The Enduring Mystery: 7 Times Mike Wazowski Was Hilariously 'Covered Up' And Why The Gag Never Gets Old

As of December 16, 2025, the legendary Pixar running gag of Mike Wazowski being "covered up" continues to be one of the most beloved and endlessly re-shared details in animation history. What started as a simple, self-aware joke in the original 2001 film, Monsters, Inc., has evolved into a multi-decade meta-commentary on fame, recognition, and the chaotic nature of graphic design in the monster world. This deep dive explores the origins of the iconic joke, its most famous instances, and how it has recently been resurrected by modern meme culture.

The core of the joke is brilliantly simple: Michael "Mike" Wazowski, the enthusiastic, one-eyed, lime-green monster, is a main character, yet whenever he appears in any form of in-universe public media—be it a magazine, a commercial, or a poster—his face is completely obscured by text, logos, barcodes, or other elements. It's a visual punchline that perfectly encapsulates his character's perennial struggle for the spotlight next to his towering, furry partner, James P. "Sulley" Sullivan.

The Complete Biography and Character Profile of Michael "Mike" Wazowski

Mike Wazowski is one of the most recognizable and enduring characters in the entire Disney/Pixar library. His journey from an ambitious, undersized college student to a top-tier comedian and co-CEO is central to the entire Monsters franchise, which includes two feature films and a Disney+ series.

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• Full Name: Michael "Mike" Wazowski
• First Appearance: Monsters, Inc. (2001)
• Voiced By: Billy Crystal
• Species: One-eyed, spherical, lime-green monster
• Affiliations: Monsters, Inc. (Scare Floor Assistant, Joke Writer, Co-CEO), Monsters University (Oozma Kappa fraternity)
• Partner/Best Friend: James P. "Sulley" Sullivan
• Romantic Partner: Celia Mae (a multi-tentacled monster with snakes for hair)
• Defining Trait: His boundless optimism, quick wit, and deep-seated desire for recognition and fame, which is ironically always thwarted by the "covered up" gag.
• Prequel Film: Monsters University (2013), which explores his college years and how he met Sulley.
• Current Status: Co-CEO of Monsters, Inc. and a professional comedian in the Disney+ series, Monsters at Work.

The Original Running Gag: Why Mike's Face is Always Obscured

The "Mike Wazowski covered up" joke is a classic example of Pixar’s meticulous attention to detail and meta-humor. It’s not a random error; it’s a deliberate, recurring narrative device that reinforces Mike’s character arc and his secondary status next to Sulley.

The Iconic Magazine Cover Scene

The most famous and oft-cited instance of the gag occurs late in Monsters, Inc. Mike is ecstatic to learn he and Sulley are on the cover of a magazine following their record-breaking scare performance. He proudly holds up the magazine, declaring, "I can't believe it! I'm on the cover of a magazine!"

However, the punchline lands instantly: the magazine's massive, bold headline and the issue's barcode are perfectly positioned to completely cover his single eye and face, leaving only Sulley fully visible. Mike, in his characteristic enthusiasm, remains completely oblivious to the slight, which only makes the joke funnier.

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The Monsters, Inc. TV Commercial

Earlier in the film, the joke is subtly introduced during a television commercial for Monsters, Inc. As Mike and Sulley walk across the screen, a large, colorful Monsters, Inc. logo slides into position, once again, perfectly obscuring Mike’s face while Sulley remains clearly in view. This establishes the pattern—Mike is *always* slightly out of the frame, or a piece of graphic design is positioned to block him.

The Gag Continues in Sequels and Spinoffs

Pixar has fully embraced this running gag, extending it across the entire franchise and into promotional material, cementing it as a core part of Mike's identity:

• Monsters University Poster (2013): The theatrical release poster for the prequel film featured Mike and Sulley, but a large, prominent banner or text block was strategically placed to cover a significant portion of Mike's body or face, continuing the tradition.
• Monsters at Work (Disney+ Series): The gag has been updated for the modern era. In one instance, a title card or credit screen for a Monsters, Inc. production is shown, and the text perfectly overlays Mike’s face, proving that even as a Co-CEO and a star comedian, his struggle for clear visibility continues.
• Video Game Cameos: Even outside the main franchise, the joke persists. In the video game Kingdom Hearts III, which features the Monsters, Inc. world, the developers included the gag, showing a poster where Mike's face is obscured by a sticker or text, much to the delight of fans.

From Running Gag to Viral Sensation: The Mike Wazowski Meme Phenomenon

While the "covered up" gag is a classic cinematic detail, the character of Mike Wazowski has recently achieved new levels of viral fame through a different, yet related, visual manipulation: the "Mike Wazowski-Sulley Face Swap" meme. This phenomenon, which exploded in popularity around 2019, is a modern extension of Mike's visual comedy.

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The Face Swap Meme Explained

The meme takes a still image of Mike Wazowski and digitally swaps his face with that of Sulley's. The resulting image is a bizarre, yet strangely compelling, photograph of Mike's body with Sulley's small, two-eyed face superimposed on it. The image is often used as a "reaction image" to express a specific type of stoic, confused, or awkward emotion—a visual representation of something feeling "off" or unsettlingly familiar.

This meme inadvertently plays on the original "covered up" joke. By giving Mike a second, different face (Sulley's), the meme subverts the original one-eyed design, creating a new visual anomaly. It’s a collective, fan-driven effort to "uncover" Mike, only to replace his iconic eye with something even weirder. The meme's enduring popularity, which continues to be shared across platforms like Reddit, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter), demonstrates the character's lasting cultural impact and meme-ability.

The Meta-Commentary on Fame and Recognition

The true genius of the "Mike Wazowski covered up" joke lies in its meta-commentary. The gag serves as a perfect metaphor for Mike’s personality and his relationship with Sulley. He is the brains, the organizer, and the comedic relief, but Sulley is the natural star—the tall, furry, traditionally "scary" monster who effortlessly commands attention.

The joke highlights Mike’s deep-seated need for recognition. His excitement over the magazine cover is genuine, and he is so focused on the fact that he *made* the cover that he completely overlooks the visual slight. It’s a moment of blissful ignorance that makes him relatable and endearing to audiences.

Furthermore, the joke is a nod to real-world media and graphic design. How often have real celebrities been partially obscured by magazine text, or cut off on a poster? Pixar took this common visual error and weaponized it for comedic gold, making Mike Wazowski the patron saint of being just slightly out of the spotlight. The joke is so powerful that when real-world publications accidentally "Mike Wazowski" a celebrity by covering their face with a headline, the comparison is immediately made by fans.

Ultimately, the enduring appeal of Mike Wazowski—both in his original "covered up" form and his viral meme status—is a testament to Pixar's ability to create characters and details that resonate for decades. It's a joke that never gets old because it's fundamentally about the universal desire to be seen, even when the universe seems determined to cover your face with a barcode.