In the superficial world of social media, jokes from meme pages are a saving grace, a silly little antidote to the FOMO-inducing content, clout-chasers and filtered faces we see every time we go scrolling. 

But unlike influencers, meme page creators usually prefer to be anonymous. Rather than sharing personal details of their life, they share something funny, and in doing so, reject the pressure to take themselves – and others – so seriously online. 

For Jack Baker McNamara, starting the Instagram meme page @weirdassprettythey in 2020 was simply another way to express their personality, and procrastinate (they also have another ‘back up’ account, @shawtydisorder). The memes – mostly text-heavy posts and screenshots of Instagram stories – quickly gained Baker McNamara over 55K followers, IRL recognition from strangers, even a brief mention in The New York Times. 

Baker McNamara’s journey to becoming a menace of the internet started with a Facebook account they made when they were around 16 that went viral, “where I would complain about my life under the guise of shitposting.” Now, the creator, who claims doom scrolling is “out for 2023”, is extremely selective about the platforms and content they engage with; ruling out Twitter, TikTok and short-form videos in general.

For the latest in our Screen Time series, the meme mastermind gets honest about going viral, internet crushes, and why they’ve been catfishing Phoebe Bridgers fans.

Tell us about weirdassprettythey - what is it and why did you start it?

I think the easiest way to explain the beginning concept of the meme page is through its username. It’s based off this viral tweet that went round in 2018 that goes like “I'm a weird ass pretty girl 😭 idk what's wrong with me 🤦♀️ I do weird stuff like dance out of nowhere (no music playing and I can't dance for shit), I talk to myself, I make weird facial expressions and all 🤣 idk I'm funny asf bruhh 😂😂😂 you gotta catch it tho”. 

I found it funny ironically to begin with, but then I was like, wait, so true. So it became the name for my meme page when I couldn't decide on one! I had internet friends with meme pages, and they encouraged me to make one about a year and a half ago. To put it simply, I post whatever I want and on occasion I try to be funny. 

How do you ‘find’ what you post?

A lot of what I post is OC (original content). The times that I’m most creative seem to be the times when I should be doing something else. I used to find stuff on Twitter but I don't use it anymore. I’ll find content on Reddit or Tumblr, but that’s pretty rare. 

When I’m sharing things I don't make, I mostly just find memes from other pages or things my friends post on their Close Friends stories.

Why do you think Instagram meme pages are so successful?

I think a lot of people take their Insta very seriously which creates an element of FOMO and envy... you see the best part of other people's lives, which can be depressing if you’re the type to compare yourself with others. Jokes from meme pages help all the superficial content feel more digestible. 

Social media is inherently performative, everyone faces the constant pressure to share information about themselves. To escape oversharing about oneself, many people prefer to share something funny as opposed to sharing personal details about their life. Memes allow people to convey their personality, and share a more sincere side of themselves without falling victim to posting their every move online. 

What’s your earliest internet memory?

I was probably about 9-years-old, listening to unreleased Kesha and playing Free Rice or whatever that site was called. My usage was pretty restricted as a kid and a lot of my memory was blurry until I was about 15. 

What sites do you visit regularly?

I only check Insta daily. I don't talk with people on social media often. If I am close enough with someone I usually just text them. I don't really "surf the web". Does Grindr count?

The last story/link you shared?

I posted the link to my PayPal on my story, because I wanted money. In terms of articles and things like that, I've been mentioned in a few different articles, so probably one of those. And I'm always sharing Spotify playlists!

How many group chats are you in?

I'm in about two or three regularly active group chats, but I only interact with them like twice a month. I'm in a group chat called Memechella with a bunch of other meme page admins. There was a trend going around where people would share their dream Coachella lineup, and I decided to make one with all of my favourite meme pages. While the other admins originally began as internet friends, I have managed to meet a few of them in real life too. (Shoutout @lifes.a.bender and @stillonadownwardspiral) 

Have you ever had a blog?

I've been meaning to create a blog, but never have. I have my Insta story and I post a lot of my thoughts on there, so that kinda counts. I write a lot of diary entries in my Notes app. I want to share them sometimes but they're usually really personal, so I don't.

Social media gets a lot of bad press. What do you love about it? What do you dislike?

I love getting in contact with people all over the world. I love the movie and music recommendations, I wouldn't know about a lot of my favourite directors without social media. I like how it kills time, it's my favourite act of mindlessness. I like how I get attention! 

But I dislike how addictive it is. The discourse and the hive mind thinking style can be really black or white. People overstate harm because they refuse to go outside and touch grass. I dislike the impact it's had on the beauty industry. Instagram face is so ugly!

What’s your approach to Instagram?

Be sexy! In terms of my personal account, I mostly only follow people I know in real life and extremely close internet friends. So generally  I'm only following people I care about and creators I look up to. 

If I'm being honest, I have most of my friends muted but I'll go on and manually check their profiles once or twice a week. It's not a FOMO thing, I'd just rather hear from my besties in person than build a faux understanding of them through whatever images they choose to share. 

Are you on TikTok?

I'm not on TikTok, I barely even watch Instagram reels. I don't like short videos, they’re bad for the attention span. I think TikTok adds an extra load of disinformation onto the internet that none of us need. I also hate all the identity politics around sexuality and mental illness that comes from the app. 

What was the last video you liked or shared?

I posted this video of me walking around the line of the Phoebe Bridgers concert in Brixton (London), pretending to be a Vice journalist and asking fans about their personal hygiene. The reason I did that was because I went to a Phoebe concert a couple nights before and it was so stinky. Like the worst smell I’ve ever smelled, I wanted to faint. I was also doing Vox pop style questions on that night too, asking Phoebe fans if they’re bisexual. 

Do you use Twitter? 

Well… I used to use it a lot. I don't have the app currently, part of that is because of Elon and his stupid promotion of harmful right wing rhetoric (F*** you @libsoftiktok), but the main reason is because Twitter is probably the most toxic platform on Earth. It's barely been growing in user base over the last few years, because of this, it's no longer designed to bring new people in. It's designed to trap people there. The most effective form of entrapment is all the drama that goes on. People are so obsessed with their own self-proclaimed sainthood or even victimhood that they would rather condemn someone else for something they too would be guilty of, than focus on being a better person. Things like; quote retweets and view count are all designed to cause more discourse, “witch hunt” and interaction. If you know the phrase “Twitter villain of the day” you get what I mean. 

To get personal,  one day when Spaces first came out (Spaces are like a livestream podcast) a few mutuals and I made a hashtag for random people to ask us questions. While on the space, I was driving home from work and made a comment about how no matter the moral transgression, nothing justifies transphobia. People then began putting words in my mouth and using the hashtag to send me and a few good friends of mine hate, some of the worst hate I have ever seen. The hashtag went number one trending in the United States and I lost like thousands of followers. This ‘cancellation’ moment was a huge push factor for me to make my meme page actually. 

What’s your relationship with Facebook?

I used to have quite a following on Facebook, it was the first time I'd ever experienced any kind of internet fame or going viral. I made my first Facebook account when I was 14, my mom found out and banned me from it, but then I made a new account a year or two later. 

I had a page with 70K likes where I would complain about my life under the guise of shitposting. The account got Zucced a while back and I lost all the content. I barely check it unless there’s a party/event on. 

Are you on any other platforms, new or old?

I'm obsessed with Letterboxd (a Kiwi-owned app to review movies on, my username is jaackiee). Nothing turns me on more than other people reading my opinions. 

What about online forums like Reddit - are you a user?

I love to lurk around on Reddit. I've never posted, but I think I've replied to a couple things. I love to use Reddit as a second google, a more niche search engine. When I’m scrolling on Reddit I’m often looking for gaming tips and TV show updates. I'm not into doom scrolling (it's out for 2023), but I sometimes look through the New Zealand Conservative subreddit on the days I feel like hating myself, that shit is hell. Also one time I found my nudes going kinda viral on Reddit, but hey, c'est la vie. 

Who is the person that follows you that you’re most excited about?

Might be cringe to say but probably my friends. My heart flutters so much more seeing my friends interact with the stupid content I spew out than any celebrity interaction has ever made me feel. 

I do have some noteworthy followers like the musicians Acra, Oklou and Naomi from MUNA. We also have the notorious music critic Anthony Fantano, ground-breaking journalist Taylor Lorenz and a couple other major accounts like Vice AU and @depthsofwikipedia (love you Annie). I’ve also seen a lot of random writers, DJs and actors pop up in my mentions, a few of which have now become my friends. I think that’s pretty exciting and cool.

Are you interested in NFTs?

NFTs have an even worse vibe than the Metaverse. If you're into NFTs you need to seriously reconsider your relationships with the people around you and seek professional help. Also I heard that they’re bad for the environment? 

What is your phone?

iPhone 13 Pro Max - I used to have an iPhone 11 that I found on the ground in Ponsonby (I guessed the password to it, then reset it). Unfortunately one day I was at Whammy Bar at this gig and the mosh was going crazy. After the set I see this phone that’s been crushed in half on the ground and I’m like ‘oh I should hand this to the bar’ and then I realise it’s my little Ponsonby phone. The next morning I went to buy another phone, and chose the newest one with the most storage. 

What was the last screenshot you took?

Oh this is a little embarrassing, I promise I’m not an e-dater, but it’s a Facetime screenshot of my friend/crush/hopefully future wife, Gabriel. We met online at the beginning of lockdown in 2020 and we’ve been talking ever since. One of my 2023 goals is to meet them. (Gabriel if you’re reading this you’re so awesome and swag and I can’t stop thinking about you).

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Please share a screenshot of your phone’s home screen

My wallpaper is from my favourite anime, it’s called Girls Last Tour, I’d highly recommend it. I’d love to get a tattoo of something from it one day considering I already have a Madoka Magica and Nana tattoo. 

‍Your YouTube go-to?

I don’t really use YouTube outside of trying to find free to watch movies or music. If I am to put something on it’d probably be one of those contrapoints or Lindsay Ellis type video essays. Sometimes I’ll watch TB Skyen when he’s discussing the character design of League of Legends champions. 

Your favourite or most-played Spotify playlist?

This is my most recent (and close to being my most liked?) playlist. I make a new playlist every two weeks so I can’t say I have a favourite or one that’s the most listened to. My favourite genre is probably Japanese dream pop/shoegaze. 

What’s the best streaming service and why?

They all suck! Most streaming services are just big companies trying to find more ways to exploit both customers and creators. In saying that, I am a victim of consumerism and use basically every streaming service I know of. Unfortunately nothing stands out as a favourite, but if you're looking for recommendations just go to your local cinema and check out whatever’s showing. Going to the movies, especially going alone, is so much more chic than watching Netflix in your room.

Podcasts! There are so many of them. Tell me your thoughts, and favourites… and where and how you listen to them.

The very few times that I have listened to podcasts have been on Spotify. I have subscribed to a few Patreons before, but I’m so focused on listening to music that I barely have time for podcasts. The most recent podcast that I listened to was Binchtopia, recommended to me by my friend Elise. I didn't really get what they were talking about; it was far too academic for me. 

Even when I'm listening to a podcast that isn’t super intellectual, most of the information goes in one ear and out the other. Like I can’t listen to audiobooks either, it just doesn't stay in my brain. Honestly I wouldn’t be opposed to making a podcast myself one day but I’d wanna find someone I really connect with conversationally first. 

Newsletters are the future, apparently. Do you subscribe to any?

Is this really a thing? I never check my email. I barely check the news in general. Outside of memes, I get my news by making stuff up in my head and getting into arguments with my friends about it and pretending I'm right so they'll correct me and tell me the truth.

Do you game? What do you play, and how often?

I play League of Legends, TFT, The Sims and basically every Pokémon game. I usually game every second day.

How do you shop online? Do you have favourite sites and/or apps?

I'm currently six months into a self imposed year long online shopping ban. When I do choose to shop online, I usually scroll through Instagram fashion archive/promotion pages and try to find the smallest brands I can, and buy from those.

How many emails do you typically receive in a day?

Again, I don't check my email. All I know is that my old email from when I was a teenager ran out of space because I didn't know you could unsubscribe from those newsletters you automatically get signed up for. So it got full and I didn't know how to delete them all, so I just made a new one. 

What was your screen time last week?

On average, last week was 9h2m a day. For two months this year I got it below four hours a day, but it evidently got out of control again.