During the vote for the new House Speaker for the United States, congressman Rep. Jared Huffman made a reference to one of the viral Leeroy JenkinsWorld of Warcraftmemes.World of Warcraftis a popular online game that allows players to explore the world of Azeroth, a fictional realm full of magic and adventure. The game revolves around the conflict between the Alliance, a faction made up of humans, elves, and others who fight for order, and the Horde, the opposing group consisting of orcs, tauren, and additional races who fight for chaos. The game has been around for over 15 years and has attracted millions of players from all over the world thanks toWorld of Warcraft’suniquely designed charactersand addictive gameplay.Leeroy Jenkins is aWorld of Warcraftcharacterthat actually started out as a meme from a player who displayed impulsive and reckless behavior during a raid. The clip showed Leeroy charging into battle without thinking about the consequences, ultimately leading to him and his group being killed numerous times. While Leeroy’s antics may seem foolish, they actually perfectly encapsulate the spirit ofWorld of Warcraftas the game is all about taking risks and embracing the chaos of combat.MORE:World of Warcraft Player Finds Secret Boss on Hidden IslandPeople often use theLeeroy Jenkins memeto describe someone who is acting without thinking or to describe a situation where things have gone wrong because someone was not thinking. On January 4th, the 118th session of Congress convened to decide on the next Speaker of the House. Representative Jared Huffman entered the room to vote for Representative Hakeem Jeffries, and his manner of voting by shouting “Hakeeeeeem Jeffriessss” was reminiscent of Leeroy Jenkins.
Later, Jared Huffman tweeted that he will continue trolling House Republicans by referencing the Leeroy Jenkins meme until they stop nominating Quevin McCarthy for Speaker. To say that the Congress Representative’s use of the famousWorld of Warcraft’s Leeroy Jenkins meme was surprising would be an understatement. It’s unlikely that anyone would have expected a 58-year-old politician would be familiar with the meme, let alone using it during a serious session.
The Leeroy Jenkins meme is nearly two decades old, but it remains as relevant as ever. In 2016, aGame of Thronesbattle scene was hilariously compared to the Leeroy Jenkins meme, and many people loved how funny the similarities were. In recent years, the Leeroy Jenkins meme has been used to comment on everything from politics to pop culture, and it shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
