On January 8, 2010, Paul "Bear" Vasquez stood in his front yard in Yosemite and witnessed something that would change internet culture forever. What started as a simple double rainbow sighting turned into a three-and-a-half-minute emotional journey that felt less like a nature video and more like a spiritual awakening. His increasingly intense narration—complete with sobs, laughter, and the now-iconic question "What does this mean?"—struck a chord with millions who couldn't quite explain why it was so captivating.
The video languished on YouTube with modest views until late-night host Jimmy Kimmel tweeted it in July 2010, calling it "the funniest video in the world." Suddenly, everyone was quoting Bear's ecstatic commentary and remixing his audio into songs and parodies. The meme became shorthand for overwhelming enthusiasm about everyday things, spawning countless imitators and Auto-Tune remixes that dominated the early 2010s meme landscape.
What made Double Rainbow resonate wasn't just the absurdity—it was the genuine emotion. Bear wasn't performing for views or trying to go viral. He was a former MMA fighter turned nature enthusiast who simply loved rainbows that much. Tragically, Vasquez passed away in May 2020, but his legacy lives on as a reminder of when the internet celebrated pure, unfiltered joy. The video has racked up nearly 50 million views, proving that sometimes the most memorable moments come from people who are just authentically, wonderfully themselves.