AboutWhat does the meme depict?

The meme template 'That's Okay Buddy We're From The Union' originates from a scene in the 2004 Dreamworks film Shrek 2. In the template, the character Shrek is at the entrance of the Fairy Godmother's factory and addresses an elf with the line, 'That's okay, buddy. We're with the union.' This scene has been used widely in fan art and as an image macro in various memes. Another popular line from the same scene, 'They don't even have dental,' is often used in a similar context, serving as a phrasal template for creating additional humorous memes based on the dialogue.

OriginWho did it first?

The meme's inspiration comes from a scene in Shrek 2 where Shrek, accompanied by Donkey and Puss in Boots, arrives at the Fairy Godmother's factory aiming to secure something to make Princess Fiona happy. At the entrance, they encounter an elf named Jerome at the reception. Shrek uses the phrase, 'That's okay, buddy. We're from the union,' in an attempt to gain entry and further inquires if Jerome feels degraded or oppressed. The dialogue continues with a humorous twist where Jerome divulges, 'They don't even have dental,' which Shrek repeats sarcastically. This entire interaction has become the basis for the meme. The scene was shared on YouTube by ProfessorDerpington on November 23rd, 2015. The format began to be used in memes around January 19th, 2019, with an early usage by a Redditor, CyanideSandwich7, who posted a meme using the line in the r/prequelmemes subreddit.^[1]

Origin: 2004

Also known as: they-don-t-even-have-dental