What is ‘The Party Ended an Hour Ago and He’s Still Here’ meme?
"The Party Ended an Hour Ago and He's Still Here" is a caption on a viral 2003 TikTok video showing TikTok creator bert network (@bartasdfg) dancing to a Lil Uzi Vert dance. Videos extending the length of time bert network stayed at the party quickly sprung up across the video platform, turning it into an instant meme. The longer he stays, the funnier the joke is.
As the joke escaped TikTok, users of other social media platforms like X turned it into more of a reaction video to remark upon anyone or anything that might stay past their welcome.
Meme basics:
- Meme Creator: @thesummerifellinlove
- Meme Type: TikTok trend / Reaction video
- First Appearance: July 15, 2023
- Origin Source: TikTok
- Used to Convey: Social norm violations
- Peak Popularity: Late Sept. to early Oct. 2024
'The Party Ended an Hour Ago and He's Still Here' meme origin and spread
The original video was posted by TikToker @bartasdfg without a caption on June 22, 2023. In it, he is wearing a green and gray sweater and black pants and doing Lil Uzi Vert's "Just Wanna Rock" dance, which was popularized in late 2022 on TikTok.
@bartasdfg ♬ sonido original - bert netwerk
On July 15, 2023, @thesummerifellinlove posted a duet of the video overlaid with the text that would make it into a meme. Today, it has over 14.9 million views.
In the second half of the 10-second clip, the person filming reaches their hand out in front of the camera to snap their fingers. The caption reads, "The party ended an hour ago and he's still here."
@thesummerifellinlove #duet with @bert netwerk ♬ sonido original - bert netwerk
The original sound from the first video is featured in over 1,200 videos at this point, but many more use popular songs or their own audio for meme imitations and references. Interest in the meme seemed to spike around late September and early October 2024, especially on X.
TikTok imitation videos may feature real people, animals, or popular characters. The amount of time they've remained at the party varies. Some of these individuals have stayed for years past its end, and as with similar memes, it gets more absurd and therefore more amusing the longer the dance goes on.
@djdylan010 #pennbadgley #joegoldberg #fypシ ♬ Oi - lildrewdown555
On Nov. 11, 2024, X user @lilyilichil replied to an updated recreation of the video featuring original star @bartasdfg with a caption reading: "i just realised this guy can do this forever because the farther away he gets from the peak of the meme the more it plays into the joke." Her quote retweet racked up over 450K likes in one months' time.
On Dec. 12, 2024, Selena Gomez X fan account @selovelenaa posted the original video alongside the caption "benny blanco distracting selena gomez from signing the prenup" in reaction to the pair's engagement announcement earlier that day. It received over 115K likes in less than 24 hours.
The "Just Wanna Rock" dance origins
The song "Just Wanna Rock" by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert was released on Oct. 17, 2022. The dance performed in the music video released the following month became a TikTok dance challenge that remained popular through the end of the year and into 2023, when thousands of users posted videos of themselves imitating those moves.
In an interview with HipHopDX, Lil Uzi Vert revealed that he was not the author of the dance moves, but that he borrowed them from the streets of Philadelphia.
"I’m from Philly, it’s called blicking. I ain’t even make it up. It’s all these kids in Philly that do it. In Jersey, it’s called rocking your hips," the rapper explained. "All my lil’ boys out in Philly they taught me how to do it and all that. I just wanted to be a part of the Philly scene because you know that’s where I’m from."
This is the party that never ends
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