The 'Fish-Slapping Dance' is a legendary sketch from 'Monty Python’s Flying Circus,' first airing in 1972. It features John Cleese and Michael Palin standing on a canal lock in Teddington. Palin performs a lighthearted dance, gently tapping Cleese's cheeks with two small pilchards. The comedy peaks when Cleese remains stoic before producing a massive Atlantic salmon and clobbering Palin into the water. This clip has become a staple in meme culture to represent 'bringing a knife to a gunfight' or a disproportionately large response to a minor provocation. It perfectly captures feelings of being overwhelmed, shut down instantly, or experiencing an unexpected escalation. Example captions include: 'My tiny savings account vs one car repair,' 'Me playfully roasting my friend vs their nuclear comeback,' and 'When the quick task at work turns into a 4-hour meeting.'