The 'I Meant To Do That' meme originates from the 1985 cult classic film Pee-wee's Big Adventure, directed by Tim Burton. In this iconic scene, the quirky protagonist Pee-wee Herman, portrayed by the legendary Paul Reubens, is performing tricks on his beloved red bicycle to impress a group of neighborhood kids. He accidentally clips a curb and is sent flying over the handlebars, landing face-first on the pavement. Instead of showing pain or embarrassment, he immediately springs to his feet, adjusts his signature gray suit, and declares to the onlookers, 'I meant to do that.' This clip has become a universal shorthand for recovering from a public failure with unearned confidence. It is widely used to represent situations where someone makes a glaring mistake—whether physical, social, or professional—and attempts to play it off as a calculated move. It resonates with anyone who has ever tripped in public and immediately started jogging to save face. Example captions include: 'Me after sending a risky text to the wrong group chat' and 'When you trip in front of your crush and try to turn it into a breakdance move.'