Meme lore
What is the Obama Giving Obama Award meme?
Obama Giving Obama Award (also called Obama Medal Meme) is a photoshopped image of Barack Obama placing a Presidential Medal of Freedom around the neck of a second Barack Obama. It satirizes self-congratulation, patting yourself on the back, or giving yourself credit for something minor.
Origin & history
The image is a digital composite based on real photos of Barack Obama presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to honorees during his presidency. Editors replaced the recipient with Obama himself, creating an instantly readable visual joke about self-aggrandizement.
The meme spread on Reddit, Twitter, and political humor pages in the late 2010s as a nonpartisan way to mock anyone - creators, politicians, or friends - who congratulates themselves for basic accomplishments. Its simplicity (same person giving and receiving the honor) makes the punchline work without any caption at all.
The meme spread on Reddit, Twitter, and political humor pages in the late 2010s as a nonpartisan way to mock anyone - creators, politicians, or friends - who congratulates themselves for basic accomplishments. Its simplicity (same person giving and receiving the honor) makes the punchline work without any caption at all.
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