Irish Twitter has decided a still of actor Matt LeBlanc from the Friends: The Reunion special channels a very specific but ubiquitous Irish uncle.
Never has a childhood of growing up in rural Ireland better prepared me for something more than it’s prepared me for this Matt LeBlanc being your uncle meme
You see, it's in the way LeBlanc is sitting, with his arms crossed, and the reserved but curious look on his face. You may conflate this look with any dad or old-man trope, but it's apparently extremely resonant with Irish people, and has a set of unique characteristics. (A tip o' the hat to @theofluffycat for collecting many of these in a hilarious thread!)
Matt LeBlanc is 5 seconds away from slapping his knees and going “well we ought to make a move who’s ready to rock and roll”
As a non-Irish person, I would not dare to explain Irish things to Irish people, so I asked for an explanation.
According to some Irish people online, the country's specific brand of "uncle" is an "extreme salt of the Earth" kind of guy, "full of dry wit and just a drop of cynicism," wrote user @noclarity74.
@tanyachen Every Irish family has at least one of those uncles or great uncles -extreme salt of the Earth characters, full of dry wit and just a drop of cynicism. Matt looks like a typical Irish uncle in the photos from the reunion from his his arms are folded, to his facial expressions
An uncle who's classically "behind the times but ultimately wholesome and well intentioned," said user @dervlamcneice. A guy you may "get stuck chatting to at a family wedding."
@tanyachen It’s like he’s the classic slightly ~behind the times but ultimately wholesome and well intentioned older country man you get stuck chatting to at a family wedding. He’s a bit cheeky but like.....in a nice dad way https://t.co/DN9Q8cX8Fv
He's "rough round the edges," loves "his cattle and you," and "drinks like a fish," said @HawHillFarm.
@tanyachen He looks like the Irish Uncle with a heart of gold. He's behind the times, rough round the edges, loves life, his family, his cattle and you, hugs like a bear, drinks like a fish, talks the hind legs off a donkey and punched that guy in the gob who slagged off your gay partner
He tries to be understanding of alternative lifestyles and career paths, perhaps, but will never quite get it.
My favourite version of the Matt leBlanc meme is the one where he’s very supportive of your lifestyle even when he doesn’t quite understand it.
The kind of of auld lad you’d have a fair job of explaining to your not an Artist after getting an Arts degree #mattleblanc
He's bound to make fun of your favorite artist. He has no idea who anyone is on TikTok.
Matt leBlanc - And who's this lad ye do be listenin ta, Post Mahone is it?
He's there at tender family moments, but only minimally supportive. He just wants to sit in his chair.
Matt LeBlanc is your grandad sat in the corner of the room watching you open present at Christmas
Ireland, I hope I've understood and synthesized your meme well. It's a delightful meme.
Great canvass in Terenure today with @GeogheganCllr. Although there was one canvasser who spent far too long talking with every person. He just loved the chats!
quiet down lads, he's watching the match
“How *you* gettin on?”
It's unclear if LeBlanc has any idea the kind of impact he's made in Ireland by simply existing. And sitting. When I reached out, LeBlanc's publicist declined to comment.
It's like he'll discover the meme six months from now and physically hand his iPad over to show someone.
Matt LeBlanc looks like your uncle who will still be sharing the Matt LeBlanc meme on Facebook 6 months from now.