The Rick Perry meme primarily stems from his infamous 'Oops' moment during a 2011 Republican primary debate, where he failed to remember the third government agency he proposed to eliminate. This incident became a definitive symbol of political brain freezes and public embarrassment. Later, his transition to wearing thick-rimmed 'hipster' glasses sparked a second wave of memes, where the public poked fun at his attempt to project a more intellectual image. Today, the template is used to depict moments of sudden forgetfulness, failed explanations, or trying to look smarter than one actually is.