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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
James Rodger & Philip Dewey

Group of friends behind viral meme tracked down as they reveal torrent of abuse

You'd be hard pushed to have missed this image on social media of four lads on a night out which has become an internet meme.

It has unleashed thousands of hilarious captions, comments and videos having caught the imagination of those on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

The identity of the four men and the context of the photo has been unknown but some of the group have spoken out about what they make of going viral.

Connor Humpage, Kevin Rooney, and Jamie Phillips are three of the lads in the photo but the fourth, the one in the middle, ha preferred to stay anonymous having received personal abuse.

According to Birmingham Mail, the lads revealed the photograph was taken following a night at All Bar One and Slug and Lettuce in Birmingham.

They had drinks at the bar, before having a photograph together outside.

The image was picked up by a viral Facebook page first, and has gone across the globe.

Some of the latest memes to use the photograph include quotes about Shakespeare, Peaky Blinders - and even one video of the four singing a sea shanty.

The photograph has been hailed for encapsulating a certain brand of British lad - and the boys themselves reckon it is all to do with Love Island.

“It’s stereotyping normal lads for being racist and simple, which couldn’t be any further from the truth,” one of them told The Tab.

“They’re trying to portray us as being stupid individuals.

"They’re just trying to make us sound thick.

"It’s a lot to do with Love Island, in my opinion. People come across as quite stupid when they’re on there, and we have that kind of look.”

“We laugh because we’ve all got reasonably well-paid jobs," they added.

"It’s quite ironic that we’re being perceived to be very stupid.”

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