CNN Chyron Parodies

Submission 19,822

About

CNN Chyron Parodies refer to a series of altered CNN screenshots for satirical purposes. Typically, the chyron or on screen caption displays something obvious or surreal, while the image on the right alludes to the text. The image on the right of CNN anchor Lynda Kinkade, however, generally remains to the same.

Origin

On January 9th, 2016, YouTuber LK TJ^[1] uploaded a video of a CNN News Now report featuring anchor Lynda Kinkade, regarding the capture of drug lord El Chapo. The thumbnail of the video (shown below), which shows Kinkade on the left and police escorting El Chapo on the right, is the template for the meme.

On May 29th, 2017, Redditor King_of_Connaught^[2] posted a photoshop parody of the thumbnail on the /r/dankmemes subreddit. Their image featured Lynda Kinkade on the left and Wario superimposed over Russia's Saint Basil's Cathedral with a chyron that reads "ANONYMOUS SOURCES SAY GREEDY LIBERTARIAN WARIO HAS TIES TO RUSSIA." The post recieved more than 930 points (97% upvoted).

Spread

The following day, on May 30th, Redditor martyalls^[3] posted another parody. This time placing Russian President Vladimir Putin next to Lynda Kinkade and a chyron that reads "ANONYMOUS SOURCES SAY THAT VLADIMIR PUTIN MAY HAVE TIES WITH RUSSIA." The post (shown below received more than 10,000 points (92% upvoted) and 100 comments.

That day, more on Reddit posted variations of the meme in /r/DankMemes. King_of_Connaught posted one (shown below) of a map of Russia with the Chyron "RUSSIA MAY HAVE TIES TO RUSSIA," receiving more than 3,000 points (95% upvoted) and 65 comments. Redditor Why_not_now--^[6] posted an image of Donald Trump next to a "Donald J. Trump Signature Collection" dress shirt display with the chyron "Anonymous source says Donald Trump may have ties." The post garnered more than 1,000 points (98% upvoted).

On the /r/MemeEconomy subreddit that day, Redditor Vyersadonis posted the original Wario variation in the thread "Do CNN news memes have any value?" The post received more than 11,000 points (83% upvoted) and 170 comments within 24 hours.^[7]