Keyboard Cat

Play him off, Keyboard Cat.

In 1984, performance artist Charlie Schmidt filmed his cat Fatso wearing a tiny blue shirt, appearing to play an electronic keyboard. The footage sat in obscurity for 25 years until February 2009, when YouTuber Brad O'Farrell discovered it and created the ultimate meme format: failed stunts, embarrassing moments, and cringe-worthy clips, all concluded with Fatso's keyboard stylings.

"Play him off, Keyboard Cat" became the internet's equivalent of vaudeville's "giving someone the hook"—a way to mercifully end awkward situations with dignity and humor. Miss a skateboard trick? Keyboard Cat. Politician says something stupid? Keyboard Cat. Existential dread about the meaninglessness of existence? Keyboard Cat.

By May 2009, Keyboard Cat had been featured on CNN, The Guardian, and MSNBC. The format was everywhere, the eight-bit keyboard melody immediately recognizable to anyone who spent time online.

Here's the dark twist: Fatso, the original Keyboard Cat, had died in 1987—22 years before the meme made him famous. He became a posthumous internet celebrity, beloved by millions who never knew they were watching footage older than many of them.

A successor cat named Bento stepped into the role, continuing the legacy until his own passing on March 8, 2018, at age 9. Charlie Schmidt mourned both cats, but celebrated the joy they brought to millions.

The Keyboard Cat format faded from ubiquity but never truly died. It became part of meme vocabulary—a way to gracefully exit any disaster, real or metaphorical.

Play us all off, Keyboard Cat. We're done here.