No one can escape from that Josh Hutcherson edit.
Accompanied by the now memorable "Whistle" cover by Joel Merry, Hutcherson's face appears all over the internet in the most unexpected places. Across multiple screens, in your assignment, even in the Whistle original singer Flo Rida's Spotify Wrapped message.
Some even likened the trend to the new Rickrolling. To those unfamiliar, it is the classic bait-and-switch video with Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" at the end. The Whistle edit works the same.
Just like the posts joining the trend, the origin and the road to fame of the now-infamous edit is one worth diving into.
Josh Hutcherson Edit Origin
The original edit came from a September 2012 post by YouTuber mariela5511 called "JOSH HUTCHERSON // WHISTLE."
However, the more famous iteration was not made until October 2014 by YouTuber MetroGirlzStation on a post called "Josh Hutcherson || Whistle."
Both fan cam edits are just picture collections of the young actor in the tune of the "Whistle" song. Hutcherson was popular among female fans for his role as Peeta Mellark in "The Hunger Games" franchise.
The videos did not get much attention for nearly a decade until a sudden surge of memes related to the 2014 edit in November. At first, it was just MetroGirlzStation's edit being reposted on TikTok.
The trend officially started when a non-viral tweet complained of seeing too much of the Josh Hutcherson edit. Days later, the internet is fawning over how many ridiculous places the edit can appear on.
It is worth noting that Hutcherson was getting much traction at the same time for appearing as the main character in the "Five Nights at Freddy's" movie, another franchise filled with memes.
Several of the TikTok videos garnered millions of views as users find themselves suddenly being face-to-face with Hutcherson's panning face.
Even now, the meme continues to spread on TikTok and other platforms, pulling unaware victims with new strategies.
Also Read: Blumhouse Receives First Five Nights at Freddy's Teaser Trailer - Watch It Here!
TikTok Cross Platform Trend
The Josh Hutcherson edit is only one of the most prominent trends/memes among young people on TikTok right now. With its influence, the meme can now be seen popping up on Facebook, X, and back to YouTube.
As 2023 comes to a close, people expect to see more of these bizarre memes to prank others, a new way to Rickroll hundreds of thousands.
Let's just Josh, for his sake, also had fun with this trend.
Related Article: Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale: Meaning, Origins, and Meme
