About
“What is this, an X for ants?” is a snowclone used to describe an unusually small object/image. It is often sarcastically used in forums in response to posts that are too small to read.
Origin
In the 2001 comedy film Zoolander, the main character, Derek Zoolander (played by Ben Stiller), responds in anger after being shown a model of the Derek Zoolander Center for Kids Who Can’t Read Good, saying, “What is this? A center for ants?”, thinking that the model is the actual center.
Derek Zoolander: What is this? [smashes the model for the reading center] A center for ants?
Mugatu: What?
Derek Zoolander: How can we be expected to teach children to learn how to read… if they can’t even fit inside the building?
Mugatu: Derek, this is just a small…
Derek Zoolander: I don’t wanna hear your excuses! The building has to be at least… three times bigger than this!
Mugatu: He’s absolutely right you know.
On March 29, 2010, YouTube user Mike Jones uploaded a clip of the scene.[1]
A subreddit called “r/thingsforants” was created in February 2013.[2]
Search Interest
[1]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ffj8SHrbk0
[2]http://www.reddit.com/r/thingsforants