Orchestra AIBlog

AI Outtakes, Vol. 11

Jim Wrubel

Jim Wrubel

CEO, Orchestra AI 路 November 20, 2023

Thanks to my daughter, this past week I became one of the Lucky 10,000 to learn about Goth IHOP. After a meme went viral several years ago, somehow the Internet decided that the IHOP in Frederick, MD was 'the goth one'.

AI Outtakes, Vol. 11

Thanks to my daughter, this past week I became one of the Lucky 10,000 to learn about Goth IHOP. After a meme went viral several years ago, somehow the Internet decided that the IHOP in Frederick, MD was 'the goth one'. So much so that Apple Maps shows it as a listing in the region:

In the same plaza as Juggalo Sam's Club!
In the same plaza as Juggalo Sam's Club!

So of course that got the staff here at AI Outtakes thinking. If there's one thing that AI art should be good at, it's depicting memes in a more literal sense.

Let's find out!

But first, let's check in on Juggalo Sam's Club.

a photo of juggalos, face paint, shopping at Sam's Club

Why do they have bar codes? Can you buy them?
Why do they have bar codes? Can you buy them?

Okay now let's find out!

Of course, since it's the inspiration for the post we need to see what Goth IHOP might actually look like:

a photo of a goth IHOP, exterior photo, in a strip mall

An IHOP, but painted black. I guess that qualifies.
An IHOP, but painted black. I guess that qualifies.

a photo of an IHOP, interior photo, goth waitstaff

Apron is a nice touch
Apron is a nice touch

a photo of a stack of goth pancakes, on a table in a diner

Not... inedible
Not... inedible

Okay we need to see the patrons of this Goth IHOP.

a photo of a goth IHOP, goth waitstaff, several goth guests in booths

Therrrrrrre we go.
Therrrrrrre we go.
If this is the counter, which side is service and which is patrons?
If this is the counter, which side is service and which is patrons?

Okay, we've probably done this one to death (get it? get it? taps mic Is this thing on?). Let's see how AI does with some other popular memes.

a photo of first world problems

SDXL did not understand this at all.

???
???
Seems decidedly not first-world
Seems decidedly not first-world

I wonder if DALL-E will have better luck?

can you generate an image based on the First World Problems meme, but in the background include a collage of things that are ironically first world problems that the woman might be distressed about?

Not using the meme template: minus fifty points from AI
Not using the meme template: minus fifty points from AI

Let's see about another popular meme, the This Is Fine dog:

a photo of a yellow dog, sitting on a chair next to a table, wearing a small hat, inside a burning house

A little smoky but the dog actually seems fine
A little smoky but the dog actually seems fine

DALL-E 3 - you're up. Whaddaya got?

The dog even has a worried look on its face. When AI works it's magic.
The dog even has a worried look on its face. When AI works it's magic.

Moving on to 'Pikachu surprised'. Since DALL-E 3 has restrictions on representing copyrighted material we've got to go back to SDXL.

a photo of pikachu, looking surprised

The fact that it can even generate visible fur is.. 馃く
The fact that it can even generate visible fur is.. 馃く

a photo of kermit the frog, sipping from a clear mug of tea, teabag in the cup

Hilariously wrong
Hilariously wrong
Kermit no! Bad frog!
Kermit no! Bad frog!
Closest to the original but there's no way floppy arms there is lifting that mug
Closest to the original but there's no way floppy arms there is lifting that mug

Time for the final meme. The one you probably thought of when you realized this edition was going to be about memes.

Distracted boyfriend.

SDXL, you're up.

a photo of a boyfriend, distracted, looking the other way

This one's on me for lack of detail in the prompt
This one's on me for lack of detail in the prompt

a photo of a boyfriend, with his girlfriend, looking at a different woman

AI may cause a lot of societal ills but it's not a homewrecker
AI may cause a lot of societal ills but it's not a homewrecker

Hmm. DALL-E 3, let's see how you do.

Can you generate a version of the distracted boyfriend meme?

It's clearly been trained on this meme
It's clearly been trained on this meme
Googly-eyed Chris Pine is distracting, to be fair
Googly-eyed Chris Pine is distracting, to be fair

Okay, let's bring this full-circle.

okay now can you generate a version of the distracted boyfriend meme but make all of the people goth

Are there no goth boyfriends, but I also love that it seems to have actually gotten the joke
Are there no goth boyfriends, but I also love that it seems to have actually gotten the joke

That's all for this week! I hope you've had as fun reading this as I've had fun making it.

a photo of a goth IHOP, goth waitstaff waving goodbye

The juxtaposition between missing hand and whipped cream is perfect
The juxtaposition between missing hand and whipped cream is perfect

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