Meaning
What does That Escalated Quickly mean?
The phrase That Escalated Quickly was uttered by none other than Ron Burgundy (portrayed by Will Farrell) in a pivotal moment from the cinematic masterpiece Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.
When engaging in virtual discourse and perusing comments sections, this particular turn of phrase is frequently employed to describe an occurrence that has swiftly progressed from zero to one hundred on the intensity scale. It can be encountered as either a reaction image macro, as well as a GIF.
Furthermore, it can be utilized with a more bitter tone when conveying disappointment towards said development.
Origin
What's the origin of That Escalated Quickly?
The phrase “Boy, that certainly escalated quickly” first graced our ears in a particular scene from the comedic masterpiece of 2004 titled Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.
Since then, it seems as though Mr. Burgundy‘s words have been echoing through various scenarios where things quickly spiral out of control.
One of the earliest instances of the quote appearing online can be traced back to the I Heart Reddit blog in the mid-2000s.
Spread & Usage
How did That Escalated Quickly spread?
Regarding its popularity, the quote gained significant traction in late July 2008 when a YouTube video featuring Ron Burgundy‘s iconic line garnered over 1.2 million views. From there on out, it slowly but surely made waves across various online platforms such as 4chan, Reddit and even the likes of 9GAG.
As time went by, this versatile phrase found itself being incorporated into all sorts of memes and reaction GIFs, that depicted everyday situations with hilarious accuracy. It quickly became one of those go-to expressions for internet users everywhere and was frequently seen gracing front pages on some of the most prominent imageboards at that point in time.
