I Think You Should Leave Meme Explained & Origins 2026

I Think You Should Leave meme culture has exploded into one of the internet’s most quotable and relatable phenomenons since the Netflix sketch comedy series debuted in 2019.

From the iconic Hot Dog Guy dodging accountability to Sloppy Steaks and Coffin Flop, Tim Robinson’s absurdist humor perfectly captures the awkwardness and chaos of modern life in meme-perfect moments.

These sketches have transcended their original episodes to become universal language for expressing everything from political hypocrisy to workplace embarrassment.

What Is I Think You Should Leave?

I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson is a Netflix sketch comedy series that premiered on April 23, 2019. Created by Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin, the show features rapid-fire absurdist sketches that typically run 15-17 minutes per episode.

Robinson, a former Saturday Night Live cast member and co-creator of Comedy Central’s Detroiters, brings his unique brand of cringe comedy to each sketch. The show specializes in characters who refuse to back down from embarrassing situations, instead doubling down until chaos ensues.

Three seasons have been released as of 2026, with Season 2 dropping in July 2021 and Season 3 in May 2023. Each season contains only six episodes, but the sketch density and meme potential make every minute count.

The Hot Dog Guy Meme: “We’re All Trying to Find the Guy Who Did This”

The Hot Dog Guy sketch became the show’s most famous and widely-used meme. This sketch appears in Episode 5 of Season 1 and perfectly encapsulates avoiding accountability in the most absurd way possible.

The Original Sketch Explained

The sketch opens after a hot dog-shaped car has crashed into a clothing store. As store employees and customers look for the driver, a man in a full hot dog costume emerges from the crowd, arms akimbo, red-faced, and declares: “We’re all trying to find the guy who did this.”

Despite wearing a costume identical to the crashed vehicle, he maintains complete innocence. He even suggests giving the perpetrator “a spanking” when found. The cognitive dissonance creates comedy gold that translates perfectly to real-world scenarios.

The sketch runs less than two minutes but packs maximum meme potential. Robinson’s delivery—desperate, sweaty, and utterly unconvincing—makes the moment universally applicable to anyone dodging responsibility.

Why It Went Viral in 2020

The Hot Dog Guy meme exploded during the 2020 election cycle and Trump presidency. Political figures making obviously false claims while blaming others fit the sketch’s exact scenario, making it the perfect reaction image.

When Donald Trump tweeted “SAVE THE POST OFFICE” after admitting to defunding it, thousands responded with the Hot Dog Guy image. The meme became shorthand for anyone creating problems then pretending to search for solutions.

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar famously used the meme in December 2020, replying to ExxonMobil’s climate change tweet with the Hot Dog Guy image. This mainstream political adoption cemented the meme’s cultural significance.

How the Meme Is Used

The Hot Dog Guy meme appears whenever someone responsible for a problem pretends they’re not. Corporate accounts posting about issues they caused, politicians denying obvious contradictions, and public figures avoiding accountability all trigger this meme.

The image works with or without the caption. Just the visual of Robinson in the hot dog costume communicates the entire joke. Users often pair it with screenshots of hypocritical statements or add custom text for specific situations.

The meme’s versatility keeps it relevant years after the sketch aired. New scandals and contradictions constantly provide fresh opportunities to deploy the Hot Dog Guy.

Focus Group Meme: Cars and Steering Wheels

The Focus Group sketch from Season 1, Episode 1 introduced viewers to Robinson’s absurdist comedy style. Featuring Ruben Rabasa as an elderly focus group participant, this sketch birthed multiple quotable moments.

The Sketch Breakdown

A car company holds a focus group to gather customer feedback. Ruben Rabasa’s character dominates the conversation with bizarre suggestions: “A good steering wheel that doesn’t whip off while you’re driving,” tables that flip for eating, and steering wheels that don’t fly through windows.

The straight man, Paul (played by co-creator Zach Kanin), tries maintaining professional decorum. Ruben’s character accuses him of being a “teacher’s pet” and tells him to “shut the fuck up.” The power dynamic completely inverts as the elderly man bullies the moderator.

The sketch ends with Ruben doing a bottle flip and dab, cementing his dominance. This early sketch established I Think You Should Leave’s formula: escalating absurdity where the wrong person wins.

Meme Applications

“Tables that flip” became shorthand for unnecessary product features. “Good steering wheel that doesn’t fly off” memes apply to basic expectations presented as innovations. These phrases comment on corporate nonsense and marketing speak.

The focus group format itself became memeable. Screenshots of Ruben’s deadpan expressions pair with captions about refusing to back down in arguments. His unshakeable confidence in ridiculous positions resonates with internet culture.

Paul’s frustrated reactions represent everyone dealing with unreasonable people. The meme works from both perspectives—you’re either the unreasonable Ruben or the exasperated Paul.

Coffin Flop: “Naked Dead Bodies”

Coffin Flop opens Season 2, Episode 1 with one of the show’s most quotable sketches. Robinson plays the CEO of Corncob TV, desperately defending his network’s signature show from cancellation.

The Premise

Coffin Flop is a reality show featuring footage of corpses falling out of cheap coffins during funerals. Robinson’s character insists it’s “not a show for kids” and defends showing “over 400 naked dead bodies” busting out of “shit wood and hitting pavement.”

The sketch is mostly Robinson addressing the camera directly, delivering an increasingly unhinged monologue. He claims Spectrum thinks he’s “just some dumb hick” and that they said so “at a dinner.” His desperation escalates to screaming “I didn’t do fucking shit! I didn’t rig shit!”

The absurdity of the premise—a show exclusively about collapsing coffins—contrasts with Robinson’s genuine emotional investment. This gap between ridiculous content and passionate defense creates the comedy.

Viral Moments

“I didn’t do fucking shit! I didn’t rig shit!” became a meme for denying obvious guilt. The phrase applies to anyone caught red-handed claiming innocence. It’s the evolved form of the Hot Dog Guy meme for 2021 and beyond.

“Just body after body busting out of shit wood and hitting pavement” memes describe overwhelming situations or content floods. The vivid imagery makes it perfect for expressing being bombarded with information or events.

The concept of Coffin Flop itself became a joke format. Users create fake shows following the “Coffin Flop” template—extremely specific, morbid content presented as legitimate programming.

Sloppy Steaks: “People Can Change”

The Sloppy Steaks sketch appears in Season 2, Episode 2, and instantly became a fan favorite. It introduces one of the show’s most absurdly specific concepts while exploring themes of redemption and judgment.

The Original Context

Robinson’s character Shane is convinced his friend’s baby cries around him because the baby knows “I used to be a piece of shit.” This leads to an extended explanation of his past lifestyle: slicked-back hair, white bathing suit, sloppy steaks at Truffoni’s.

Sloppy steaks, as revealed, are expensive steaks that you dump water all over. Shane and his crew (the Dangerous Nights Crew) would order rare steaks and glasses of water, then make the steaks sloppy. “They can’t stop you from ordering a steak and a glass of water!”

The flashback shows young Shane and friends gleefully pouring water on steaks while restaurant staff protests. The absurd specificity of this “bad behavior” contrasts with Shane’s genuine belief that the baby holds it against him.

The Meme Evolution

“I used to be a piece of shit” became code for acknowledging embarrassing past behavior. “People can change” follows as the defensive statement. The memes apply to anything from bad fashion choices to questionable teenage behavior.

Actual sloppy steaks cooking tutorials appeared on TikTok and YouTube. Food content creators embraced the bit, making literal sloppy steaks while shouting “slop ’em up!” The Binging with Babish channel created a full sloppy steaks recipe video.

The Dangerous Nights Crew became a catch-all term for friend groups with shared embarrassing pasts. “I would die for New Year’s Eve” memes reference the flashback’s description of Shane’s former party lifestyle.

Dan Flashes: Complex Patterns

Dan Flashes appears across two Season 2 episodes, creating an elaborate mythology about a fictional clothing store. The sketch parodies consumer obsession and status symbols through absurdly patterned shirts.

The Store Concept

Dan Flashes sells shirts with extremely complicated patterns. The more complex the pattern, the higher the price. Robinson’s character Mike spends his entire per diem on shirts instead of food because they’re “exactly his style.”

Men literally fight in the store over particularly complex patterns. Mike explains that the shirt he’s wearing cost “$150 out the door” but “the pattern barely even criss-crosses”—it’s practically from the bargain bin.

The commercial portion shows men screaming, grabbing shirts from each other, and becoming lost in the patterns. “This shirt is $1,000 because the pattern’s so complicated!” The chaos escalates until it approaches cosmic horror levels.

Meme Usage

“It’s my exact style” memes apply to defending questionable purchases or preferences. Dan Flashes references shorthand for spending money on objectively useless status symbols that only matter to niche communities.

“The pattern’s so complicated” became code for overcomplicated things that seem impressive but serve no purpose. Tech specs, corporate jargon, and academic writing all get the Dan Flashes treatment.

Screenshots of the fighting men work as reaction images for any competitive scenario. Limited edition drops, concert tickets, and product launches all invoke Dan Flashes energy.

Carber Hot Dog Vacuum: “Poor Performance”

The Carber Hot Dog Vacuum sketch spans two episodes in Season 2, creating a two-part story about workplace humiliation and misguided entrepreneurship.

Part One: The Choking Incident

Episode 1 features Robinson’s character Pat choking on a hot dog during a business meeting. He violently coughs, gags, and eventually vomits, creating maximum workplace awkwardness. His insistence that “you can’t skip lunch” caused the entire disaster.

Colleagues react with horror and laughter. The sketch captures the specific nightmare of an embarrassing bodily function in a professional setting. Pat’s red face and desperate attempts to play it cool make everything worse.

He’s eventually fired, though the official reason is “poor performance” rather than the hot dog incident. Everyone knows the real reason—nobody can look at him without remembering the choking and vomiting.

Part Two: The Vacuum Infomercial

Episode 3 reveals Pat’s post-firing venture: the Carber Hot Dog Vacuum. An infomercial-style ad explains this high-powered vacuum sucks hot dogs out of throats, preventing business meeting disasters and subsequent firings.

Pat appears in the commercial explaining “I was fired from work for something completely embarrassing.” The vacuum represents learning entirely the wrong lesson—instead of eating more carefully, invent specialized equipment.

The commercial’s earnest tone contrasts with the absurd premise. Pat genuinely believes this solves a widespread problem. His commitment to this solution demonstrates the show’s recurring theme of doubling down on mistakes.

Cultural Impact

“I was fired from work for something completely embarrassing” memes apply to any public humiliation or cancellation. The phrase perfectly captures modern shame culture and consequence dodging.

The Carber Vac concept represents over-engineering solutions to simple problems. Tech startup parodies and unnecessary inventions invoke Carber Vac energy. “There should be a Carber Vac for that” comments on problem-solving gone wrong.

“You can’t skip lunch” became a rallying cry for meal schedule defenders. The meme insists on basic needs being met, even when inconvenient timing creates problems.

Other Notable ITYSL Memes

Baby of the Year

The Baby of the Year pageant sketch features babies competing in a body competition. The absurdity of judging infant physiques creates dark comedy gold.

“I’m worried that the baby thinks people can’t change” comes from this sketch. Robinson insists babies understand complex moral concepts. The line works for overthinking social situations or attributing too much awareness to others.

Cosmic Gumbo

Santa Claus describing his action movie as a “cosmic gumbo” became shorthand for pretentious descriptions. When someone uses flowery language for simple things, “cosmic gumbo” calls out the pretension.

The phrase applies to food descriptions, movie plots, music genres, and any overcomplicated explanation. It’s the opposite of plain speech—unnecessarily elevated language that says nothing.

Tables That Flip

From the original focus group sketch, “tables that flip for eating” represents pointless additions marketed as innovations. Any unnecessary feature or overcomplicated solution gets the “tables that flip” treatment.

The meme criticizes feature creep in products, especially tech. When companies add functions nobody asked for, it’s tables that flip all over again.

TC Tuggers

Season 3 introduced TC Tuggers, shirts with a special tugging knot. The infomercial sketch’s earnest presentation of an unnecessary product spawned memes about solving non-problems.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed” became a meme phrase for addressing problems nobody actually has. TC Tuggers represents corporate solutions seeking problems.

Tim Robinson’s Comedy Style

Doubling Down on Embarrassment

Robinson’s characters never back down when caught in awkward situations. Instead, they escalate, becoming louder and more insistent. This refusal to gracefully exit creates the show’s signature tension.

The comedy comes from recognizing this impulse in ourselves. We’ve all wanted to dig in rather than admit mistakes. Robinson takes this relatable feeling to absurd extremes.

His characters often lack self-awareness entirely. They genuinely don’t understand why others find their behavior inappropriate. This earnestness makes the situations funnier and more uncomfortable.

Master Shot Technique

I Think You Should Leave often films sketches in single, unbroken takes. This “master shot” approach captures the escalating chaos in real time without cutting away. The technique increases tension and absurdity.

Robinson must maintain character throughout extended scenes without breaks. His physical comedy—red face, sweating, desperate gestures—builds naturally rather than being assembled in editing.

The master shot style makes meme creation easier. Single-frame screenshots capture complete emotional states. Quotable moments exist in context rather than being pieced together.

Surrealism Meets Reality

ITYSL sketches start in recognizable situations—job interviews, focus groups, dinner parties—then spiral into surrealism. The grounded beginnings make the absurdity more shocking and relatable.

This balance allows memes to work in real contexts. The situations are bizarre enough to be funny but realistic enough to feel applicable. Hot Dog Guy works because we recognize the accountability-dodging instinct.

Robinson’s commitment to the bit never wavers. No character breaks or winks at the audience. The sketches play completely straight, trusting viewers to find the humor in the absurdity.

How ITYSL Memes Spread

Initial Netflix Release

Season 1 premiered in April 2019 with minimal marketing. Word-of-mouth on Twitter and Reddit drove initial viewership. Comedy fans discovered the show’s quotability immediately.

Early memes focused on the focus group sketch and various Season 1 moments. The six-episode format encouraged multiple rewatches, cementing quotes in fans’ memories.

The show’s binge-friendly runtime (90 minutes total per season) made it easy to recommend and share. Friends could watch the entire first season in an evening, creating shared reference points.

Political Application in 2020

The 2020 election and Trump presidency provided perfect contexts for ITYSL memes. Hot Dog Guy’s accountability-dodging matched political discourse exactly, causing the meme to explode beyond comedy fans.

Netflix capitalized by uploading the Hot Dog sketch to YouTube in October 2020, just before the election. This official release enabled easier sharing and meme creation.

Mainstream media coverage of the memes introduced the show to wider audiences. Slate, Fast Company, and other publications analyzed why Hot Dog Guy perfectly captured political absurdity.

Season 2 and Expansion

Season 2’s July 2021 release generated immediate meme activity. Coffin Flop, Sloppy Steaks, and Dan Flashes entered the rotation alongside Hot Dog Guy.

The expanded meme vocabulary allowed more specific applications. Different sketches fit different contexts, making ITYSL a comprehensive communication tool for absurdity.

TikTok adoption brought the memes to younger audiences. Creators reenacted sketches, created variations, and applied quotes to trending topics. The show’s visual comedy translated perfectly to short-form video.

Season 3 Continuation

Season 3 (May 2023) maintained the meme momentum with new quotable moments. TC Tuggers, Pointer Brothers, and other sketches added to the catalog.

By Season 3, ITYSL had established itself as a meme-generating machine. Fans anticipated which sketches would achieve viral status. The show’s consistency made prediction easier.

The dedicated fanbase creates meme databases, quote generators, and screenshot collections. Tools like ITYSLmemes.com and various Reddit communities preserve and organize the content for easy access.

Creating Your Own ITYSL Memes

Finding the Right Moment

Effective ITYSL memes capture specific emotional states or situations. Look for moments that express universal feelings through absurd specificity. The best memes balance relatability with uniqueness.

Watch for Robinson’s facial expressions—his red-faced desperation, sweaty panic, and forced smiles make perfect reaction images. These non-verbal moments communicate as effectively as the quotes.

Consider the sketch’s context. Does it work standalone, or does it require explanation? The best memes are self-contained. Hot Dog Guy needs no backstory; the image and quote explain everything.

Screenshot and GIF Tools

Meme generators specifically for ITYSL exist online. These tools include searchable databases of quotes with corresponding screenshots. Users can add custom text or use existing templates.

For GIFs, Giphy hosts an extensive ITYSL collection. Netflix officially uploads many moments, ensuring quality and making sharing easy across platforms.

Screen recording tools capture favorite moments for personal meme libraries. Building a collection of go-to reactions makes rapid meme deployment possible.

Application Strategy

Match the sketch’s energy to the situation. Gentle workplace annoyances might merit focus group references, while major scandals deserve Hot Dog Guy treatment. Scale the absurdity appropriately.

Consider your audience’s ITYSL familiarity. In comedy-nerd circles, deep-cut references land perfectly. In mainstream contexts, stick with Hot Dog Guy or other widely-known memes.

Timing matters. Deploy ITYSL memes when situations perfectly mirror the sketches. The closer the match, the funnier the meme. Force-fitting quotes reduces effectiveness.

Why ITYSL Memes Resonate

Absurdism Reflects Reality

Modern life often feels absurd. ITYSL memes articulate this feeling perfectly. The sketches aren’t much weirder than actual news cycles, corporate behavior, or social media discourse.

By exaggerating reality slightly, Robinson creates recognizable distortions. We see ourselves in the characters’ refusal to back down, their embarrassing situations, and their desperate justifications.

The memes work because life increasingly resembles ITYSL sketches. Politicians behave like Hot Dog Guy. Companies act like Dan Flashes. Reality validates the satire constantly.

Specificity Creates Universality

Paradoxically, ITYSL’s hyper-specific scenarios (sloppy steaks, coffin flop, hot dog vacuums) become universal through their emotional truth. The specific details make abstract feelings concrete.

“I used to be a piece of shit” works better than “I regret my past” because the specificity makes it funny. The absurd detail creates distance that allows honest acknowledgment.

This specificity also creates in-group signaling. Using ITYSL memes identifies you to fellow fans. The references build community through shared absurdist language.

Permission to Acknowledge Absurdity

ITYSL memes give permission to call out life’s ridiculousness. When situations are too absurd for normal commentary, a well-placed meme communicates the feeling perfectly.

The show’s commitment to the bit validates taking absurdity seriously. Robinson never breaks character, never winks. This earnestness in the face of ridiculousness models how to process chaotic reality.

Memes become coping mechanisms. Laughing at the Hot Dog Guy dodge helps process real accountability failures. Referencing Coffin Flop helps process information overload.

The Show’s Cultural Impact

Emmy Recognition

I Think You Should Leave won the Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series in 2021. This validated the show’s innovative comedy and cultural significance.

The show also received nominations for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series. Industry recognition elevated ITYSL beyond cult status to acknowledged television excellence.

These awards brought new viewers who’d dismissed the show as niche comedy. Mainstream validation expanded the audience and meme-creating base.

Influence on Comedy

ITYSL’s success demonstrated appetite for truly weird comedy on streaming platforms. Networks became more willing to greenlight experimental formats.

The show’s master shot technique influenced other sketch shows. Filming entire scenes without cuts became more common, creating more cohesive comic moments.

Robinson’s doubling-down character type appeared in other comedies. The specific awkwardness and escalation pattern became recognizable comedy tropes.

Merchandise and Fan Culture

Official ITYSL merchandise exists, but fan-made products dominate. Shirts featuring Dan Flashes patterns, sloppy steaks graphics, and Hot Dog Guy imagery proliferate on Etsy and Redbubble.

Live show events and conventions feature ITYSL content. Fans gather for screenings, quote-alongs, and themed parties. The Dangerous Nights Crew became an aspirational friend group identity.

Podcast discussions analyze individual sketches frame-by-frame. YouTube channels create ITYSL-style comedy. The show inspired creative output beyond just memes.

Notable Celebrity Fans

Political Figures

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s Hot Dog Guy tweet demonstrated political awareness of the meme. Other political figures reference ITYSL in social media, signaling cultural literacy.

Politicians using the memes must carefully avoid seeming out-of-touch. When deployed correctly, ITYSL references connect with younger, internet-fluent constituencies.

Entertainment Industry

Bob Odenkirk’s Season 2 cameo introduced Better Call Saul fans to the show. His presence validated ITYSL’s comedy credentials and expanded viewership.

Comedy writers frequently reference ITYSL in interviews. The show became required viewing for anyone working in comedy, establishing industry influence.

Sports World

Athletes and sports media personalities regularly deploy ITYSL memes. The absurdist humor translates well to sports discussions, especially for controversial plays or bad calls.

NBA players and NFL stars have posted ITYSL references. This crossover brought the memes into sports culture, expanding their reach beyond comedy and politics.

Season 4 Anticipation

Will There Be More?

As of early 2026, Season 4 hasn’t been officially announced. The gap between seasons has averaged two years, making late 2025 or 2026 possible release windows.

Robinson and Kanin haven’t confirmed whether the show continues. The perfect batting average across three seasons creates pressure—ending on a high note might be preferable to decline.

Fans campaign for more seasons on social media. Petitions and engagement metrics demonstrate continued interest. Netflix’s decision likely depends on viewership data and Robinson’s availability.

Predicting New Memes

If Season 4 arrives, fans will immediately hunt for meme potential. The community has developed an eye for what works—specific quotes, strong visuals, universal applications.

The show might intentionally create meme moments, though this risks feeling forced. ITYSL’s best memes emerged organically from pure comedy, not meme-chasing.

Whatever new sketches appear, they’ll join the existing canon. The meme vocabulary continues expanding as long as content exists. Previous seasons’ memes remain relevant regardless of new material.

ITYSL Meme Best Practices

When to Use Them

ITYSL memes work best when situations perfectly mirror the sketches. Forced references fall flat. Wait for the right moment rather than stretching connections.

Consider whether your audience will understand the reference. In universal online spaces, stick with Hot Dog Guy or mainstream memes. In comedy communities, deep cuts work better.

Avoid overuse. Even the best memes lose impact through repetition. Rotate through different ITYSL references to maintain freshness and show range.

What to Avoid

Don’t explain the meme. If it needs explanation, it’s the wrong choice for that audience or context. ITYSL memes should be self-evident or self-explanatory.

Avoid using memes in serious situations requiring genuine empathy. The absurdist humor doesn’t work for actual tragedy. Save ITYSL for absurd situations, not truly sad ones.

Don’t claim the humor as your own. If someone doesn’t get the reference, acknowledge it’s from the show. Taking credit for Robinson’s comedy violates meme etiquette.

Combining with Other Meme Cultures

ITYSL memes pair well with other absurdist humor. Combining with Always Sunny, Eric Andre, or similar comedy creates layered references for deep-cut fans.

The show’s format allows crossover with reaction image culture. ITYSL faces can replace traditional reaction GIFs, offering fresh alternatives to overused images.

Consider context-switching between meme styles. ITYSL references work for absurdity, but other memes might better suit different emotional registers.

The Future of ITYSL Memes

Longevity Predictions

Hot Dog Guy has remained relevant for over five years, suggesting ITYSL memes have staying power. The show’s themes—accountability dodging, social awkwardness, absurd situations—remain perpetually relevant.

New scandals and situations continuously provide fresh contexts for existing memes. As long as people avoid accountability and double down on mistakes, Hot Dog Guy remains applicable.

The specific nature of sketches like Sloppy Steaks might fade from mainstream consciousness while remaining beloved by core fans. Different memes have different lifespans.

Evolution and Adaptation

ITYSL memes will likely evolve through remixing and recontextualization. Users create new variations on established templates, keeping them fresh through creative application.

Video meme formats might supersede static images. TikTok and Instagram Reels enable sketch reenactments and creative interpretations that extend meme life.

The show’s influence might become invisible—people using the memes without knowing their origin. This cultural absorption represents ultimate meme success, though it disconnects from the source material.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

I Think You Should Leave meme culture represents more than just internet humor—it’s become a language for expressing the absurdity of modern existence.

From Hot Dog Guy’s perfect encapsulation of accountability dodging to Sloppy Steaks’ specific embarrassment acknowledgment, these memes provide vocabulary for situations traditional language can’t quite capture.

Tim Robinson’s commitment to escalating awkwardness rather than graceful exits mirrors how we all feel navigating increasingly absurd social, political, and professional landscapes. The show’s staying power comes from this fundamental relatability wrapped in surrealist packaging.

As we move further into 2026, ITYSL memes continue evolving and adapting to new contexts. Whether political scandals invoke Hot Dog Guy, corporate nonsense summons Dan Flashes, or personal embarrassments recall Sloppy Steaks, the show’s cultural impact endures.