The image presented here is a humorous comparison between two states of facial expressions, both represented by a Tyrannosaurus rex head, presumably a costume or a puppet. On the upper side, labeled "bamboozling," the dinosaur displays a wide-eyed, confident, and predatorily pleased expression, with its mouth slightly ajar to reveal its sharp teeth. This image evokes the assertive stance of someone who is about to trick or outsmart someone else, hence the term "bamboozling."
In stark contrast, the lower half of the image, labeled "getting bamboozled," shows the same T-rex head with a vastly different expression. Here, the eyes are half-closed, the mouth is turned downward, and overall, the face conveys a sense of surprise and confusion. It captures the moment of realization when the trickster becomes the tricked, and the expression is meant to convey a feeling of having been outwitted or fooled.
The humor in this image arises from the anthropomorphization of the dinosaur, attributing human-like reactions and emotions to a creature that is both extinct and renowned for its ferocity and strength. The T-rex, a symbol of power and predation, is here reduced to participating in human follies like deception and the subsequent shock of being deceived.
The captions, "bamboozling" versus "getting bamboozled," serve to enhance the dichotomy between the two emotions illustrated by the T-rex faces. The word "bamboozled" in itself is a playful and somewhat archaic term for being tricked or fooled, contributing to the meme's whimsical appeal. The jarring juxtaposition invokes laughter by playing with the unexpectedness of such a mighty creature experiencing human-like petty trickery.
People might find this image funny because it reflects common social interactions where one moment a person can feel quite clever, and the next moment, find themselves completely outwitted. It's a universally relatable situation encapsulated in a humorous and exaggerated way through the facial expressions of an iconic dinosaur.
Finally, the use of a T-rex to express these human emotions could be seen as a playful nod to the many jokes and memes that have circulated online about the dinosaur's short arms and various supposed struggles. Here, however, the humor is in the face rather than the limbs, emphasizing a different aspect of the dinosaur's portrayal in popular culture and meme history. bamboozling VS getting bamboozled seth v 2