It’s the green puppet heard 'round the world. Or seen, anyway. You know the image: a felt frog, eyes wide and unblinking, casually lifting a glass of Lipton to his lips while the world burns in the background. It’s the ultimate digital "mic drop."
Kermit the frog sipping tea isn't just a 2014 relic collecting dust in the internet’s attic. Honestly, it’s a lifestyle. It’s that specific brand of passive-aggression that only a Muppet can pull off without getting punched.
Where did the tea actually come from?
Most people think this was a random screen grab from The Muppets or Sesame Street. It wasn't.
The image actually comes from a 2014 Lipton Tea commercial titled "Be More Tea." It aired during the Academy Awards. The irony? The original ad was all about being kind, thoughtful, and—you guessed it—more like tea. Kermit was the hero of a New York City filled with "Animals" (the wild, loud, drum-banging kind). He stayed cool. He stayed hydrated.
But the internet had other plans.
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By June 2014, the "But That’s None of My Business" tagline attached itself to Kermit like a barnacle. It started on Tumblr and Instagram, mostly. Users would post a scathing observation—usually about someone’s questionable life choices—and end it with that iconic image.
It was the birth of the #tea lizard. (Fun fact: Good Morning America once called him a "tea-drinking lizard" on air, and the internet basically imploded because, well, he’s a frog).
Why Kermit the frog sipping tea is the perfect weapon
There’s a reason this specific meme outlasted "Harlem Shake" or "Left Shark." It taps into a very human desire to judge others while pretending we aren't.
- The Contrast: Kermit is a symbol of childhood innocence. Seeing him be "savage" is inherently funny.
- The Gossip Factor: In drag culture and Black Twitter, "tea" is slang for gossip. Kermit literally holding tea while "spilling" facts was a linguistic goldmine.
- The Detachment: The way he looks off-camera. He isn't looking at you. He's looking past you, which is way more insulting.
The LeBron James Effect
If you want to know why this stayed relevant into the late 2010s and early 2020s, look at LeBron James.
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In 2016, after the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA Championship, LeBron showed up wearing a hat with Kermit the frog sipping tea on it. It was a direct shot at everyone who said he couldn't bring a title to Ohio. He didn't have to say a word. The hat did the heavy lifting.
When a global superstar uses a meme to settle a professional score, that meme enters the Hall of Fame. It moved from a "funny picture" to a cultural shorthand for "I told you so."
The dark side of the felt
It hasn't all been sunshine and rainbows for the Jim Henson Company.
Reports have swirled for years about the "Muppet Purists" being unhappy with Kermit's meme-ification. When Steve Whitmire, the long-time performer for Kermit, was fired in 2017, the family and Disney cited a "change in personality" as one of the issues.
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The meme version of Kermit—sarcastic, biting, and a little mean—is the polar opposite of the hopeful, slightly stressed-out leader Jim Henson created.
There’s a tension there. On one hand, the meme keeps Kermit relevant to Gen Z. On the other, it sort of strips away the soul of the character. Is he a beloved childhood icon or just a vessel for internet saltiness? Honestly, he’s probably both now.
Actionable Insights for the "None of My Business" Era
If you’re going to use Kermit in your digital life, do it right. Here is how to keep the spirit of the tea alive:
- Don't over-explain. The whole point of the meme is the silence. If your caption is three paragraphs long, you aren't "minding your business." Keep it punchy.
- Verify the tea. In 2026, misinformation is everywhere. If you're going to use Kermit to call someone out, make sure your facts are straight. There is nothing worse than getting "ratioed" while using a Kermit meme.
- Know the variations. Use "Evil Kermit" (the one in the black hood) for internal struggles. Use "Tea Kermit" for external observations. Mixing them up is a rookie mistake.
- Respect the source. Remember that Lipton paid millions for an ad about kindness. Using it to be a little bit of a jerk is the ultimate internet irony. Lean into that.
The next time you see someone doing something objectively ridiculous—like wearing socks with sandals or complaining about a problem they caused themselves—just remember: Kermit has a glass of iced tea waiting for you.
Drink up.