face card never declines Sept. 13, 2023

No, Selena, We Meme You Because We Love You

Portrait of Justin Curto

By Justin Curto, who covers music, TV, and celebrity for Vulture

Only Memes in the Building. Photo: MTV

Even if you didn’t watch the 2023 MTV VMAs on September 13, you probably saw a clip of Selena Gomez’s face. A specific one, actually, of Gomez scrunching her mouth for just a second after Chris Brown was announced as a nominee in Best R&B. It was a face many of us watching at home also made at the thought of an accused abuser winning an award, and it quickly became a meme. As relatable as she may have been, Gomez wasn’t having it. “I will never be a meme again,” she posted to her Instagram Story hours after the awards. “I’d rather sit still than be dragged for being myself. Much love.”

Now that’s a big promise to keep. Never be a meme again? This is a woman who went viral only a few weeks ago just for wearing a blanket. She even memed herself on her Story, posting a photo with bestie Taylor Swift captioned “She looks stunning I look constipated.” Sorry, Selena, we don’t meme you to drag you; we meme you because we care. Besides, it could’ve been worse — at least you didn’t have a specific camera on you the entire night like your friend did.

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No, Selena, We Meme You Because We Love You

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