If there’s one thing to know about me, it’s that pop culture references and memes are in my daily vocabulary. I like to say that I speak in pop culture references, so that’s why I’m here to update you on the latest one. And trust me, after you learn its origin and how to use it properly, you’ll be saying “kudos” to me.
All it takes is a quick glance at X/Twitter to see this phrase being used in replacement of dialogue. So, if you’ve seen a tweet about Kate Gate lately with the caption, “mama, kudos for saying that” or “mama, kudos for saying that, for spilling,” lately, I’m here to tell you its origin.
Fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race know that this phrase comes from episode 11 of Season 16, which aired on March 15. And the context behind it is probably not what you’re expecting.
In the episode, a contestant named Q revealed she’s HIV-positive. After learning this, another contestant, Plane Jane, responded with, “Mama, kudos for saying that. For spilling.” The mixed response to this phrase immediately made its way into the Drag Race universe.
It didn’t take long for this scene to gain popularity on X/Twitter. It reached a larger audience and quickly morphed into a meme. And TBH, I’m living for it. The formula for using this phrase is simple: take an emotional scene from television or film (extra points if it’s a scene from Normal People), and replace the response with “mama, kudos for saying that, for spilling.” Take this example from Fleabag.
But trust me, once you see one of these, you’ll want to see the all of them, because they are so funny. Somehow, this phrase is making some of the most heartbreaking scenes in the media hysterical. And honestly, this is the source of happiness I needed this week.
The phrase is now being used for other popular memes and moments in pop culture. It’s super versatile and easy to use. TBH, you can just use it in replacement of any dialogue at this point.
The next time you don’t know what to say, or just want to throw somebody off, you now have a great new phrase to use. Kudos.