You know the face. It’s that half-shrug, half-smile, "I just got caught but I'm kinda cute" look. Kevin James is leaning against a kitchen counter, wearing a green plaid flannel, and his hands are shoved deep into his pockets. It’s the Kevin James smirk, a 25-year-old promotional photo that somehow became the defining vibe of the 2020s.
Honestly, the internet is a weird place. One day we’re all arguing about politics, and the next, we’re all obsessed with a low-res stock photo from a sitcom that premiered when Titanic was still in theaters. This isn't just a random picture anymore; it's a mood. It's a lifestyle.
Where Did the Kevin James Smirk Actually Come From?
Most people assume this was a screen grab from an episode of The King of Queens. It’s actually not. This was a professional promotional shoot taken by photographer Tony Esparza for the CBS Photo Archive back in 1998.
James was just a guy starting a sitcom. He was happy to be there. In an interview with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show in early 2024, James admitted that the photographer was just shouting out random prompts. "Smile! Now look sexy! Now look shy!"
James got into that specific, awkward pose and immediately hated it. He literally told the photographer, "Please bury that one."
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The photographer promised it wouldn't come back.
He lied.
Twenty-five years later, on September 21, 2023, a Twitter user named @ChampagneAnyone posted the photo with the caption: "me after 1 double rum and diet." It exploded. Within days, the Kevin James smirk was everywhere. It wasn't just a meme; it was a universal symbol for being cheeky, slightly guilty, or inexplicably confident for no reason at all.
Why This Specific Image Went Viral
There is a science to why some things meme and others don't. Kevin's expression is what experts call "ambiguous." Is he being humble? Is he being smug? Is he just uncomfortable?
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It’s the Mona Lisa of mid-tier sitcom actors.
- The Flannel: It screams 90s dad energy. It’s approachable and nostalgic.
- The Shrug: It’s the ultimate "I don't know what to tell you" gesture.
- The Smirk: It’s the face you make when you've done something wrong but you know you’re going to get away with it.
John Fetterman, the U.S. Senator, even used it to respond to the Senate’s new dress code rules. That’s when you know a meme has truly peaked—when it’s being used in the halls of government to troll people.
The "Bury the Photo" Irony
The funniest part is that Kevin James himself lived in fear of this photo for decades. He thought it was the most embarrassing thing he’d ever done. He didn't realize that his discomfort was exactly what made the photo gold. Humans relate to awkwardness. We don't relate to perfect, airbrushed models; we relate to a guy in a green shirt who doesn't know what to do with his hands.
How to Use the Meme Correctly
If you're going to use the Kevin James smirk in the wild, you gotta get the tone right. It’s not for being genuinely cool. It’s for when you're being a "little stinker."
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- "Me watching the self-checkout camera as I scan an organic avocado as a regular onion."
- "Me after telling my boss I'm sick when I'm actually at a baseball game."
- "Me returning a library book three years late."
It’s about that specific brand of low-stakes mischief.
The Cultural Impact of the King of Queens Renaissance
Believe it or not, this meme actually boosted the show's streaming numbers. People who weren't even born when Doug Heffernan was delivering packages for IPS started binge-watching the show on Peacock. Leah Remini, who played Carrie on the show, absolutely loved it. She posted on X (formerly Twitter) that seeing the memes brought back 25 years of amazing memories.
It’s rare for a meme to be this wholesome. Usually, the internet finds something to make fun of in a mean way. But with the Kevin James smirk, it felt more like a collective hug for a guy who has been a staple of our TV screens for decades.
Actionable Insights for the Meme-Curious
If you're looking to capitalize on this or just understand the next big trend, remember these three things:
- Nostalgia sells. Look at old promotional materials from the 90s and 2000s. There are gems hidden in those Getty Images archives.
- Relatability over perfection. The reason this worked is because it looks "real." It looks like a photo your mom took of you before your first school dance.
- Lean into it. Kevin James could have been annoyed. Instead, he went on Fallon and recreated the pose. He even used it to promote his "Double Hand in the Pocket" stand-up tour. When you become a meme, the only way out is through.
Keep an eye on Getty Images. You never know which "buried" photo from 1998 is going to be the next face of the internet.