Cheems

{{short description|Hong Kong dog and Internet meme celebrity (2011–2023)}} {{Infobox animal | name = {{ubl|Balltze|波子}} | image = Balltze (Cheems).jpg | image_upright = | caption = Photograph of Balltze taken in 2017, used in the Cheems meme since 2019 | species = ''Canis familiaris'' | breed = Shiba Inu | gender = Male | birth_date = {{Birth date|2011|1|9|df=yes}} | birth_place = Hong Kong | death_date = {{death date and age|2023|08|18|2011|1|9|df=yes}} | death_place = Hong Kong | death_cause = Cancer<!--See discussion on talk page before changing this to a type of cancer--> | years_active = 2019–2023 | known = Internet celebrity | owner = Kathy | residence = Kowloon, Hong Kong | weight = | height = | appearance = | namedafter = Ramune | module = {{Infobox Chinese | child=yes | c = {{linktext|波|子|lang=zh}}<ref>{{cite news |title=經典Meme香港柴犬「波子」逝世 主人冀續為網民帶來歡樂 (16:07) |trans-title=The owner of the deceased classic Meme Shiba Inu "Balltze" from Hong Kong hopes to continue to bring joy to netizens (16:07) |url=https://news.mingpao.com/ins/%E7%86%B1%E9%BB%9E/article/20230820/s00024/1692513783553/%E7%B6%93%E5%85%B8meme%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E6%9F%B4%E7%8A%AC%E3%80%8C%E6%B3%A2%E5%AD%90%E3%80%8D%E9%80%9D%E4%B8%96-%E4%B8%BB%E4%BA%BA%E5%86%80%E7%BA%8C%E7%82%BA%E7%B6%B2%E6%B0%91%E5%B8%B6%E4%BE%86%E6%AD%A1%E6%A8%82 |access-date=21 August 2023 |work=Ming Pao |date=20 August 2023 |language=Chinese |archive-date=21 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230821170651/https://news.mingpao.com/ins/%e7%86%b1%e9%bb%9e/article/20230820/s00024/1692513783553/%e7%b6%93%e5%85%b8meme%e9%a6%99%e6%b8%af%e6%9f%b4%e7%8a%ac%e3%80%8c%e6%b3%a2%e5%ad%90%e3%80%8d%e9%80%9d%e4%b8%96-%e4%b8%bb%e4%ba%ba%e5%86%80%e7%ba%8c%e7%82%ba%e7%b6%b2%e6%b0%91%e5%b8%b6%e4%be%86%e6%ad%a1%e6%a8%82 |url-status=live }}</ref> | l = Small ball | p = Bōzǐ | bpmf = ㄅㄛ ㄗˇ | gr = Botzyy | w = Po-tzu | y = Bō-jí | j = Bo¹-zi² |altname=Ball Ball |c2=波波 |y2=Bōbō |j2=bo1 bo1 |p2=Bōbō }} }} {{Use Hong Kong English|date=August 2023}} {{use dmy dates|date=August 2023}} '''Balltze''' ({{Lang-zh|c='''波子'''}}, 9 January 2011 – 18 August 2023), nicknamed '''Cheems''' in online memes, was a Shiba Inu from Hong Kong. He was called '''Ball Ball''' ({{Lang-zh|c=波波|cy=Bōbō}}) by his owners.

==Biography== Balltze was born on 9 January 2011.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |title=Balltze, PERRO conocido como "Cheems" en los MEMES, cumple 10 años: VIDEO |trans-title=Balltze, DOG known as "Cheems" in MEMES, turns 10: VIDEO |url=https://heraldodemexico.com.mx/tendencias/2021/1/10/balltze-perro-conocido-como-cheems-en-los-memes-cumple-10-anos-video-243479.html |access-date=20 August 2023 |work=El Heraldo de México |date=10 January 2021 |language=Spanish |archive-date=20 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820181231/https://heraldodemexico.com.mx/tendencias/2021/1/10/balltze-perro-conocido-como-cheems-en-los-memes-cumple-10-anos-video-243479.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He was adopted at the age of one from an emigrating friend,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Laurinavičius |first1=Rokas |last2=Baliūnaitė |first2=Ilona |title=This Rescue Shiba Inu Is Responsible For The Hilarious Cheems Meme (30 Pics) |url=https://www.boredpanda.com/shiba-cheems-meme-dog-balltze/ |access-date=20 August 2023 |work=Bored Panda |date=6 July 2020 |archive-date=20 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820181239/https://www.boredpanda.com/shiba-cheems-meme-dog-balltze/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic |url-status=live }}</ref> by fashion designer Kathy from Kowloon.<ref name=kym>{{cite news |last1=Sweat |first1=Zach |title=Chatting With Cheems: Balltze's Owner Gives Us Some Personal Insight Into Life With One Of The Web's Favorite Shibas |url=https://knowyourmeme.com/editorials/interviews/chatting-with-cheems-balltzes-owner-gives-us-some-personal-insight-into-life-with-one-of-the-webs-favorite-shibas |access-date=20 August 2023 |work=Know Your Meme |archive-date=22 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230822011526/https://knowyourmeme.com/editorials/interviews/chatting-with-cheems-balltzes-owner-gives-us-some-personal-insight-into-life-with-one-of-the-webs-favorite-shibas |url-status=live }}</ref><!--This is a published article/interview, it is not part of KYM's unverified user-produced content--> Kathy's brother named him after Ramune, a Japanese beverage in which a marble ball inside the bottle is pressed down to let the drink flow.<ref name=kym/> He was known as Ball Ball by his owners.<ref name=rtve>{{cite news |title=Doge y Cheems vuelven por San Valentín |trans-title=Doge and Cheems return for Valentine's Day |url=https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20210212/san-valentin-trae-vuelta-doge-cheems/2075278.shtml |access-date=20 August 2023 |work=RTVE |date=12 February 2021 |language=Spanish |archive-date=7 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230807232503/https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20210212/san-valentin-trae-vuelta-doge-cheems/2075278.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

In May 2022, Balltze was diagnosed with pancreatitis.<ref name=nacion>{{cite news |title=Cheems, el perro de los memes, está delicado de salud: "No está tan activo como antes" |trans-title=Cheems, the dog from the memes, is in fragile health: "He isn't as active as before" |url=https://www.lanacion.com.ar/estados-unidos/cheems-el-perro-de-los-memes-esta-delicado-de-salud-no-esta-tan-activo-como-antes-nid20052022/ |access-date=20 August 2023 |work=La Nación |date=20 May 2022 |language=Spanish |archive-date=20 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820181228/https://www.lanacion.com.ar/estados-unidos/cheems-el-perro-de-los-memes-esta-delicado-de-salud-no-esta-tan-activo-como-antes-nid20052022/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He recovered in June.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Frausto |first1=Kevin |title=Cheems, perrito viral de internet, se recupera de grave enfermedad|trans-title=Cheems, viral Internet doggo, recovers from serious illness |url=https://www.razon.com.mx/virales/cheems-perrito-viral-memes-recupera-enfermedad-485832 |access-date=20 August 2023 |work=La Razón |date=7 June 2022 |language=Spanish}}</ref> In May 2023, his owners reported that he had serious respiratory problems.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rodríguez |first1=B. |title=Perrito Cheems está muy enfermo y su dueño teme lo peor |trans-title=Doggo Cheems is very sick and his owner fears the worst |url=https://www.excelsior.com.mx/trending/perrito-cheems-esta-muy-enfermo-y-su-dueno-teme-lo-peor/1587426 |access-date=20 August 2023 |work=Excélsior |date=17 May 2023 |language=Spanish |archive-date=21 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230521092518/https://www.excelsior.com.mx/trending/perrito-cheems-esta-muy-enfermo-y-su-dueno-teme-lo-peor/1587426 |url-status=live }}</ref> He had cancer and was undergoing thoracentesis (the draining of fluid from his chest) when he died on 18 August 2023, aged 12.<ref name="CNN">{{Cite news |last=Blumenthal |first=Emily |date=21 August 2023 |title=Cheems Balltze, the internet's cheeseburger-loving dog, has died |work=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/21/entertainment/cheems-balltze-viral-dog-dies-intl-scli/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=21 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230821170226/https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/21/entertainment/cheems-balltze-viral-dog-dies-intl-scli/index.html |archive-date=21 August 2023}}</ref> His funeral was held on 23 August, and donations of US$13,000 were sent to local animal charities.<ref>{{cite news |title="El amor nos separa, pero también nos une": despiden a Cheems con emotivo funeral|trans-title="Love tears us apart, but also unites us": farewell to Chemms with emotional funeral|url=https://www.13.cl/programas/entretencion/actualidad/el-amor-nos-separa-pero-tambien-nos-une-despiden-a-cheems-con |access-date=28 December 2023 |publisher=Canal 13 (Chile) |date=9 November 2023 |language=Spanish}}</ref>

In a 2020 interview with ''Know Your Meme'', Kathy said that Balltze wanted his legacy to be "Meme fade, [fellow Shiba Inu meme] Doge is eternal. Remember me as 'Balltze', not 'Cheems' or 'cheemsburger', I'm just a Balltze".<ref name=kym/>

After Balltze's death, Kathy adopted a new Shiba Inu named Pochita on 3 October 2024. Pochita was named after the protagonist of the manga ''Chainsaw Man'' for being strong and sweet.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Flores |first1=Luis A. |title=Pochita, la "sucesora espiritual" de Cheems que llegó a iluminar la vida de sus dueños|trans-title=Pochita, the "spiritual successor" of Cheems who arrived to light up the life of her owners |url=https://www.infobae.com/mascotas/2024/10/04/pochita-la-sucesora-espiritual-de-cheems-que-llego-a-iluminar-la-vida-de-sus-duenos/ |access-date=6 October 2024 |publisher=Infobae |date=3 October 2024 |language=Spanish}}</ref>

==Memes== Balltze appears as the Internet meme character Cheems, whose name comes from his taste for "cheemsburgers" {{sic}}. The character adds the letter "m" into words as he speaks.<ref name=nacion/> The meme was first posted to the r/dogelore subreddit on Reddit in June 2019.<ref name="kym" /> The image used for the meme was uploaded originally on Balltze's Instagram account on 4 September 2017, and shows him sitting on the floor.<ref name="rtve" />

Cheems also features in the "Swole Doge vs Cheems" meme in which a muscular version of Doge represents something considered better in the past, and Cheems represents its current, lesser state.<ref name=rtve/> The meme became viral in mid-2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{cite news |title=Swole Doge vs. Cheems: el meme de los perros que se está viralizando en redes |trans-title=Swole Doge vs. Cheems: the dog meme that is going viral on the web |url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/cribeo/fast-news/20200527/481425063352/swole-doge-vs-cheems-meme-perros-esta-viralizando-redes.html |access-date=20 August 2023 |work=La Vanguardia |date=27 May 2020 |language=Spanish |archive-date=4 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404070238/https://www.lavanguardia.com/cribeo/fast-news/20200527/481425063352/swole-doge-vs-cheems-meme-perros-esta-viralizando-redes.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Entrepreneur en Español |date=11 January 2021 |title=Cheems, the Dog Made Famous By Memes, Turned 10 Years Old |work=SFGATE |url=https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Cheems-the-Dog-Made-Famous-By-Memes-Turned-10-15861211.php |access-date=21 August 2023 |archive-date=29 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929001112/https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Cheems-the-Dog-Made-Famous-By-Memes-Turned-10-15861211.php |url-status=live }}</ref> In another meme format, Godzilla and King Kong represent two competing concepts, while Cheems armed with a baseball bat is the winning third concept, chasing the other two away.<ref>{{cite news |title='This is gold': KFC Spain's twist to Godzilla vs Kong meme sets internet abuzz |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/trending/trending-globally/kfc-spain-gives-twist-to-godzilla-vs-kong-meme-with-doge-7191426/|work=The Indian Express |access-date=28 August 2023 |date=17 February 2021}}</ref>

In 2020, another meme circulated, in which Cheems hits another dog with a baseball bat causing the onomatopoeia "bonk", while saying "go to horny jail"; the meme is posted in response to sexually suggestive messages.<ref name=rtve/> ''The Guardian'' journalist Caleb Quinley noted this image in protests against the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Quinley |first1=Caleb |title=Three-finger salute: Hunger Games symbol adopted by Myanmar protesters |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/08/three-finger-salute-hunger-games-symbol-adopted-by-myanmars-protesters |access-date=24 August 2023 |work=The Guardian |date=8 February 2021}}</ref> Cheems appeared in several other memes in the Spanish-speaking world, including saying "no puede ser" ("It cannot be") and "me da amsiedad" ("It gives me amxiety" [''sic'']).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Aguilar |first1=Eduardo |title=¿De qué raza es el perro Cheems? |trans-title=What breed was Cheems the dog? |url=https://www.petlife.mx/tendencias/2023/8/19/de-que-raza-es-el-perro-cheems-1549.html |access-date=21 August 2023 |work=Pet Life |date=19 August 2023 |language=Spanish |archive-date=21 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230821191322/https://www.petlife.mx/tendencias/2023/8/19/de-que-raza-es-el-perro-cheems-1549.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Cortez |first1=Diego |title=Cheems murió, la famosa perrita [''sic''] del meme de la 'amsiedad' |trans-title=Cheems, the famous dog from the 'amxiety' meme, died |url=https://elmanana.com.mx/escena/2023/8/19/cheems-murio-la-famosa-perrita-del-meme-de-la-amsiedad-106133.html |access-date=21 August 2023 |work=El Mañana (Nuevo Laredo) |date=19 August 2023 |language=Spanish |archive-date=22 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230822165825/https://elmanana.com.mx/escena/2023/8/19/cheems-murio-la-famosa-perrita-del-meme-de-la-amsiedad-106133.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2021, Spain's public broadcaster RTVE wrote "What is clear is that a meme is worth more than a thousand words and Cheems and Doge now form part of Internet popular culture, reinventing themselves constantly to brighten our days or put us in our places".<ref name=rtve/> Balltze's owner Kathy's favourite Cheems meme was one in Spanish, in which he takes a bath and says "Could you carry on scrolling? It's just that I'm taking a bamth [''sic'']".<ref name=kym/>

Kathy initially did not understand the Cheems memes for their absurdist nature. She later signed deals with a management company and an American toy company, as well as making T-shirts which benefitted local canine charities.<ref name=kym/>

Balltze inspired the Cheems (CHEEMS) cryptocurrency as well as a number of "wannabe dog-themed coins" competing against Dogecoin and the Shiba Inu cryptocurrency according to Parth Dubey of the ''International Business Times''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dubey |first1=Parth |title=Stench Of A Scam? Statement Supposedly By Cheems Inu Raises Red Flags For Crypto Investors |url=https://www.ibtimes.com/stench-scam-statement-supposedly-cheems-inu-raises-red-flags-crypto-investors-3356551 |access-date=24 August 2023 |work=International Business Times |date=13 December 2021}}</ref>

In August 2024, the ''Museo de Cheems'' (Cheems Museum) opened in Mexico City, exhibiting paintings depicting Cheems in contexts related to art and literature.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=12 January 2026 |last=Nicolás |date=21 October 2025 |first=Aline |work=El Heraldo de México |title=Museo de Cheems abre en CDMX con exposición dedicada a los libros y a los memes {{!}} Fechas, horarios, costos y dirección|trans-title=Cheems museum opens in Mexico City with exhibition dedicated to books and memes {{!}} Dates, timetables, costs and address|url=https://heraldodemexico.com.mx/tendencias/2025/10/21/museo-de-cheems-abre-en-cdmx-con-exposicion-dedicada-los-libros-los-memes-fechas-horarios-costos-direccion-738051.html}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>

== See also == * Kabosu * DoggoLingo

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://cheems-balltze.com/ Official website] * {{Know Your Meme|https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/cheems|Cheems}}

Category:2011 animal births Category:2020s fads and trends Category:2023 animal deaths Category:Individual dog Internet celebrities Category:Deaths from cancer in Hong Kong Category:Individual animals in China Category:Internet memes about dogs Category:Internet memes introduced in 2019