In the wacky world of today’s political theater, it seems the media has once again tangled itself in a knot of outrage over, of all things, a meme. This time, they’ve opened the floodgates of melodrama over a clip that surfaced via none other than former President Trump’s account. The ruckus? A two-second peek at a satirical video showing Democrats as animals—an accidental snippet, if you will, that wasn’t meant to stir such a hurricane of pearl-clutching fury.

As the story unravels, one would think they had uncovered a national catastrophe comparable only to the most historic of disasters. For those blissfully unaware, the meme at the center of this brouhaha was only a brief, unintended tagalong at the end of a longer video about election integrity. In the grand mistake of autoplay, up pops this clip where politicians, including the ever-dignified Obamas, are humorously displayed in the animal kingdom—a tradition that has been a staple of satire throughout the ages.

Now cue the predictable chorus of horror from every corner of the left, and even some familiar folks on the right. They’ve unleashed a torrent of accusations, with some Republicans even suggesting Trump pen a formal apology. Shockwaves of ire hit social media, with comments full of scolding tones, missing the humor intended in such parody. Heaven forbid a staffer somewhere forgets to trim the end of a video in this no-nuance, ever-outraged digital realm!

While the press competes to see who can express the most indignation over this grave error, conservative voices caught in this uproar are quick to distance themselves, eager to avoid any whiff of scandal. In an era where frantic reactions precede facts, it’s a spectacle most entertaining, if bleakly so. Some conservative pundits, kowtowing to the faux-outrage, insisted the post should be erased from existence, as if it were a scandal of the highest order, rather than just another humorous meme among many.

What’s truly astonishing is how some of the loudest folks in the room failed to spend mere seconds investigating what had actually occurred. A bit of cursory research would reveal the accidental nature of the post’s ending, but that’s not as fun, is it? Instead, we’re treated to a chorus of echoes, repeating the same worn out narrative without scratching beneath the surface. Meanwhile, the nation moves on, perhaps chuckling at the absurdity of it all—because, at the end of the day, isn’t it supposed to be entertaining?

So, while the media hones its craft of outrage, and some Republicans fretfully flail at shadows, let’s keep the real humor in mind. The takeaway? Political memes will remain a tool of both satire and misunderstanding. But in a world so quick to ignite over a brief video flicker, maybe it’s time for a few deep breaths, and a reminder that a meme is, after all, just a meme.