How Well Do You Know Viral Moments?

Looking for a ready-to-use viral moments quiz round? Here are 50 pub quiz questions covering the biggest, most talked-about viral moments — perfect for any quiz night.

Round 1: Social Media Sensations (Q1–10)

1. Which dress divided the internet in 2015 — was it blue and black, or white and gold?
2. What was the name of the gorilla shot at Cincinnati Zoo in 2016 that sparked a massive online reaction?
3. Which singer's Super Bowl halftime show in 2016 featured a controversial "Formation" performance?
4. What challenge involved people pouring ice-cold water over themselves to raise money for ALS?
5. In 2017, which United Airlines passenger was filmed being forcibly removed from an overbooked flight?
6. What two-word phrase did Greta Thunberg use in her viral 2019 UN speech that became a global meme?
7. Which fast food chain's tweet about running out of chicken in 2018 went viral in the UK?
8. What was the name of the viral 2020 Netflix documentary about big cat owners?
9. Which TikTok dance, created by Jalaiah Harmon, became one of the most replicated on the platform in 2019–20?
10. What product did Ocean Spray sell out of after a TikTok video of a man skateboarding while drinking it went viral in 2020?

Round 2: Celebrity Moments (Q11–20)

11. At the 2022 Oscars, which actor slapped presenter Chris Rock on stage?
12. Which singer accidentally released 79 seconds of white noise as a track on iTunes in 2023, briefly topping charts?
13. What did Kanye West interrupt at the 2009 MTV VMAs, saying Beyoncé had "one of the best videos of all time"?
14. Which British royal's interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021 became one of the most-watched TV moments globally?
15. Which pop star shaved her head in a Los Angeles hair salon in 2007, shocking the world?
16. What did Jennifer Lawrence trip over at the 2013 Oscars, creating one of the most shared celebrity moments of the decade?
17. Which streamer broke the record for the most concurrent viewers on Twitch in 2020 by playing Among Us?
18. Which actor's "I'm the king of the world" moment at the 1998 Oscars became instantly iconic?
19. What did Adele do at the 2017 Grammys that caused her to restart her tribute to George Michael?
20. Which reality TV star "broke the internet" with a Paper Magazine cover in 2014?

Round 3: News & Politics (Q21–30)

21. Which US politician's mittens became a viral meme after the 2021 presidential inauguration?
22. What was the name of the Thai cave rescue operation in 2018 that gripped the world?
23. Which world leader accidentally called a hot mic moment in 2010, describing a voter as a "bigoted woman"?
24. What phrase did US President George W. Bush use in 2003 that became widely mocked — standing under a "Mission Accomplished" banner?
25. Which country's president went viral in 2022 for refusing to flee during the Russian invasion and saying "I need ammunition, not a ride"?
26. What did a BBC interview subject's children famously interrupt in 2017, becoming one of the most replayed clips online?
27. Which politician's "screaming" speech at the 2004 Iowa caucus effectively ended his presidential campaign?
28. What did Boris Johnson get stuck on during a 2012 Olympic zip wire stunt?
29. Which country held a viral "will they, won't they" Brexit vote that dominated global news from 2016–2020?
30. What was the name of the 2017 inauguration crowd size controversy that sparked the phrase "alternative facts"?

Round 4: Sport (Q31–40)

31. Which footballer bit an opponent for the third time in his career at the 2014 World Cup?
32. What did Usain Bolt do mid-race in the 2008 Olympics 100m final that shocked commentators?
33. Which team completed the greatest comeback in Champions League history in 2019, overturning a 3–0 deficit?
34. Which Leicester City manager was sacked the season after they won the Premier League?
35. Which gymnast withdrew from multiple events at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, sparking a global conversation about mental health in sport?
36. What did Eric Cantona do to a Crystal Palace fan in 1995 that became one of football's most infamous moments?
37. Which golfer's car crash in 2009 led to a massive personal scandal that dominated headlines for months?
38. What did Cristiano Ronaldo do to a Coca-Cola bottle at a Euro 2020 press conference, reportedly wiping $4bn off the company's stock?
39. Which team's "Miracle on Ice" at the 1980 Winter Olympics remains one of sport's most viral moments of all time?
40. Which British cyclist won the Tour de France in 2012, sparking a cycling boom in the UK?

Round 5: Internet & Memes (Q41–50)

41. What is the name of the cat featured in the "Nyan Cat" meme, which sold as an NFT for nearly $600,000 in 2021?
42. Which year did "Gangnam Style" by Psy become the first YouTube video to reach 1 billion views?
43. What does "IYKYK" stand for, a phrase commonly used in viral social media posts?
44. Which fictional character's "This is fine" meme, showing a dog in a burning room, became a go-to image for chaos and denial?
45. What was the name of the viral 2014 challenge where people nominated others to complete a task or donate to charity?
46. Which social media platform launched "Stories" in 2016, widely seen as copying Snapchat?
47. What is "doomscrolling"?
48. Which year did the "Harlem Shake" meme peak, with thousands of videos uploaded in a single week?
49. What does the acronym "FOMO" stand for, popularised by social media culture?
50. Which British baking show inspired the viral phrase "soggy bottom", now used far beyond its original context?

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Answers

Round 1: Social Media Sensations

1. Blue and black (white and gold was widely accepted)
2. Harambe
3. Beyoncé
4. The Ice Bucket Challenge
5. Dr David Dao
6. "How dare"
7. KFC
8. Tiger King
9. The Renegade
10. Cran-Raspberry juice (Ocean Spray)

Round 2: Celebrity Moments

11. Will Smith
12. Taylor Swift (a glitch, not intentional)
13. Taylor Swift's acceptance speech
14. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
15. Britney Spears
16. Her dress (on the stairs)
17. Pokimane / the Among Us stream with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
18. James Cameron
19. She stopped mid-performance due to a technical issue and restarted
20. Kim Kardashian

Round 3: News & Politics

21. Bernie Sanders
22. Tham Luang cave rescue
23. Gordon Brown
24. "Mission Accomplished"
25. Ukraine / Volodymyr Zelensky
26. Professor Robert Kelly's live BBC interview
27. Howard Dean
28. He got stuck mid-air (the zip wire stalled)
29. United Kingdom
30. Trump inauguration crowd size / Kellyanne Conway's "alternative facts"

Round 4: Sport

31. Luis Suárez
32. He celebrated before crossing the finish line (and still broke the world record)
33. Liverpool (vs Barcelona)
34. Claudio Ranieri
35. Simone Biles
36. Kung-fu kicked him
37. Tiger Woods
38. Moved it aside and held up water instead
39. USA (vs USSR in ice hockey)
40. Bradley Wiggins

Round 5: Internet & Memes

41. Nyan Cat
42. 2012
43. If You Know, You Know
44. KC Green's dog (from the "Gunshow" webcomic)
45. The Ice Bucket Challenge (ALS)
46. Instagram
47. Continuously scrolling through negative news or social media content
48. 2013
49. Fear Of Missing Out
50. The Great British Bake Off