In ye olden days, there was only the big game. Slowly, the enormously expensive commercials staked out their own place in pop-culture history. Trailers for upcoming blockbuster movies have their own devotees too. But now every year's Super Bowl brings with it something else: a locker room full of social-media memes, commenting on and poking fun at everything from the commercials to sideline shots to the inevitable technical difficulties that come with America's biggest sporting event of the year.
Selfie kid
This year, one of the top meme moments involved a young fan (later identified as Ryan McKenna, 13, of Massachusetts) who grabbed himself a selfie with halftime performer Justin Timberlake. The boy, who probably wasn't even an embryo when Timberlake broke out, was captured using his phone, and many suggested he was using it to identify who the heck the former NSYNC star really was.
— Jamie McCarty (@JamieMcCarty) February 5, 2018
“I thought you said Justin Bieber” pic.twitter.com/HLJYfr7e9y
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) February 5, 2018
Selfie Kid is the new Left Shark you heard it here first #SuperBowl
— Katie Mc (@k80mclaughlin) February 5, 2018
Who’s more iconic: selfie kid or left shark? #HalftimeShow pic.twitter.com/Jz4dtcRctN
— Collin Clements (@PopeClementsIV) February 5, 2018
Selfie kid is on 3 morning shows tomorrow.
— Derek Willis (@derekwillis) February 5, 2018
Wanna feel old?
— Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) February 5, 2018
That halftime show was so long that this is what the “#SuperBowl Selfie” kid looks like now. pic.twitter.com/tMo9mbZyar
Our intern, Sven, knows the #SBLll halftime kid and passed along this intel: pic.twitter.com/2FQTpe88N8
— Indignant Minnesotan (@IndignantMN) February 5, 2018
It was the selfie seen 'round the world. Meet the teen who snapped a selfie with @jtimberlake during the #SuperBowl halftime show:https://t.co/aw4LR18D7x pic.twitter.com/oa6EVv3vav
— Good Morning America (@GMA) February 5, 2018
Tom Brady's entrance
Long before Selfie Kid emerged as the game's top meme, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady made an impressive supervillain-style entrance that online jokesters, including journalist Ronan Farrow, were quick to caption.
*very obviously two kids in a trench coat*
— Ronan Farrow (@RonanFarrow) February 4, 2018
“Hi, I’m grown up athlete and husband of Gisele Bundchen Tom Brady.” pic.twitter.com/J0MK5MuwaH
Tom Brady looking like the uptight female boss who works for an advertising company in NYC making her entrance into the building after the bumbling lead character messed up the big meeting with a new client. pic.twitter.com/MnP6m1oBkk
— Erika (@PGHmommy) February 5, 2018
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) February 4, 2018
"Do you expect me to fly?"
— pourmecoffee (@pourmecoffee) February 4, 2018
"No, Mr. Eagle. I expect you to *die*." pic.twitter.com/BcvNMscVoJ
Royal tribute
There was an online controversy over the weekend when word came out that Timberlake planned a hologram version of Minnesota's own Prince at the musician's hometown Super Bowl. Prince's protege Sheila E. tweeted that the musician would've been horrified, and that she spoke to Timberlake, who dropped the plan.
Instead, Timberlake showed video of Prince on what appeared to be a large bedsheet, which didn't please everyone.
Guys. I did it. Prince and a piece of sheet. Enjoy. #Superbowl #Halftime #JustinTimberlake pic.twitter.com/1VN3zz7GSa
— Michelle Collins (@michcoll) February 5, 2018
OH SHIT LET GHOST PRINCE DO THE WHOLE SHOW
— Drew Magary (@drewmagary) February 5, 2018
a prince projection on a giant sheet outperformed timberlake even though timberlake had a billion set pieces and a 1,000 back-up dancers lol
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) February 5, 2018
That was bad. "What's the best way to honour Prince?"
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) February 5, 2018
"Play his songs while I dance"
The only way this could turn out ok if if Prince’s mummified hand shoots down from space and chokes out JT on the 35 yard line
— Ben Silverman (@ben_silverman) February 5, 2018
Blackout
At one point during the game, the television broadcast cut to a black screen, confusing some fans and bringing out the jokey best in others.
NBC black screen of Super Bowl ad slot was for 29 seconds. Happened in many markets where local spot was supposed to be inserted. Here’s what it looked like (H/T @ApexMGAnalytics) pic.twitter.com/ItDQzZ5sbt
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 5, 2018
The blackout was no doubt historical homage to the 34-minute power outage at the 2013 Super Bowl in New Orleans.
— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) February 5, 2018
That black screen made me think I turned off the TV on accident. I was about to panic. #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/vP8z7KNbsa
— Hey_Its_Manda (@hey_its_Manda) February 5, 2018
I thought the “dead air/black screen” was another Tide commercial. Showing you what happens when you eat #TidePods. #SB52
— Froggy 🎙 (@froggyradio) February 5, 2018
This black screen Super Bowl ad is really edgy. #9NEWS
— Kyle Clark (@KyleClark) February 5, 2018