The 'Why Won't You Adopt Me / Because You're Black' meme is derived from a bizarre and controversial scene in the 2003 live-action film 'The Cat in the Hat,' starring Mike Myers. In the scene, a fish in a pet shop asks the Cat why he won't be adopted, leading to a blunt, deadpan response that felt wildly out of place in a children's movie. This shock value propelled the scene into internet stardom, particularly on platforms like Tumblr and Reddit. It is primarily used as a template for dark or absurdist humor, often replacing the characters or the dialogue to satirize arbitrary gatekeeping, bizarre social interactions, or niche community 'rules' that make little sense to outsiders.