Origin
Big Chungus originated from a screenshot of the 1941 Merrie Melodies cartoon Wabbit Twouble, showing Bugs Bunny mocking Elmer Fudd by puffing himself up to enormous size.
The term “chungus” (meaning “large” or “chunky”) was coined by video game journalist Jim Sterling in 2012, but didn’t connect to the Bugs Bunny image until December 2018.
Reddit user @GaryTheTaco posted a fake PS4 game cover titled “Big Chungus” to r/comedyheaven on December 1, 2018, combining the 1941 cartoon frame with modern meme irony.
Viral Explosion (December 2018)
The meme exploded across Reddit, Instagram, and Twitter throughout December 2018. The absurdist humor—a 1940s cartoon character as a fake modern video game—resonated with Gen Z’s ironic comedy sensibilities.
Peak manifestations:
- Fake gaming news articles
- Photoshopped Big Chungus in various contexts
- “Chungus Among Us” crossovers
- Big Chungus plushies, merchandise
Cultural Impact
“Chungus” briefly entered youth slang as a term for anything large or ridiculous. The meme represented peak absurdist humor—funny because it was aggressively unfunny and nonsensical.
Warner Bros. eventually embraced the meme, creating official Big Chungus merchandise and references in newer cartoons.
Decline
By mid-2019, the meme had burned out from overuse. However, it remains a recognizable artifact of late-2018 meme culture.
Sources
- Know Your Meme: Big Chungus
- Polygon: Big Chungus Phenomenon
- Reddit r/comedyheaven archives