In a twist that has caught both national and local attention, Ohio has emerged as the "anti-rizz capital" of the United States, a designation reflecting its newfound status as a symbol of all things "weird" and "absurd" in the digital age.
The term “anti-rizz” refers to a trend among Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who have adopted Ohio’s name as a shorthand for anything that seems outlandish or nonsensical. This quirky trend has gained traction over the summer, with Google searches for phrases like “Only in Ohio” and “You’re so Ohio” surging to 58,021 — a significant increase from last year, when the term was already a popular meme.
The meme culture surrounding Ohio is often intertwined with the Gen Alpha slang "skibidi," a term rooted in "brain rot"-style videos about toilets. The combination of these elements has fueled a new wave of online humor and viral content.
“Ohio is sort of weird, absurd,” 12-year-old Eden Rodriguez from Chevy Chase, Maryland, told The Wall Street Journal. Despite never having visited the state, Rodriguez represents a broader demographic of young people who find amusement in the Ohio meme culture.
Owen Carry, an editor at KnowYourMeme, notes that the trend is driven by individuals who have never been to Ohio themselves. “Most people who are making these memes about Ohio have also never been there, and they are making them for other people who have never been there,” Carry explained.
The notion of Ohio as a punchline is not new. The state has long been a subject of jokes and memes, from the “Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism” videos of 2009 to Lil B’s “Swag Like Ohio” track in 2010, and a 2016 Tumblr post advocating for Ohio’s “elimination.”
Recent media attention has spurred local reactions, with some Ohioans embracing the humor while others are taking it more seriously. Local publications like the Columbus Dispatch and the Cincinnati Enquirer have published tongue-in-cheek public service announcements to clarify the phenomenon to those not yet acquainted with the trend.
“We are very real, friendly, down-to-earth people,” said 31-year-old Clevander Kelsey Will. “The majority of us would not be offended by it and would join in on the fun.”
In a surprising turn, Ohio’s accidental fame has had some positive economic impacts. The economically-challenged Mahoning County in Youngstown has seen a 10% increase in tourism revenue since 2021, attributing the boost to the viral attention the state has received.
Delaney Hendershot from Akron, LeBron James’ hometown, views the trend with optimism. “We know our worth in the state,” Hendershot said. “I would much rather be a part of the conversation than not, because some states truly are forgotten.”
