Denzel Washington Has a Special Message for Everyone Still Laughing at the 'Uncle Denzel' Meme

How does it feel to become a meme? Denzel Washington keeps it 100 when coming face to face with "Uncle Denzel."

September 14, 2016

Not Available Lead — Image via Complex Original

Denzel Washington, a critically acclaimed actor and reluctant meme, doesn't have time for your shenanigans. Namely, dude definitely doesn't have time for the second wave of international fame that so often accompanies the birth of a meme. Frustrating memeification has hit the Magnificent Seven star on more than one occasion, though it's the one that last year's Mayweather-Pacquiao fight gave us that's still getting traction across social media more than a year later:

And how does Washington feel about the meme unofficially known as Uncle Denzel? Well, as he relayed toGlobal Grind's BlogXilla in a recent Magnificent Seven chat, Washington certainly feels some type of way about the meme life. "If I had my wallet, I'd show it to you," Washington said when asked how it felt to get all memed up. Now that line alone would be enough to pen 250 words about, but dude very graciously didn't stop there.

"They didn't know what I was doing," Washington explained. "They don't need to know. Those who can do, those who can't talk about those who can. I'm gonna say it again. Send that out. Those who can do, those who can't talk about those who can. Now can you, or can you not? Are you just one that sits on the sidelines and talks about other people or can you step up?" Wow. Now Denzel has me questioning every decision I've ever made.

But don't sweat Washington's meme woes too hard. The Magnificent Seven, directed by Training Day's Antoine Fuqua, hits theaters Sept. 23 and doesn't appear to include anything that's immediately memeable: