INSANE: Recovering problem child funny memes | Rare Historical Photos

The creator of "The Recovering Problem Child" Instagram page is Sam Grannis (although, whether that's his real name, we'll probably never know). We talked to Sam previously when we covered his meme page last time. He told us more about what it takes to run a successful meme page on Instagram and how the page came to be.

Essentially, it all started when Sam would scroll other meme pages and think: "I could do that." In fact, some of his friends would tell him that he was the best meme poster in his friend circle on Facebook. After seeing some of the meme pages he was following on IG making money, he decided to give it a try.

"I have a knack for identifying what people will find funny/relate to, on top of that I also go out of my way to post content that hasn't been shared by 100 other accounts before I post it. So my followers know they're gonna get hot new content on my page," Sam told us last year.

A good meme, according to Sam, is all about two main components: a good visual and funny captions. If you have both of these elements, your meme will likely be dynamite, according to Sam.

"The image/video is the most important component of a meme," he explained back then. "You can have an average caption but if the content you're using is really good, it will carry the meme and still be really funny. If you're able to write a caption that hasn't been overused and is still relatable/funny and the image/video you're using is great in itself, that's the recipe for a viral meme.”

We meme appreciators might not realize how hard it can sometimes be to maintain a meme page. It's not just about posting silly pictures and slapping a caption on it from time to time. According to Sam, it's also about being able to adapt to the ever-changing terms of service. Any owner of a popular meme account has to be well-versed in what kind of content is allowed and what kind of content might get you suspended.

"If I were to hand my account to a random person, I don't think the account would remain longer than a week," the creator said honestly. "It takes a very strong understanding of the TOS to carry on. What sucks about that is the quality of content suffers but it's what must be done to maintain your account."

Memes are so prevalent nowadays that we often don't even think about them when and where we encounter them. If you're on the internet, chances are you're going to see a meme or two that day. In fact, sharing memes is one of the most popular things to do for Gen Z and millennials.

In a 2019 poll, 66% of teens and young adults said they're either very likely or somewhat likely to share memes someone else created when they're online. Interestingly, many are meme-makers themselves. 20% said they're very likely to share their own memes on social media, and 25% would be somewhat likely.

If there's one thing a meme definitely needs to be, it's funny. That's the main criterion for most people. What researchers find is that folks are getting fed up with political meme content. Even in 2020, the Pew Research Center found that more than half of Americans were "worn out" by political posts and discussions.

And if the most viral memes of 2024 are any indication, Gen Z wants to keep politics and memes apart. Except maybe for the Kamala Coconut meme, which made the list of 2024's most popular memes. Folks are much more into self-deprecating humor, dolphin scenery soundtracked with a cheerful song, or Pepe the King Prawn.

So far in 2025, the crown for the most popular meme goes to the Pepe the King Prawn. People use the template to share some of the wildest stories they ever experienced in a series of slides. Whether it's the subway story, or the olive oil story, when you scroll to the face of Pepe, you're probably in for a good one.