It’s out of Ctrl.
A social media joke has recently amassed a great deal of popularity online — to the point that it has already worn out its welcome.
If you’ve been on platforms like X lately, you’ve likely seen someone post something, usually with a photo attached, prompting users to “look between” certain letters on their keyboard.
An example of this posted to X is:
“Waiter: What’d you like to have? Look between R and Y on your keyboard.”
The purpose is to have a person read aloud the phonetics of the key or keys in between as they usually have a connotation with the post. In this case, the answer is “T,” short for tea.
The meme dates to 2021 and ties into anime, with users spelling out a character named Yui from the Japanese show “K-On!,” as the keys are next to one another.
It hit the mainstream last week.
Besides still being popular with other animes like “Dragon Ball Super,” the meme has suddenly become a hit with big-time online accounts, too.
On Tuesday, Guinness World Records addressed an applicant who wanted to break the longest streak without sleeping.
“Look between T and U on your keyboard,” the account posted of the letter “Y,” short for why.
Sony, celebrating the theatrical re-release of Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man 2,” asked who is going to re-watch the 2004 film, before encouraging fans to “look between Y and I on your keyboard.”
The answer is “U,” short for you.
Plenty of other accounts are taking advantage of the keys “J” and “K” being next to one another as they abbreviate the phrase “just kidding.” (Don’t fall for anyone telling you to look between “H” and “L.”)
Ahead of the NFL Draft, the New England Patriots got in on the just kidding joke, telling users they would know who they are drafting by looking between those two keys.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation made a similar just-kidding spoof about armadillos.
But by the time major brands got in on the action, lots of folks online had enough.
Social media users, many of whom don’t even understand the joke, are pleading for memers to look between “W” and “R,” “B” and “M,” and “S” and “F” — so that this may E.N.D.
“This joke only lasts 0.01 second,” one user replied to a meme.
“Just muting accounts at this point,” another wrote in frustration.
“MAKE IT STOP,” emphasized a third.
Even the Empire State Building has had it.
“Instead of looking between two letters on your keyboard, look at me instead,” its X account posted Tuesday.