These Chicken Memes About William Barr & The House Judiciary Committee Are Some Peak 2019

This investigation into possible collusion between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia has lasted, oh, about 500 years (that's what it feels like, anyway). While Special Counsel Robert Mueller has handed in a 400-plus page report on the matter, this drama is still going, just with a new cast. Just when I think I've seen it all, and the news cycle will get some rest, Attorney General William Barr doesn't show up to testify before the House Judiciary Committee and in walks #ChickenBarr. Let me tell you, these "Chicken Barr" memes about Barr and the House Judiciary Committee are peak 2019.

Barr was scheduled to appear before the Democrat-controlled House Judiciary Committee on Thursday, May 2, to testify about the Mueller report and his handling of it. But after hours of questioning by the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 1, Barr decided to go AWOL and didn't show up to his Thursday hearing. The office of the attorney general did not immediately respond to Elite Daily's request for further comment on his absence. In the meantime, though, Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tennessee) decided to have some fun with the situation. The rep brought buckets of KFC fried chicken and a ceramic chicken to the hearing, and displayed both ostentatiously through the course of the hearing. Thus, was born a meme.

While the representatives were gathered in the House, Cohen sat in his seat eating chicken. When he was finished, he then placed the ceramic chicken where Barr was supposed to be sitting, according to USA Today. Following the hearing, Cohen told reporters (while holding the ceramic chicken) that "Chicken Barr should have shown up today and answered questions," according to CNN. Elite Daily reached out to the office of the attorney general for comment on Cohen's remarks, but did not immediately hear back.

You might have already been able to guess this, but obviously the whole chicken thing went pretty viral. It wasn't long before #ChickenBarr was trending on Twitter.

First here's a look at Cohen's show-and-tell:

Here's a photo of Barr's unintentional proxy for the day:

Honestly, KFC is really going to have to change their menu to accommodate these excellent suggestions.

Even Cohen himself got in on the meme aspect, tweeting out a photo of a — you guessed it — chicken, with Barr's head photoshopped onto it.

I'm also very happy this joke is coming back in style.

When you think you've seen it all, am I right? Well, there's even more. Someone has apparently created a "Chicken Barr" Twitter account — which is sure to keep you busy until the next ridiculous thing happens.

Barr not showing up to the hearing on May 2 might get him way more than a new nickname. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerrold Nadler threatened to hold Barr in contempt of Congress should he fail to hand over the full report or negotiate with Congress, according to Politico. Following his failure to testify, it's entirely possible that the committee will move forward on that threat. Nadler said during his remarks at Thursday's hearing,

Yes, we will continue to negotiate for access to the full report. And yes, we will have no choice but to move quickly to hold the attorney general in contempt if he stalls or fails to negotiate in good faith.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) did not immediately respond to Elite Daily's request for comment on Nadler's statements, or whether Barr plans to negotiate with Congress on the release of the full un-redacted report.

This whole Barr thing has taken us all for a pretty wild ride. Will it get wilder than a chicken on the House floor? Who knows, but I suggest you pull up a chair.