Eric Cartman is one of the main characters in South Park, the animated comedy series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone that premiered in 1997. Cartman's selfish, spoiled outbursts have been clipped for reaction memes since the early YouTube era, and his crying fits became shorthand for performative upset online. The clip circulates alongside other reaction staples like the emotional damage meme, used whenever someone wants to exaggerate disappointment rather than show real sadness, and it remains popular in short edits and soundboards.