About
The meme known as “Dancing, Walking, Rearranging Furniture” or “Cartermiroquai” is a humorous internet phenomenon sparked by a clip from the animated sitcom Family Guy. This catchy phrase and the accompanying visuals originate from the Season 14 episode “Scammed Yankees,” where the character Carter Pewterschmidt, father of Lois Griffin, performs a parody of Jamiroquai’s iconic music video for “Virtual Insanity.”
In this Family Guy cutaway, Carter sings “Dancing, walking, rearranging furniture” as he mimics Jamiroquai’s signature dance moves and the famous moving floor effect from the “Virtual Insanity” video. This quirky and unexpected parody song quickly resonated online, becoming a popular meme, particularly on platforms like iFunny and TikTok, starting in late 2021. The meme’s appeal lies in its absurdity, the catchy tune, and its relatable depiction of quirky, unsupervised behavior.
Origin: From Family Guy to Internet Sensation
The genesis of the “Dancing Walking” meme can be traced back to January 17, 2016, with the airing of Season 14, Episode 12 of Family Guy, titled “Scammed Yankees.” In this episode, during a conversation between Peter and Lois Griffin, they reminisce about an incident where Lois’ father, Carter Pewterschmidt, was left alone at home. Lois mentions, “Remember that time my dad was home alone and started rearranging the furniture?”
This line cues a classic Family Guy cutaway gag. The scene transitions to Carter Pewterschmidt in a setting strikingly similar to the “Virtual Insanity” music video. Donning a tall hat reminiscent of Jamiroquai’s style, Carter is seen “dancing, walking, rearranging furniture” in a room where furniture pieces move seemingly on their own. He sings the now-famous lyrics: “Dancing, walking, rearranging furniture, Babs is shopping. I let the bird out of the cage.” This short, comedic sequence directly parodies the visuals and vibe of Jamiroquai’s 1996 hit.
The clip of this scene was first uploaded to YouTube on January 19, 2016, by the user Phisixdude under the title “Cartermiroquai.” This original upload quickly gained traction, amassing over 826,000 views and 25,000 likes in the following years, demonstrating early interest in the parody.
Carter Pewterschmidt singing "Dancing Walking Rearranging Furniture" in a Family Guy cutaway.
While a 10-minute extended version of the scene was posted on YouTube by ImaSm3my in April 2021, the meme truly took off in November 2021 when it began circulating widely on iFunny. The earliest known iFunny meme using the “Cartermiroquai” clip was shared on November 10, 2021, by user Plaboteur, garnering significant positive reactions and marking the start of its meme popularity.
Spread and Evolution of the Meme
The “Dancing Walking” meme gained momentum throughout November 2021 as numerous iFunny users began creating and sharing content featuring the scene. This initial wave of popularity on iFunny paved the way for broader internet recognition.
The meme’s versatility became apparent as users started remixing and re-contextualizing the “Cartermiroquai” clip. For example, one popular early iteration, posted by iFunny user shlort on November 13, 2021, replaced the original audio with a cover of the “SpongeBob SpongeBob, Patrick Patrick” song, a trend originating from TikTok. This mashup showcased the meme’s adaptability and its potential to be combined with other popular internet sounds and trends.
Later, in July 2022, iFunny user SherkKing revived the meme’s popularity by merging it with the [Half-Life ‘In The Virtual End’] meme. This combination further demonstrated the meme’s staying power and its ability to resurface and remain relevant within internet culture.
TikTok Takes Over: Viral “Dancing Walking” Trend
The “Dancing Walking” meme experienced a significant surge in popularity when it reached TikTok in December 2022. TikTok user epic_gamer_official posted the “Cartermiroquai” video on December 8, 2022, quickly amassing over 125,000 plays and 15,200 likes within a month. This marked the beginning of the meme’s explosion on the platform.
However, the true viral moment arrived in January 2023. On January 25, 2023, TikToker ch3zburrg3r posted the video with the caption “POV: The class when the teacher goes outside.” This relatable and humorous scenario resonated widely with TikTok users, propelling the video to over 2.6 million plays and 408,300 likes in just four days. This video is largely credited with catapulting “Dancing Walking” into mainstream meme status.
Following this viral sensation, the “Dancing Walking” meme became ubiquitous on TikTok. Users adopted the sound and visuals to create countless variations, often using it to depict situations involving unsupervised moments, quirky behavior, or simply for comedic effect. The meme’s rapid spread and widespread adoption on TikTok cemented its place in internet meme history.
As the meme became increasingly popular, meta-references and self-aware humor began to emerge. For instance, on January 27, 2023, TikToker .zuccherofilato used the meme in conjunction with the “My Daily Schedule: 1pm – Wake Up” template, highlighting the meme’s oversaturation and its integration into broader internet humor trends. Further demonstrating its global reach, on January 28, 2023, TikToker tiztosteron posted a version of the meme dubbed in German, which still garnered over a million views, showcasing its appeal across language barriers.
Various Examples on TikTok
The “Dancing Walking” meme’s versatility is evident in its numerous applications on TikTok. It’s used in diverse contexts, from depicting everyday relatable scenarios to more abstract and comedic situations. Here are a few examples showcasing the meme’s range:
https://www.tiktok.com/embed/7193766592100961542
https://www.tiktok.com/embed/7193784960933825798
https://www.tiktok.com/embed/7193946517592509742
https://www.tiktok.com/embed/7193992090135694593
Template and Usage
The “Dancing Walking” meme template primarily consists of the Family Guy clip featuring Carter Pewterschmidt singing and dancing. The audio, particularly the phrase “Dancing, walking, rearranging furniture,” is often the central element. Users typically overlay this audio and/or video onto various scenarios to create humorous comparisons or relatable content. The meme’s open-ended nature allows for creative interpretations and applications across a wide spectrum of topics and situations.
Search Interest
(Search interest data is not available for this meme at this time.)
External References
[^1]: IMDb – ‘Scammed Yankees
[^2]: YouTube – Jamiroquai – Virtual Insanity
[^3]: YouTube – Cartermiroquai
[^4]: YouTube – 10-minute version
[^5]: iFunny – @Plaboteur
[^6]: iFunny – @shlort
[^7]: iFunny – @SherkKing
[^8]: TikTok – @epic_gamer_official
[^9]: TikTok – @ch3zburrg3r
[^10]: TikTok – @.zuccherofilato
[^11]: TikTok – @tiztosteron
