What does it mean?

The “That Feeling When Knee Surgery Is Tomorrow” meme, commonly referred to as the Blue Grinch meme, conveys a distinct emotional response linked to the anticipation of an upcoming knee surgery.

The inclusion of the “Blue Grinch” character amplifies the sense of nervousness and lack of energy surrounding the experience.

Where did it originate from?

The meme originated in 2021, prior to the Blue Grinch’s involvement, from an unknown user on MemeCreator.org, as noted by Know Your Meme. The first image representing this sentiment featured a squirrel standing on its hind legs with its front paws raised, looking excited. This image went viral on the Instagram account @stupid.fricken.meme on April 6, 2021.

A few months later, Redditor /u/ZyeAxe used a photo of Drake dancing as a header for a listicle about knee surgery memes, which eventually led to the creation of its own subreddit, /r/Kneesurgerymemes.

Why this joke is intriguing

People can reasonate with humor, which connects with their experience and similar situations.

The joke’s extremely narrow focus, which is both a critique of and a break from conventional meme conventions, is what makes it funny.

It is narrow focus, which both critiques and deviates from conventional meme conventions, is what makes it funny.