'What's The Shape Of Italy?' The Meme Bait Question You Shouldn't Answer Explained

The question "What's the shape of Italy?" might appear simple, but in fact, it's a rather dangerous bait question. Answering it could have disastrous consequences.

The geography question about the famous country's shape has been fooling little kids in Xbox lobbies since the early 2000s. But what's the answer? Where did it come from and what does it mean? Let's explain.

What Does 'What's The Shape Of Italy?' Mean?

The "What's the shape of Italy?" meme is what's known as a "bait" question. The answer is very reachable. The shape of Italy is a boot. Every kid knows this from basic schooling. However, answering "boot" to the question is the wrong thing to do.

"What's the shape of Italy?" is commonly asked in video game lobbies where strangers meet, talk and play on a team over voice chat. A veteran player will ask a novice player the question, and if they respond, "boot," then the veteran "boots" them (aka, kicks them out) from the game.

Basically, asking "What's the shape of Italy?" is a way to weed out bad, inexperienced players because, if they don't know the joke, it means they haven't been playing long enough to compete at a high level.

Where Did 'What's The Shape Of Italy?' Come From?

Evidence of the question's usage dates back to a 2009 YouTube video in which its protagonist pranks a kid with the question, having a laugh at his expense. It's unclear if the YouTuber is the first person to ever use the question. Regardless, they are the first person to make a historical record of it.

For the full history of "What's the shape of Italy?" be sure to check out Know Your Meme's entry for even more information.