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What's The Backstory Behind The 'Socially Awkward Black Guy' Photo? The Meme Of A Man At A Party Surrounded By Women Explained

A photo of a random Black guy at an outdoor party surrounded by blonde white women is circulating online again, and the internet still can't decide what's funnier, the man's outfit or the physics-defying woman next to him.
Some are mocking his oversized brown shirt, khaki pants and his so-called "Good at Smash Bros Afro," a reference to a Black male nerd archetype.
Others are too busy fixating on a blonde girl next to him, who seems to be floating several inches above the ground.

One thing's clear: People on the internet are physically incapable of not projecting their own insecurities onto someone else's photo. Here's all we know about the "Socially Awkward Black Guy" meme.
What’s The Story Behind The “Socially Awkward Black Guy” Photo?
The image first appeared on April 27th, 2024, when X / Twitter user @ybpsmeeths posted it with the caption, "My bro really wants to talk to you." It shows a Black man in a brown long-sleeve shirt and khaki pants standing near a group of blonde women holding drinks at an outdoor bar or venue.
The photo looks like a pretty normal party snapshot, but viewers quickly decided there was something off about it as it garnered attention online.

Many projected their own awkward-party anxieties onto the man, calling him uncomfortable or saying that he was "scaring the hoes," even though the women didn't seem to mind him at all. The original post gained over 7,000 likes in a year and spawned a wave of commentary from self-professed vibe understanders online.
While many have confessed they thought the man in the image was the late and controversial content creator Twomad, his identity is still unknown.
For some additional context, a Redditor also claimed the photo was taken at the back deck of a bar in Columbia, South Carolina, named Taneyhill's Group Therapy. In the same thread other Redditors backed up his claim about the location.
How Did The Image of the "Socially Awkward Black Guy" Spread Online?
People began diagnosing the man in the photo with all sorts of social handicaps, with X user @Tyre_94 writing, "This picture is insane for at least 30 reasons," earning more than 57,000 likes in two days. Soon after, @JrMoneyGetting joked, "poor guy don't know he just became the new face of scaring the h--s."


X user @crackcobain__ also quoted the post, writing, "He probably a beast on Super Smash Bros," a nod to the Good at Smash Bros Afro meme that links short, unlined afros on Black men to their supposed prowess in the fighting video game.

Others still focused on a totally different visual oddity — one of the blonde women appears to be floating above the ground.
The detail reframed the scene entirely. If anything, the guy seemed too nonchalant about seeing the laws of physics bend before his very eyes.

For the full history of the Socially Awkward Black Guy meme, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.