What Is That meme is based on a real live-TV moment involving Julie Tsirkin outside the White House in May 2026. During a broadcast, gunshots could suddenly be heard nearby while Tsirkin and her crew were preparing for a report. Instead of instantly reacting with panic, she looked confused and asked, “What is that?” That short clip quickly exploded online and became a viral reaction meme.
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Meme Name | Julie Tsirkin “What Is That?” |
| Origin Date | May 2026 |
| Origin | Live NBC News coverage outside the White House |
| Main Person | Julie Tsirkin |
| Viral Phrase | “What is that?” |
| Meme Format | Reaction image and edited video meme |
| Main Joke | Confused reaction during dangerous or chaotic situations |
| Spread Through | X/Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, Reddit |
| Popular Edits | War scenes, alien invasions, explosions, dramatic movie clips |
Origin of the Meme
The meme started after footage from NBC News showed Julie Tsirkin reporting near the White House when multiple gunshots rang out in the background. At first, the people around her thought the sounds might be fireworks. Tsirkin looked toward the noise and calmly asked, “What is that?” before security officers ordered everyone to run for safety.
Viewers immediately noticed how unusually calm and confused her reaction seemed. In another viral clip from the same event, ABC reporter Selina Wang quickly ducked for cover, which made internet users compare the two reactions even more.
Within hours, people began clipping Tsirkin’s facial expression and inserting it into exaggerated disaster scenes. Memes showed her reacting to alien attacks, giant explosions, battlefield footage, and even random everyday chaos. The humor came from the mismatch between the dangerous situation and her delayed reaction.
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Meaning of the Meme
The meme is mainly used to represent confusion during obvious chaos. Online users post it when somebody fails to understand a situation that seems very clear to everyone else.
The phrase “What is that?” became the centerpiece because it sounded unintentionally calm for such a serious moment. Meme creators started using the clip as a reaction image whenever someone appears clueless, distracted, or late to realize danger.
In many edits, the joke is not really about Julie Tsirkin herself. Instead, the meme became a flexible template for moments where people underreact to something dramatic happening around them.
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How the Meme Spread
The meme spread rapidly across social media platforms. Users on X and Reddit shared edited versions almost immediately after the clip aired. Some edits were simple reaction GIFs, while others turned the moment into over-the-top movie-style scenes.
A large reason for the meme’s popularity was Tsirkin’s own response. Instead of getting upset, she joked about the memes online and thanked people for watching her reporting. That self-aware reaction made the meme even more popular.
Why People Found It Funny
Internet humor often turns awkward real-life moments into meme templates. In this case, viewers were surprised by how calmly Tsirkin reacted before realizing the seriousness of the situation.
The expression on her face, combined with the simple line “What is that?”, made the clip easy to remix into different scenarios. Because the moment looked genuine rather than scripted, people found it relatable and unintentionally comedic.
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Lasting Impact
The “What Is That?” meme became one of the fastest-spreading reaction memes of 2026. Even people who never watched the original NBC clip recognized the screenshot and phrase after seeing it reused across social media.
Like many viral reaction memes, it worked because it was flexible. People could apply it to politics, sports, gaming, school situations, or everyday confusion. The meme’s success also showed how quickly live television moments can become internet culture within hours.
The meme comes from a live TV moment where reporter Julie Tsirkin reacted with confusion after hearing gunshots near the White House. Her line What is that? quickly became a viral reaction meme online.
People found it funny because Tsirkin’s calm and confused reaction contrasted sharply with the serious situation happening around her. The delayed realization became relatable internet humor.
The meme is used to show confusion, cluelessness, or slow reactions during obvious chaos or dramatic situations.