The Brief: As the year 2020 gets weirder and weirder, people are checking off boxes on their "2020 bingo cards."
DEEP DIVE
It’s only June and many events that have occurred so far this year seem straight out of a dystopian novel or work of parody. The absurdity and tragedy that 2020 is host to have inspired memes about people filling out their “2020 bingo cards.” From a pandemic to murder hornets to an impeachment to KPOP stans teaming up with Anonymous, the Kafkaesque happenings of 2020 seem impossible to have predicted.
2020 bingo cards can either be a real game for people to play as unexpected events continue to unfold, or they can be a tongue-in-cheek way to remark on how much of a roller coaster 2020 continues to be. These bingo cards have such titles as “2020 Apocalypse Bingo” or “2020 Bats**t Crazy Bingo Card.” They usually include a mix of outlandish things that have happened and absurd ones that could happen. If the second half of the year includes a Sharknado, a boxing match between Donald Trump and Joe Exotic, and a new Rihanna album, someone just might get bingo.
Apparently some folks liked my 2020 Batshit Crazy Bingo Card. So let’s play, shall we? pic.twitter.com/AfI6GxosJb
— BLACK. LIVES. MATTER. (@CatFalzon) June 5, 2020
2020 Hellscape Bingo!! pic.twitter.com/EYH7j9wtz7
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) June 5, 2020
To be fair, I did have Lady G coming out of the closet in my 2020 Batshit Crazy Bingo Card. But the real crux of the matter is his change of personality, and becoming a sycophant. pic.twitter.com/STMHLZgWCc
— BLACK. LIVES. MATTER. (@CatFalzon) June 5, 2020
A popular tweet format includes a news headline with a comment about whether or not someone had that event on their 2020 bingo card. By acknowledging just how surprising the events of this year have been, these memes provide some comic relief during these turbulent times.
I did not have Duck Army on my 2020 bingo card, but I’m here for it https://t.co/DvLphHLcfC
— Quotation Marks #BlackLivesMatter (@QuotationMarkBB) June 10, 2020
I didn't have anti-racist tea on my 2020 bingo card but I am delighted that it is here. https://t.co/DRKiqQqbqG
— Maureen Johnson (@maureenjohnson) June 8, 2020
Ice Cube becoming a q guy is literally all we need to complete the 2020 insane bingo https://t.co/sfBYRe8aXX
— lil babushka (@cowgirl_beebop) June 10, 2020
virtual protesting in toontown online for being problematic was not on my 2020 bingo card
— Zerggiee Stardust 💫 (@Zerggiee) June 5, 2020
The NYC Dept of Health encouraging gloryholes was not on my 2020 bingo card https://t.co/43pXyPgpfS
— grant 🧔🏻 (@urdadssidepiece) June 9, 2020
Okay, who had “Escorts join forces to expose Lindsey Graham as gay and use his hypocrisy and his anti-LGBT record to kick him out of office” in their 2020 batshittery bingo card?
— Santiago Mayer (@santiagomayer_) June 5, 2020
The guy who had Third Amendment on his apocalypse bingo pic.twitter.com/oouMZuHECE
— Dani K 🤍 (@dani_kerley) June 5, 2020
Our duly elected officials acting out a skit from @ShermansShow wasn’t on my 2020 bingo card either. pic.twitter.com/sMhPeqWd44
— Phonte (@phontigallo) June 8, 2020
I didn’t have any of this on my dystopian hellscape 2020 bingo card.
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) June 5, 2020
I actually DID have Trump saying an old white man bleeding from the head after being shoved by angry police had it coming on my 2020 bingo card. Because what else would a giant piece of shit say?
— Ron Perlman (@perlmutations) June 9, 2020
didn't have 'kpop fancam allies' on my cyber-apocalypse bingo card but man i'm glad they exist and i take back everything i said in annoyance about fancam spamming, good luck and god bless
— ~Abolish the Police~🌹 (@TheMittani) June 3, 2020