Also called Three Wolves · Two Laughing Wolves and One Serious Wolf · Global Yawning
Two are amused. The one in the middle is not joining in. Give each wolf a role to show who enjoys the joke and who has to live with the consequences.
The outer wolves have open mouths while the central wolf keeps a much quieter expression. Read as a human interaction, the group looks like two people sharing a laugh beside someone who is unimpressed.
The central role can be the person who missed the joke, the target of the joke, or the one responsible for fixing the problem everyone else finds funny.
DeviantArt photographer woxys uploaded Global Yawning on April 15, 2019. Piemations posted an edited version on Twitter that day, exaggerating the impression that the outer wolves were laughing. [1]
The format spread more widely in July 2020. Know Your Meme records an early labeled Undertale example by Reddit user feeling-a-bit-blue on July 5, followed by reposts and other captions. [1]
Place one short label near each wolf. Keep the open mouths and the center wolf’s eyes unobstructed; the contrast between them carries the joke.
The outer labels can be two people on the same side, or two causes of trouble. The center label should explain who is left dealing with the situation.
Original captions to try with this template.
Original artwork by woxys, photographer of Global Yawning
Dad and the joke seem to share the enthusiasm; the listener does not.
Original artwork by woxys, photographer of Global Yawning
The growing wish list leaves the deadline as the only serious participant.
Original artwork by woxys, photographer of Global Yawning
The siblings enjoy the result much more than the person who lost.
References for this template. Example captions are original.
Credits the original photograph and edit and documents the format’s spread.
