The Complete Guide to the Two Guys Trying Not to Laugh Meme: Meaning & Templates
By Maya Lin-Takahashi
Online audiences frequently mix up different iterations of the suppressed laughter meme, as several distinct clips circulate under similar search queries. The most prominent version features two suited commentators seated at a desk, struggling through a script while their vocal registers crack into wheezing gasps. Another widely circulated clip originates from an Eastern European daytime broadcast, where a guest's peculiar vocal pitch sends two hosts into prolonged, red-faced silence.
Podcasting studios have generated an updated catalog of similar clips. High-definition multi-camera setups capture micro-expressions in pristine detail, providing video editors with razor-sharp facial reactions. When Know Your Meme began archiving these broadcast mishaps in the early 2010s, they existed primarily as standalone YouTube blooper compilations. By the mid-2020s, content creators stripped away the original broadcast contexts entirely, repurposing the visual shell into an adaptable shorthand for shared guilt or juvenile jokes whispered in public.
Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.
