This iconic scene comes from the legendary NBC sitcom Seinfeld, specifically from the 1993 episode 'The Lip Reader.' In the scene, George Costanza, played by Jason Alexander, is attempting to break up with his girlfriend Gwen, played by Linda Kash. George is stunned when Gwen preemptively uses his own trademarked 'It's not you, it's me' routine to dump him first. He famously protests, claiming 'nobody tells me it's them, not me—if it's anybody, it's me!' because he believes he invented the phrase as the ultimate social out. In modern meme culture, this clip represents the ultimate irony of being beaten at your own game or experiencing a hypocritical rejection. It is commonly used when someone tries to be polite but clearly wants out of a situation, or when a brand 'fires' a customer. This template captures the essence of social pettiness and the loss of control over one's own narrative. Example captions include: 'When she breaks up with you using your own signature line,' 'When the job rejects you but says you're overqualified,' and 'When your student becomes the master of the excuse.'