What's the matter, Lagerboy | Know your meme

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What’s the matter, Lagerboy, refers to a series of memes based on a poster advertising Hobgoblin beer depicting a leprechaun at the bar with a beer with the caption: “What’s the matter, lagerboy, afraid to prove something?” The poster was shared online as early as 2008 and became the subject of memes from the late 2010s into the 2020s, in which the caption is altered in various ways, most often replacing “lagerboy” and “prove something” by another sentence. In October 2024, a screenshot of a YouTube comment that said: “What’s the matter, woke boy? Scared of some boobs?”a likely reference to the meme, became the subject of its own meme series.

Origin

Back in 2008, Hobgoblin beer released an advertisement for its product featuring a drawing of a goblin or hobgoblin holding a beer in a bar while other goblins drank behind him. The ad caption says: “What’s the matter, lagerboy, afraid to prove something?” The first available posting of the advertisement online was made on August 20, 2008 on Larsblog as part of an article titled “How we judge beer in Norway”.

What's the matter, Lagerboy, are you afraid to prove something?" HOBGOBLIN Deliciously dark

On November 1, 2016, the ad was posted to /r/beerporn, garnering over 250 upvotes in eight years. On January 12, 2018, user X @tristandross posted the first known edit of the ad, changing the caption to: “What’s the matter, boy, irony, afraid to feel something?” garnering more than 370 likes in six years.

"What's the matter, IRONY BOY, AFRAID YOU FEEL SOMETHING?" SINCERITY Ruis Beer

To spread

The meme saw a surge in popularity in 2024. On October 10, 2024, user X @torusVEVO posted an edit of the meme referencing ambient music, reading: “What’s the matter, ambient boy, afraid to hear something?” garnering over 39,000 likes in 12 days.

"What's the matter, ambient boy, are you afraid to hear something?"

On October 19, user X @dank_ackroyd posted a photograph outside a music store called “Hobgoblin Music”writing: “‘What’s the matter, lager boy – afraid to TOUCH something?’😏”garnering more than 1,900 likes in three days.

Ruth Husko @dank_ackroyd 'What's the matter, kid - afraid you're going to THROW something?' Dry air hobgoblin music www.hobgoblin.com 5:44 am - October 19, 2024 84.5 thousand views

On October 21st, user X @buckfastbadlad posted an edit as a quote-repost to a post that said: “Dr Pepper must be the worst soft drink to ever exist on this earth”in which the goblin holds a can of Dr. What’s the matter, Cola boy, afraid that you might prove something? garnering over 48,000 likes in one day.

Scott Chegg @buckfastbadlad WHAT'S THE PROBLEM Cola Boy, afraid to taste something?" Peppe epper al! @chaeceah-October 19 dr pepper has to be the worst soda to ever grace this earth II GIF 4:41 pm - October 21, 2024 473.4 thousand views

What’s the matter, woke boy?

On October 20, 2024, user X @akeurajitsukasa posted a screenshot of a comment left on a YouTube video by Zenless Zero Zone channel, featuring the character Burnice. The commentator makes a likely reference to the hobgoblin poster, using the phrase: “What’s the matter, woke boy? Scared of some boobs? Some breasts? Pathetic.” The post gained more than 111 thousand likes and 10 thousand reposts in two days. On October 21, it was reposted on /r/Gamingcirclejerk, garnering over 1,100 upvotes in one day.