In May 2010, a photo was taken of Keanu Reeves looking glum on a bench while eating a sandwich. This should be illegal: both taking a photo of someone without their consent, and not enjoying a sandwich. Sandwiches, like Keanu Reeves himself, are one of the few good things in this bleak world. But when that photo hit 4chan and Reddit, a new meme was born: “Sad Keanu.”
On Monday’s episode of The Late Show, host Stephen Colbert brought out the photo, to which The Matrix Resurrections star replied, “I’m just eating a sandwich, man. I was thinking. I had some stuff going on. I was hungry.” Same. Colbert also brought out a side-by-side photo of the meme and a panel from Reeves’ comic book, BRZRKR, featuring a guy looking sad on a bench. “Yeah, so life and art,” the actor said. “That similarity, so Ron Garney is the amazing artist who’s illustrating and drawing BRZRKR. I didn’t know he was going to do that, but that’s what he did, so I think it’s kind of meta.”
Colbert also asked Reeves for his theory on why people love turning him into a meme (and having sex with a character sharing his likeness). “I have no clue, sir,” he answered before doing a parody of “Lean on Me” called “Meme on Me.” I love this man.
You can watch the clip above.