LibraryNowOriginsOddsMechanicsMCP

Kinds

Campaign380Product91Food & drink27App & software56Film24Series24Music60Game115Book22Creator moment54Meme & format109Trend & aesthetic38Activity58Moment89
PricingPrivacyTermsRefundsPress
Library/Moment/Mike Pence debate fly
Grade B21 sourcesHIS-00392

Mike Pence debate fly

Moment · 2020 · Viral

62Editable slideCertificate

A fly on Mike Pence’s head became a meme; the Biden campaign sold nearly 35,000 swatters.

Eddy Burback

@eddyburback · Oct 8, 2020

holy shit

13.4K125
Original · Eddy Burback

Joe Biden

@JoeBiden · Oct 8, 2020

Pitch in $5 to help this campaign fly. joe.link/3nvsFwL

665.1K17.9K
Post · @JoeBiden on X

Joe Biden

@JoeBiden · Oct 8, 2020

flywillvote.com.

321.5K9.8K
Post · @JoeBiden on X

CSPAN

@cspan · Oct 8, 2020

A fly lands on Vice President Pence during #VPDebate.

3K778
Post · @cspan on X
holy shit
@eddyburback on X
Pitch in $5 to help this campaign fly.
@JoeBiden on X
A Fly Landed on Mike Pence During the Debate and People Are Freaking Out (Video)
TheWrap
The Biden campaign started selling fly swatters right after the debate. They've already sold out
CNN Business / WRAL
Halloween store selling 'Debate Fly Wig' inspired by bug on Mike Pence's head at VP debate
Fox News
Pence addresses fly on his head at vice presidential debate: 'I didn't know he was there'
Fox News / The Daily Briefing
Vice Presidential Debate 2020
TIME
A fly lands on Vice President Pence during #VPDebate.
@cspan on X
WATCH: Not one but two flies land on ‘SNL’ spoof of Pence-Harris debate
Chicago Sun-Times
Pictured: (l-r) Kenan Thompson as Uncle Ben, host Dave Chappelle as the "Allstate guy", and Pete Davidson as Count Chocula during the "Uncle Ben" sketch on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020
Broadcasting & Cable / Next TV
A copy of former Vice President Mike Pence’s book is pictured in Salt Lake City on Monday, Nov. 14, 2022.
Deseret News
Vice President Mike Pence bows his head in prayer during a discussion with local faith leaders to encourage them to resume in-person church services in a responsible fashion in response to the…
Deseret News
2020 U.S. Presidential Debate | Know Your Meme
Know Your Meme

Spread Score

How it works
Reach68ContagionNo data yetBreadth60Velocity63Longevity5062

Numbers

Seed to peak
same day
Oct 8 ’20 to Oct 8 ’20
Platforms
5
Started on X
Origin
Organic
Politics & civic

Mechanics

  • Response chainPrimary
  • Platform jump
  • Press loop
  • Political adoption
  • Newsjacking

How it spread

Trace the origin

A fly sat on Mike Pence’s head during the vice-presidential debate. Viewers made jokes and parody accounts; Biden’s campaign turned the moment into fundraising and fly swatters. SNL parodied it, and Pence revisited it in his memoir.

Google searchesAug ’20OctNovMar ’21SepApr ’22OctMar ’23JunNovMay ’24SepPeakXPressOpen webTVYouTube
XPressOpen webTVYouTube

14 more events on this chart

Join free to see them

Timeline (17)

  1. October 2020

    Eddy Burback (@eddyburback) seed · Oct 8 ’20

    Eddy Burback posted a clip of the fly on Pence’s head at 02:20 UTC.[1][2]

    holy shit
    Open the first post ↗

  2. Joe Biden commercial · Oct 8 ’20

    Biden posted a photo holding a fly swatter and asked supporters to donate $5 at 02:33 UTC.[4]

    Pitch in $5 to help this campaign fly.

  3. TheWrap press · Oct 8 ’20

    TheWrap published fly footage and collected viewers’ reactions at 02:35 UTC.[3]

    A Fly Landed on Mike Pence During the Debate and People Are Freaking Out (Video)
Origin
Organic
Sector
Politics & civic
Region
US
Reported figure
—
Evidence
Grade B

Spread the same way

Mike Pence Fly

TV · 2020

59
holy shit

$150K revenue

Alex Morgan’s tea-sipping celebration

TV · 2019

54
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, ALEXANDRA!

Call Me Caitlyn

X · 2015

51
Caitlyn Jenner poses for Annie Leibovitz on the cover of Vanity Fair #CallMeCaitlyn http://t.co/NRyh6R09RR http://t.co/GO1ZgJJKBR

3.9B impressions

Calm Ad Space of Silence

TV · 2024

27
2024 Election - Calm Silent Ad

488.1K impressions

New cases, every week

How the next thing spread, the week it does.

See every timeline

Free account, every case's full spread.

Join free
Log inJoin free
Google searchesAug ’20OctNovMar ’21SepApr ’22OctMar ’23JunNovMay ’24SepPeakXPressOpen webTVYouTube
XPressOpen webTVYouTube

14 more events on this chart

Join free to see them

  1. October 2020

    Eddy Burback (@eddyburback) seed · Oct 8 ’20

    Eddy Burback posted a clip of the fly on Pence’s head at 02:20 UTC.[1][2]

    holy shit
    Open the first post ↗

  2. Joe Biden commercial · Oct 8 ’20

    Biden posted a photo holding a fly swatter and asked supporters to donate $5 at 02:33 UTC.[4]

    Pitch in $5 to help this campaign fly.

  3. TheWrap press · Oct 8 ’20

    TheWrap published fly footage and collected viewers’ reactions at 02:35 UTC.[3]

    A Fly Landed on Mike Pence During the Debate and People Are Freaking Out (Video)

  1. platform jump · Oct 8 ’20

  2. commercial · Oct 8 ’20

Join free to see the other 14 events and the full chart. Free, on every case.

Join free

Why it worked

Do this

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3

Pro opens the playbook, all 8 sourced numbers and 21 sources. Start with a free account.

Join freeGo Pro