Milkshake Duck
what it means
From a joke tweet imagining a duck that drinks milkshakes becoming a viral sensation, then turning out to be racist. It named a pattern before the pattern had a name.
Someone who becomes beloved online and is then revealed to have a terrible history.
the origin story
From a single 2016 tweet by Australian cartoonist Ben Ward (@pixelatedboat).
The phrase became so widely used that it was added to the Macquarie Dictionary as its 2017 Word of the Year. It's one of the clearest cases of a single joke tweet permanently entering the language, and the pattern it describes has only become more common.
in the wild
The wholesome grandad account got exposed.
Full milkshake duck.
Everyone loves this guy.
Give it a week. Milkshake duck rules apply.
how to use it
- Describing a beloved figure whose history undermines them
- Discussing viral fame cycles
- Internet culture commentary
- About unproven allegations
- Professionally
- As a way to pre-judge someone
related terms
receipts
Community feedback
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