How a misheard sports chant became a multi-million dollar political meme
In short: In 2021, a reporter's mistake during a NASCAR broadcast transformed a profane anti-government chant into a viral cultural phenomenon. What began as a linguistic slip-up quickly evolved into a tool for political protest, a source of musical hits, and a complex case study in modern internet linguistics.
The meme originated on October 2, 2021, at the Talladega Superspeedway. During a televised interview with NASCAR driver Brandon Brown, NBC Sports reporter Kelli Stavast heard fans chanting "Fuck Joe Biden." She incorrectly reported the chant as "Let's go, Brandon!" The footage went viral, providing a linguistic vessel for critics to express antipathy toward President Biden without using profanity. Linguist John McWhorter compared the phenomenon to a "hlonipha," a substitution of a forbidden word, noting its creative intersection of wit and politics.
The slogan's reach was immediate and diverse. It was adopted by Republican politicians like Governor Greg Abbott and Congressman Bill Posey, and it even permeated the music industry. By October 18, 2021, an anti-Biden rap song by Loza Alexander reached number one on the iTunes Top Songs list. The meme also sparked a bizarre legal and commercial landscape: a cryptocurrency called "LGBcoin" was launched, leading to a lawsuit against NASCAR over a rejected sponsorship, and a Colorado state representative even attempted to use the slogan as a legal nickname on a ballot.
In a classic example of "meme co-option," the Biden administration eventually embraced the meme's evolution. The "Dark Brandon" variant—initially created by progressives to parody "Dark MAGA"—was adopted by Biden's own team. Online sales from the official website store saw 'Dark Brandon' items generate over 50% of the total revenue by 2024. This transition from a tool of mockery to a self-aware brand illustrates the rapid lifecycle of modern digital folklore.
theme-case-study mood-reflective difficulty-2 topics-["internet-culture", "political-memes", "linguistics"]
The meme originated on 2 October 2021 during a NASCAR interview, while 'Let's Go Brandon' serves as a substitute for 'Fuck Joe Biden'.
canvas-type-["data", "The phrase appeared in various rankings on iTunes on October 27, 2021", "S1:p23"]
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Let's Go Brandon
- Also: Wikidata — Let's Go Brandon · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Let's Go Brandon · CC0
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