Mutation of Zach Galifianakis' Math: The Rise of a Memorable Reaction Image
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About
Zach Galifianakis Math (ZGM) is an image that has become synonymous with confusion and bewilderment. It originated from a scene in the 2009 film "The Hangover," where actor Zach Galifianakis' character, Alan, reads a book about counting cards in blackjack and his eyes dart around as math equations fly by his head.
Origin
On June 5th, 2009, "The Hangover" was released in North America. The scene featuring Alan's math skills became an iconic moment in the film. On August 31st, 2014, the scene was converted into a GIF and uploaded to Imgur[1] titled "MR trying to calculate how many times I'm going to have to beat it tonight," gaining over 1.2 million views in seven years.
Spread
ZGM became a popular reaction image and image macro in the mid-to-late 2010s. On February 18th, 2015, Redditor Coaz posted the GIF on /r/reactiongifs[2] titled "MRW my girlfriend says 'You know why I'm mad,'" gaining over 13,200 upvotes in six months. This joke was applied to various examples, showcasing the versatility of ZGM.
Search Interest
External References
14.[Seoul Survival Series] The Hangover Cure (no, really)
15.Hangover Casino Memes - Imgflip
16.Hangover Meme GIFs | Tenor