The image is a humorous and fictional “before and after” weight loss transformation meme featuring the children’s television character Barney the Dinosaur. On the left is the “Before” image, which shows Barney in his usual, recognizable form—a plump, friendly-looking purple and green dinosaur. On the right is the “After” image, a digitally altered version of Barney with exaggerated, hyper-muscular features, portraying a very lean and muscular physique similar to that of a bodybuilder.
The text at the top says, “I don’t usually do this but I went on a diet 2 years ago and lost 280lbs.” This mimics the style of personal testimonial often seen in weight loss advertisements or social media posts where individuals share their success stories. The amount of weight claimed to be lost, 280 pounds, is an exaggerated figure that adds to the humor, considering the fictional nature of the character who would not need to lose weight, much less engage in human dietary practices.
The watermark “Ratchet.Pics” implies that the image may have originated from or been shared by a social media account or website that posts funny or “ratchet” (a slang term sometimes used to describe things that are exciting or excellent in a way that is not restrained or boring) content.
The humor in this meme stems from several factors:
- The absurdity of a beloved, fictional character meant to entertain children participating in adult activities like dieting and fitness.
- The drastic and impossible physical transformation from a soft, toy-like figure to a highly muscular and defined one.
- The playful engagement with the format of weight loss before-and-after pictures, which are a common sight on the internet.
- The use of pop culture references that are widely recognized, adding a layer of nostalgia and recognition that makes the meme more relatable and shareable.
This meme is a good example of how internet culture often takes familiar, non-serious subjects and places them in unlikely scenarios for comedic effect.
