Why Are You Gae?: Unpacking the Viral Internet Meme

About

The phrase “Why Are You Gae?”, often intentionally misspelled as “Why Are You Gae?”, originates from a Ugandan television broadcast in 2012. This simple yet provocative question, posed during a debate about homosexuality on NBS TV, has since transformed into a prominent internet meme. Initially gaining traction as a viral video, the clip experienced a resurgence in 2019. It was then incorporated into remixes and image macros, cementing its place in internet culture. The question “Why are you gae?” became a humorous and often absurd way to challenge assumptions or highlight unexpected situations.

Origin

The meme’s genesis can be traced back to December 18th, 2012, on the Ugandan television channel NBS TV. Their morning program, Morning Breeze, featured a segment discussing homosexuality. The episode included a debate between Pepe Julian Onziema, a transgender and LGBT rights advocate, and Pastor Martin Ssempa, known for his controversial views. The host of Morning Breeze, Simon Kaggwa Njala, initiated the exchange with Onziema by directly asking, “Why are you gay?”. This moment was captured in a video uploaded to YouTube on December 20th, 2012, by user Swalz. While the original upload is no longer available, a re-upload of the full interview by user Seprewa allows us to revisit this pivotal moment. The direct and somewhat confrontational question, “Why are you gay?”, immediately set a tone that would later resonate online.

– We bring in the studio this morning one of the gay right activists, mister – should I call you “mister”? (Sure) – Pepe Julian Onzima. Thank you for coming in, good morning. Why are you gay? – Who says I’m gay? – You are gay.

Spread and Viralization

Despite originating in 2012, the “Why Are You Gae?” meme didn’t achieve widespread recognition until January 2019. The resurgence began on January 3rd, 2019, when the YouTube[2] channel Deserty HD uploaded a remix incorporating the Curb Your Enthusiasm Theme into the “Why are you gay?” exchange. This remix quickly garnered over 761,000 views within five weeks, catapulting the obscure clip into viral meme territory.

Following the YouTube remix, edits of the interview segment proliferated across Instagram and other platforms. On January 4th, 2019, Instagram[3] user xcarter shared a video highlighting two memorable moments from the broadcast. This post, embedded below, received over 2,800 views and 160 likes in a month, further fueling the meme’s spread.

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View this post on Instagram

](https://www.instagram.com/p/BsN7tM_gHCy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading)[A post shared by 👑 K I N G_C A R T E R 👑 (@xcarter)](https://www.instagram.com/p/BsN7tM_gHCy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading) on

January 2019 saw a surge in uploads featuring various fragments of the original broadcast, including numerous remixes, across Instagram[4][5] and YouTube[6][7]. On January 16th, YouTuber[8] Jonny Pham compiled a six-minute video showcasing notable moments from the interview, which amassed over 157,000 views in three weeks. The next day, YouTuber[9] Immoral Indiffirence uploaded a concise 17-second clip focusing solely on the “Why are you gay?” exchange. This shorter video also gained significant traction, reaching over 150,000 views in the same timeframe.

The meme’s reach extended to Reddit when, on January 18th, Redditor [10] Top-–-Secret shared the video on the /r/youtubehaiku subreddit. This post quickly gained over 4,300 upvotes within three weeks, indicating strong community engagement. Further mainstream exposure arrived on February 4th when PewDiePie featured the segment in a You Laugh You Lose [11] episode, introducing the “Why Are You Gae?” meme to an even wider audience.

Various Examples in Memes

Since its viral explosion in January 2019, the “Why Are You Gae?” phrase has become a versatile meme template. It’s predominantly used in image macros and video edits to create humorous and often absurd scenarios. The meme’s humor stems from the unexpected and seemingly out-of-context nature of the question. It’s frequently employed to subvert expectations or to react to situations where someone’s actions or preferences are questioned, often in a lighthearted or ironic manner. The examples below illustrate the diverse applications of the “Why Are You Gae?” meme.

Search Interest

[Search interest data, if available from the original, would be placed here. If not available, this section can be omitted or briefly mention the meme’s viral nature indicating search interest.]