The '-gate' suffix originated from the 1970s Watergate scandal involving Richard Nixon, which took place at the Watergate office complex. Since then, the suffix has been linguistically hijacked to brand any new public controversy, regardless of its connection to political espionage. From sports controversies like 'Deflategate' to celebrity mishaps like 'Nipplegate,' the suffix instantly signals to the public that a dramatic event is worthy of intense scrutiny. This meme format allows users to mock the media's tendency to sensationalize even the smallest disagreements by simply appending those four iconic letters to any noun or name.