The Buttaface Contest Meme: How Stacy's 2004 TV Moment Became a Viral Sensation in 2025
The “Buttaface Contest” meme shows a short clip from a 2004 episode of The Howard Stern Show. A contestant named Stacy nervously removes a paper bag from her head during the on-air contest. The judges and audience react with laughter when they see her face, though Stern later calls her “pretty.” This candid moment resurfaced online decades later and went viral across multiple platforms.
The clip has reappeared on TikTok and Twitter, drawing millions of views and sparking discussions about its tone. People talk about the meme now because it has blown up on social media. In August 2025, a Twitter post of the clip received over fifty million views. Similarly, TheChive reported the video “hits X and goes everywhere” with an internet-wide reaction. The meme cycles through TikTok, Reddit and Twitter, often tagged with comments about 2000s pop culture and feminism.
Origin : Howard Stern’s Cruel Contest from 2004
Viral tweet: “Watch like 5 seconds of a 2000s reality tv show and you will instantly understand why 2016 feminism was the way it was”
The meme clip comes from The Howard Stern Show on May 13, 2004. That night the show ran an MTV-inspired “Miss Buttaface Contest” in Las Vegas. In this segment, women with attractive bodies and covered faces stood before Stern and his panel of celebrity judges. Each contestant removed her bag to reveal her face so the judges could rate how well her face matched her body.
The goal in Stern’s cynical setup was to find the “ugliest” woman with the best body. The slang term “butterface” means “everything is nice but her face,” setting the ugly-laugh tone for the contest.
Stacy was the very first contestant that night. She walked out in a black bikini with her blonde, curly hair visible but face hidden under a paper bag. When she removed the bag, the live audience burst into jeers and laughter. Judge Rob Schneider made a lewd joke about her private region, saying, “I know she shaves her pubic hair.” The crowd continued to boo. Stern and the panel cracked jokes at her expense.
Watch the Whole Video Here:-
Over the next few rounds, other women competed. But Stacy’s reveal stood out because of the strong negative reaction. Interestingly, the original broadcast ended with Stern clearing the air: he leaned in and told Stacy, “I think you’re pretty… your face is really nice.”
You can watch the whole 2004 contest clip online. The Howard Stern episode segment is available on various platforms (timestamp 8:51 shows Stacy’s reveal). The video was uploaded to YouTube years later, but it had gone mostly unnoticed until recent social shares.
Viral Takeoff: Why Stacy Went Viral in 2025?
Popular feminist response tweet: “Perhaps we did need feminism in the 2000s” that gained 360,000 likes
The clip first started spreading again in late 2023. On October 28, 2023, TikTok user @anonym0usqz posted the Stacy clip with the caption “I wish I was an adult in the 2000s :/”. It used the contest as a cringe-worthy example of early 2000s TV and quickly got over 175,000 likes. People on TikTok pointed out Stacy’s beauty and criticized the contest, setting the stage.
The real explosion came in August 2025. On August 13, 2025, X (Twitter) user @NoCapMediaa reposted the TikTok video with the single-word caption “Bruh.” Within 48 hours, that tweet had amassed over 58 million views and over 250,000 likes. The video caught fire on Twitter and was retweeted thousands of times.
Many people inserted their own captions or remixing. For example, one user @LilithLovett quote-tweeted it saying “Perhaps we did need feminism in the 2000s,” which alone got 360,000 likes in two days. Another wrote, “Watch like 5 seconds of a 2000s reality TV show and you’ll instantly understand why 2016 feminism was the way it was,” gaining 221,000 likes.
Even the day after, Twitter users were still sharing: on Aug 14 a fan posted a “Model vs. Cashier” style tweet comparing Stacy to Zendaya. And Reddit’s r/popculturechat saw thousands of comments when user icey_sawg0034 shared the clip (that post got over 11,000 upvotes).
Why Everyone’s Defending Stacy Now And The Feminist Backlash
Response tweet about millennial content: “the content millennials were raised on was so profoundly evil…”
Internet users reacted strongly because the clip feels like a reminder of past sexism. Many were shocked by how callous the contest was. One popular quote-tweet bluntly said: “Pretty much any random 30-second clip from Howard Stern or Opie and Anthony could set the TL off” – capturing how easily such content outraged people today.
In online forums, comments poured in about Stacy’s appearance. One Reddit user said plainly, “Not saying this to be nice but she is beautiful? People in early 2000s were crazy.” Another asked in disbelief, “She isn’t a butter face!! WTF is this shit.” These and similar reactions show people identify with Stacy as unjustly humiliated.
The meme also says a lot about feminism and social progress. The video became shorthand for “look how much attitudes have changed.” For example, posts frequently referenced needing feminism to challenge that era’s humor. Some users compared Stacy favorably to today’s beauty standards. The “Model vs. Cashier” tweet suggested Stacy could compete with modern celebs.
In comments on Fandomwire and Reddit, many emphasized Stacy’s positive traits and condemned the judges. people feel Stacy should have been applauded, not mocked.
Twitteratti’s Creative Revenge
The viral “This was comically ugly 20 years ago… Unreal how far we have fallen” meme format
People quickly added new captions and meme formats to Stacy’s image. For example, one viral tweet showed Stacy’s photo with the text “This was comically ugly 20 years ago… Unreal how far we have fallen.” This took the original shame joke and flipped it to highlight progress.
Another common edit is the “Model vs. Cashier” template: one user placed Stacy’s face next to actress Zendaya (a modern “model”), implying Stacy is at least as attractive as today’s standards. Others overlay Stacy’s picture with sarcastic captions or remix it into popular GIFs.
For example, on August 13, 2025 the user @bumbadum14 on X posted an image of Stacy with big text across it reading “This was comically ugly 20 years ago… Unreal how far we have fallen.” That single image tweet alone got 35,000 likes. Others quote-tweeted with their own snarky lines, such as “Sorry y’all won’t convince me this woman is ugly LMAO” or “Ugly ass bitch making fun of this goddess.”
These variations often circulated as memes on Twitter and Instagram. These edits shifted the meme’s meaning. Originally the contest’s host played Stacy for laughs but now, sharing her image is a way to mock the old media and defend Stacy.
Cultural Impact
Tweet: “Pretty much any random 30 second clip from Howard Stern or Opie and Anthony could set the tl off”
The Stacy meme sparked wider discussions beyond just laughs. News and culture sites took note. TheChive published a sympathetic piece calling the meme’s arc a “viral redemption.” People in media discussed how acceptable such contests would be today. One reaction piece wrote that seeing the clip in 2025 feels like a “gut punch,” highlighting how much society has changed.
On social media, even users who normally avoid viral trends shared the clip to criticize network TV’s past. So far there’s no advertisement or mainstream product that used the meme officially. It’s mostly stayed in viral content and social justice discussions.
Howard Stern’s network hardly has rules against that old content (though it sure wouldn’t air it today). The biggest controversy is on public forums, not legal. Most of the debate has centered on whether such a contest was ever okay, rather than anything happening in 2025.
It gave influencers and pundits a way to talk about old-school misogyny. Some conservative and male-aligned circles pushed back, saying Stacy really was attractive. For example, some users simply posted glamor shots of Stacy (found via Google) to prove her beauty. These back-and-forths happened in tweets and threads, but they remained online banter.
Still Trending Worldwide
The Buttaface Stacy meme remains alive, though slightly quieter after the initial frenzy. You still see it pop up on X/Twitter, in threads about internet outrage or women’s issues. It also circulates on TikTok and Instagram, where users either remix the video or discuss it. The Reddit communities (like r/popculturechat and r/feminism) still reference the clip sometimes.
It’s biggest on English-speaking platforms, since Howard Stern is mainly U.S. media. But because the clip and memes are so visual, people worldwide (Europe, Latin America, etc.) share subtitles or translations.
There are a few spin-offs and follow-ups. Some TikToks show “glow-ups,” combining Stacy’s photo with her later self (if available) or with confident texts. Others have search-hashtags like #StacyButterface, which on TikTok has thousands of posts. Memes have used similar faces from that clip for new jokes.
Who Made Stacy Famous?
Defense tweet: “Sorry but y’all won’t convince me this woman is ugly lmao”
The original Howard Stern Show team created the contest segment, so Stern and his producers are the “source” of the scene. The judges (Howard Stern, Robin Quivers, Artie Lange, Rob Schneider, etc.) were the panel that night.
As for Stacy, she’s only known by first name, and the clip never revealed more. Some online sleuths speculated Stacy might be model “Stacy Sanchez,” but that claim has no evidence. No verified identity has emerged.
The meme’s spread came from many internet users. Notable are @anonym0usqz on TikTok (who first posted the clip in 2023), and @NoCapMediaa on X (who reposted it in 2025). After that, influencers like @LilithLovett, @NippinJimmsky, and @TheOnlyDSC helped it trend by quoting and remixing it on Twitter.
On Reddit, user icey_sawg0034 played a role by posting the clip to r/popculturechat (earning thousands of upvotes). The KnowYourMeme community and sites like Fandomwire and TheChive reported on it, which helped document its context.
What Happens Now?
“Model vs. Cashier” meme comparing Stacy to modern celebrities like Zendaya
As with most memes, Stacy’s viral moment will likely fade over time. The clip has had its run in feeds, so it will drop from trending lists. However, the idea may pop up again. If a news story or show revisits Howard Stern’s history, or if feminism vs. past media becomes a topic again, this clip could resurface as example or commentary.
It might also turn into one of those “old meme comeback” cases: for instance, someone could use Stacy’s story to make a new fashion “glow-up” or justice meme.
Key Takeaways
Timeline: Origin in May 2004 (Howard Stern “Miss Buttaface” contest) → TikTok rediscovery Oct 2023 → viral Twitter burst Aug 2025.
Key platforms: Mainly Twitter/X and TikTok, with mentions on Reddit (r/popculturechat) and meme sites. The contest clip spread through social feeds.
Main emotion/theme: Outrage at past sexism and empathy for Stacy. The meme plays on shock and redemption – people feel sorry for Stacy now and criticize the judges.
Popular variations: Meme formats like “Model vs. Cashier” (comparing Stacy to Zendaya) and quote-images. For example, one viral tweet read “This was comically ugly 20 years ago… Unreal how far we have fallen” – a direct spin on the original insult.
Spread: It spread globally on social media but mostly in English-speaking communities. By late Aug 2025, videos and memes featuring Stacy had millions of views worldwide. Both Gen Z and older users shared it, though reactions ranged from feminist critique to some defensive fans.
Optional media: See the original contest clip on various platforms for context.
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