Introduction

The 'Jesse, What the F--- Are You Talking About' meme depicts humorous dialogues between Breaking Bad characters Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, showcasing Jesse's use of contemporary slang that Walter struggles to comprehend.

Background

This meme series illustrates the comedic disconnect between Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, highlighting Jesse's modern slang and Walter's confusion. The format captures their contrasting communication styles, often resulting in Walter questioning Jesse's words with a bemused 'What the f--- are you talking about?'

Where It Started

The origins of this meme date back to July 17, 2011, with the premiere of the episode 'Box Cutter' from season four of Breaking Bad. In a pivotal scene, Walter and Jesse are seen dining at Denny's, discussing their plans. On October 11, 2019, the release of 'El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie' featured a flashback scene where the two characters again share a meal, further enriching their dynamic. The first meme in this series appeared on March 13, 2020, when iFunny user CosmicRewind created a meme based on this later scene, showcasing Jesse attempting to explain the meaning of 'based' to Walter.

Online Popularity

The meme gained traction on April 6, 2020, when Twitter user @garfpoop shared a version that garnered over 860 retweets and 5,400 likes in roughly two months. Subsequent posts, including one by @ohip13 on April 8, 2020, received significant engagement, contributing to the meme's popularity across Twitter and other platforms like Facebook and iFunny. Notably, on April 13, an Instagram post by user bearboob received over 37,600 likes, showcasing the meme's reach. The format has since proliferated across various social media, adapting the El Camino clip for different contexts.