Jeremy Allen White credits 'The Bear' success to one viral meme

Jeremy Allen White humorously linked The Bear success to the viral memes centered around him and the TV show.

During his appearance on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Thursday, June 26, 34-year-old actor was asked about the meme craze surrounding the FX/Hulu series.

When faced with one particular post, written by journalist Alex Zaragoza, the Shameless alum deemed it as a key reason for the show’s popularity.

"Im too scared to watch The Bear because I’m actively in therapy to stop falling in love with men who look like this," Zaragoza wrote on June 23, 2022, the day all eight episodes of The Bear season 1 premiered.

The text was a caption of a photo of White as Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto on the show.

"Oh man, I think she's responsible for the success of the show, to be honest," the Iron Claw actor told Jimmy Fallon and the laughing audience. "That one was going around a lot at the beginning. It was really good marketing."

The post quickly gained traction that time, racking up over 36,000 likes and 3,500 quotes and reposts. In a follow-up post, Zaragoza humorously added, "By falling in love, I mean wasting my time."

"It broke the Internet," Fallon emphasised as the actor blushed.

The Bear, starring White as chef Carmy Berzatto, has become a viral sensation, thanks to its relatable depiction of the restaurant industry and Carmy’s iconic white t-shirt.

White’s portrayal of a stressed, yet stylish chef has sparked a wave of memes and online discussions, boosting the show’s popularity.

Debuting in 2022, The Bear has now moved forward with Season 4 now streaming on Disney Plus as of Thursday, June 26.