Bernie Sanders is responding to all the viral memes created of his now-infamous photo.
While attending the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, a photograph of Sanders sitting down cross-legged while wearing a mask, jacket and mittens circulated online. With many finding the photo comical, the image of Sanders soon became a viral meme as online users inserted the photo into photos of popular scenes from movies, television shows, artworks and more. Stars such as Mark Hamill, Reese Witherspoon, Kerry Washington, Susan Kelechi Watson, Kate Walsh, the official account of Schitt’s Creek and more even joined in on the fun.
“I was just sitting there trying to keep warm, trying to pay attention to what was going on,” Sanders said during an appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers on Thursday of his thoughts on the iconic image.
Meyers went on to show Sanders one of the memes in which Sanders is photographed alongside the Sex and the City cast. Sanders laughed as he admitted that he’s seen them.
As for the signature mittens he was wearing, Sanders explained that the woman who made them has noticed the attention as well. “What was really nice Seth is the woman who made the mittens … she is a schoolteacher [and] is a very very nice person. And she’s been somewhat overwhelmed by the kind of attention that is being shown to her mittens,” he said.
In photographs, Sanders could be seen carrying a manila envelope which also became subject to jokes. But when Meyers asked what was in the envelope, Sanders said: “I’d love to tell you Seth but it’s top secret.”
Poking more fun at Sanders, Meyers showed Sanders a meme in which he’s seated with Tom Hanks’ Forest Gump. “I just don’t think you would listen to Forest Gump that long. I think you would get up and leave that bench,” the late-night host said which made Sanders laugh.