AboutWhat does the meme depict?

The 'Smithers Scared of Strippers' meme features an image of the character Waylon Smithers from the animated TV show 'The Simpsons'. In the image, Smithers is seen covering his eyes with his hands, appearing fearful or uncomfortable while surrounded by exotic dancers. This visual has become popular in various object labeling memes, typically used to represent an aversion or fear towards something that is otherwise generally popular or enjoyed by others.

OriginWho did it first?

The meme originated from a scene in 'The Simpsons' episode titled 'A Hunka Hunka Burns in Love', which first aired on December 2nd, 2001. In this episode, Waylon Smithers, who is humorously portrayed as a stereotypical closeted gay man, visits a strip club and reacts by covering his eyes as he is surrounded by dancers, reflecting his discomfort. This scene was later turned into a meme format. On May 22nd, 2011, the earliest known instance of the scene being used online appeared when a Tumblr user fyspringfield uploaded a GIF of the scene. The post became significantly popular, spreading the use of the image as a meme template. For further visualization of this scene, you can view this YouTube video.^[1]

Origin: 2011