DeVito directed and narrated the 1996 childhood classic Matilda (is this common knowledge!??). So, we think that the admiration of Danny DeVito stems from our childhood as a form of subliminal messaging that has imprinted in our minds and attracted us to his beautiful voice. This theory neatly aligns with a wave of nostalgia that has been appearing in fashion at the moment. Simply put, the past, especially childhoods, seems a lot happier than our current tumultuous times. And while some may explain the phenomenon away as irony, we disagree. Danny DeVito is popular simply because he’s amazing (kind, funny, talented). No irony necessary.

So, will you be buying the infamous Danny DeVito tee?

Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue