College GameDay: Army vs. Navy Poster Featuring Viral Duct-Taped Banana Spotted in Crowd

Saturday morning, ESPN’s College GameDay was set up at Lincoln Financial Field to preview the matchup between Army and Navy. This rivalry game is the biggest of the year and draws attention with constant big plays. However, the signs in the crowd were as much of a talking point due to the wild and varied nature.

One sign, in particular, simply featured a banana taped to the white background with a single piece of duct tape. While seemingly out of place at a football game, the creator of this piece did show that they have their finger on the pulse of what is making headlines. Specifically, they were referencing an art exhibit that is called “Comedian.”

According to TIME, the taped banana first debuted at Miami art exhibition Art Basel. The creator, artist Maurizio Cattelan, turned heads when he sold three of these limited-edition pieces. The buyers reportedly paid between $120,000 and $150,000. They also came with a certificate of authenticity and instructions for how to properly replace the fruit.

The taped banana certainly turned heads at Army-Navy, but there was no information provided about a potential sale. Was there a parking lot deal going down in order for a football fan to acquire the art, or was the creator simply going to have a snack later in the day?

Regardless of the banana’s ultimate destination, it was apparent that the “Comedian” art piece is taking over social media. The banana taped to the wall has generated a considerable number of reactions as people all over the world have taken photos of fruit taped to various objects.

For example, actress Brooke Shields taped a banana to her face for a post on Instagram. However, she may have ruined the value of the art simply by using blue painters tape instead of duct tape for the photo.

Shields was not the only one on social media looking to capture the magic of this craze. Others taped bananas to their shirts, dorm room walls and pairs of white shoes. Fruit even appeared in the New York City subway stations after residents of the Big Apple taped bananas to the walls.

While many are confused about the popularity of this art piece, there are countless others that are embracing the viral nature and are having fun. The sign at Army vs. Navy was just the latest example.

(Photo Credit: Cindy Ord/Getty)