Meme lore
What is the The Office Handshake meme?
The Office Handshake meme shows a flashback photo of a young Michael Scott shaking hands with his former boss Ed Truck in the Dunder Mifflin parking lot. Michael wears a mullet and fanny pack while looking confused, contrasting with Ed's proud smile - used for awkward success, imposter syndrome, and receiving praise you did not earn.
Origin & history
The photograph appears in Season 2, Episode 14, "The Carpet," when Michael Scott pulls out a framed picture meant to prove his long tenure at Dunder Mifflin. Instead of looking distinguished, young Michael appears with a mullet, a white short-sleeve shirt, a striped tie, and a blue fanny pack, shaking hands with the beaming Ed Truck while wearing a bewildered expression.
The contrast between Ed's pride and Michael's absurd appearance made the image a recurring joke among Office fans. In the late 2010s, meme makers repurposed the photo on Reddit and Twitter to caption situations where someone receives professional recognition despite being completely out of their depth - accidental fixes, imposter syndrome, or praise for work done by mistake.
The contrast between Ed's pride and Michael's absurd appearance made the image a recurring joke among Office fans. In the late 2010s, meme makers repurposed the photo on Reddit and Twitter to caption situations where someone receives professional recognition despite being completely out of their depth - accidental fixes, imposter syndrome, or praise for work done by mistake.
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