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What Is 'My Name Is Walter Hartwell White,' Also Known As The 'Walter White Copypasta,' And Why Is It Spammed Seemingly All Across The Internet?
Breaking Bad is up there with SpongeBob and Family Guy as, quite possibly, the most meme'd television show of all time. Unlike the other two, however, Breaking Bad and its main character Walter White (a.k.a Heisenberg) have a trending copypasta as well, namely, the My Name is Walter Hartwell White Copypasta.
Also known more simply as the Walter White Copypasta or, in the context of the show, known as Walter White's Confession, the character's speech was utterly serious, but in the memes that have since used it, it's been nothing but silly.
Want to know where 308 Negra Arroyo Lane is and how this serious scene became a meme? Let's explain.
What Is The 'Walter White Copypasta?'
First of all, if you haven't watched Breaking Bad yet, don't read any further! Although this copypasta is hilarious, it might not be worth ruining the show.
Anyway, in season 5, episode 11, a DVD from Walter makes its way into the hands of Hank and Marie. On that DVD is a filmed confession from Walter in which he falsely accuses Hank of introducing him to Gustavo Fring and leading him into selling illegal substances. Basically, Walter threatens his brother-in-law and sister-in-law.
Of course, the Walter White Copypasta comes from this notorious scene. The copypasta reads:
My name is Walter Hartwell White. I live at 308 Negra Arroyo Lane, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87104. This is my confession. If you're watching this tape, I'm probably dead- murdered by my brother-in-law, Hank Schrader. Hank has been building a meth empire for over a year now and using me as his chemist. Shortly after my 50th birthday, he asked that I use my chemistry knowledge to cook methamphetamine, which he would then sell using connections that he made through his career with the DEA. I was… astounded. I… I always thought Hank was a very moral man, and I was particularly vulnerable at the time – something he knew and took advantage of. I was reeling from a cancer diagnosis that was poised to bankrupt my family. Hank took me in on a ride-along and showed me just how much money even a small meth operation could make. And I was weak. I didn't want my family to go into financial ruin, so I agreed. Hank had a partner, a businessman named Gustavo Fring. Hank sold me into servitude to this man. And when I tried to quit, Fring threatened my family. I didn't know where to turn. Eventually, Hank and Fring had a falling out. Things escalated. Fring was able to arrange – uh, I guess… I guess you call it a "hit" – on Hank, and failed, but Hank was seriously injured. And I wound up paying his medical bills, which amounted to a little over $177,000. Upon recovery, Hank was bent on revenge. Working with a man named Hector Salamanca, he plotted to kill Fring. The bomb that he used was built by me, and he gave me no option in it. I have often contemplated [unalive], but I'm a coward. I wanted to go to the police, but I was frightened. Hank had risen to become the head of the Albuquerque DEA. To keep me in line, he took my children. For three months, he kept them. My wife had no idea of my criminal activities and was horrified to learn what I had done. I was in [heck]. I hated myself for what I had brought upon my family. Recently, I tried once again to quit, and in response, he gave me this. [Walt points to the bruise on his face left by Hank in "Blood Money."] I can't take this anymore. I live in fear every day that Hank will kill me, or worse, hurt my family. All I could think to do was to make this video and hope that the world will finally see this man for what he really is.
How Did 'My Name Is Walter Hartwell White' Become A Meme?
Flashes of the monologue's usage in memes surfaced in 2022, such as on the subreddit /r/okbuddychicanery (a hotbed of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul related s***posting) and in the /r/breakingbad subreddit too. Then, YouTubers took to posting memes using the audio, like one weird Spotify playlist that included a song for every word uttered.
From there, the audio's usage spread to TikTok where, of course, it got much more viral. Like any Breaking Bad meme, the show's serious acting (and objectively good acting) is subverted by the ironic absurdity of the memes that its fanbase generates.
Where Is 308 Negra Arroyo Lane, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87104?
As stated in his confession, Walter knowingly leaked his own IP address likely to allude to some sort of trustworthiness to help his confession's validity. Unfortunately for the average, nosey fan, when searched up on Google Maps, nothing comes up for this address.
However, the house used in Breaking Bad where the Whites reside is a real place with a real address. In real life, it's also known as the Breaking Bad House too. Unfortunately, the owner of the house is a notoriously unhappy woman who yells at any visitors. There are many TikTok videos of her heckling passersby when they get close to her fence.
For the full history of the My Name is Walter Hartwell White Copypasta, be sure to check out our entry on the meme here for even more information.