A frantic, wild-eyed man in a gray suit grasps at a metal fence, screaming into a microphone. Like many viral internet images that pop up on the scroll, he may represent the way you feel inside, but aren't willing to show.

Eric André, whose surreal humor has inspired many memes, is one of those faces that lurks in the danker, ill-ventilated corners of the internet.

So, why did he need to be let in? Let's explain the origin and usage of the "Let Me In" meme.

Where Does 'Let Me In' Come From?

During the fateful summer of 2016, comedian Eric André made a series of man-on-the-street segments around the Democratic National Convention.

However, André was unable to obtain a press pass to access the events and so was barred from getting near candidates or delegates. The moment captured in Let Me In is André's desperation to enter the event.

The clip remained part of a bit on the show until 2018, when posters turned it into a meme and started posting versions of it to Twitter / X, Reddit and YouTube. It increased in popularity throughout that winter.

How Do People Use 'Let Me In'?

The meme has turned into a cross between an object-labeling format and a reaction image. Usually, it describes a situation in which some character wants access to an area and is barred from that access.

Why Do People Use 'Let Me In'?

Let Me In is one of many meme formats inspired by the work of Eric André and Hannibal Buress on The Eric André Show. It captures a broad, relatable feeling (wanting in on something you've been barred from) and emerged as a popular meme in 2018, near the peak of the object labeling trend era.

It remains as one of those canonical memes in the DNA of internet culture, popping up here and there whenever it's needed and whenever someone really wants to be let in.

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For the full history of Let Me In, be sure to check out our entry on the meme here for even more information.