Introduction

The meme 'Yeah, But They Got Him' originates from a scene in the 2024 comedy series Ted, where the character John Bennett reminisces about an Indian student who 'they got.' This ambiguous statement sparked curiosity and humor online.

Background

In the 2024 comedy series Ted, John Bennett recalls an Indian student who attended his school the previous year, noting simply that 'they got him.' When asked for clarification, he chooses not to elaborate, which adds to the intrigue. This scene became widely shared as a reaction image and caption format starting in January 2024.

How It Began

The meme traces its origins to the premiere of Ted on January 11, 2024. In the show's first episode, the anthropomorphic teddy bear, Ted, discusses diversity with his friend Josh Bennett. During their conversation, Josh casually mentions that 'they got' an Indian student, leaving viewers curious about the meaning behind his statement. A notable exchange from this scene includes:

• Oh, last year we had an Indian kid.
• Oh yeah?
• Yeah, but they got him.
• What does that mean?
• I liked him, too.
• What do you mean 'they got him'?
• He used to share his Dunkaroos. Good guy.

On January 14, 2024, Twitter user @AZUREDRAG0NS0NG posted screencaps of this scene, quickly gaining significant traction with over 7,300 reposts and 119,000 likes.

Meme Evolution

The meme's spread began on January 18, 2024, when user @poisonjr posted the screencap as a reaction image. This post, quoting @FunnyTerro, received over 2,600 reposts and 54,000 likes. Following this, various users on Twitter began to use the screencaps both as reaction images and caption formats. For instance, on January 19, user @hiddenhush's post gained more than 280 reposts and 2,500 likes. Moreover, on January 20, @DPlexHD shared a joke referencing the Clone High series, which also garnered attention with over 110 reposts and 900 likes. By January 23, user @DNCHI77 utilized the image in response to a rumor regarding Nintendo, leading to over 6,000 reposts and 70,000 likes. The meme continued to gain popularity on social media platforms through January and February 2024.