Kevin James Addressed That "King Of Queens" Meme Going Viral And How The Photo Came About

    "So dumb!"

    Kevin James took a trip down memory lane to break down the inspiration behind that now-viral promo photo shoot from his time on King of Queens.

    Close-up of Kevin smiling

    Earlier this week, Kevin stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he gave a quick history lesson on the photo that instantly became everyone's favorite meme last year.

    Close-up of Kevin at a media event

    Although other images from the promo shoot made their way onto the internet, it was this specific photo that started it all.

    Close-up of Kevin smiling in the meme

    From his nonchalant stance to that semi-devious smirk, the possibilities were endless when it came to the various scenarios this pose would work in...like this one:

    “I’ll take a shot if you take a shot”

    Me: pic.twitter.com/Q6FEYuiWa2

    — guero (@elgueroatl) September 24, 2023
    Tony Esparza / CBS Photo Archive / Getty Images / Twitter: @elgueroatl

    And this one:

    me when my friend posts a screenshot of our text messages on their story so everyone can see how funny i am pic.twitter.com/2DAEDlU2o4

    — grace (@gracesftdt) September 24, 2023
    Tony Esparza / CBS Photo Archive / Getty Images / Twitter: @gracesftdt

    And, yes, even this one:

    “did you clog the toilet again?”
    me: pic.twitter.com/DF92Pewg2m

    — jay x (@xpaytheprice) September 23, 2023
    Tony Esparza / CBS Photo Archive / Getty Images / Twitter: @xpaytheprice

    Well, Kevin revealed he wasn't the mastermind behind his funny posture in the photo. That title goes to the photographer.

    Close-up of Kevin on the talk show

    "When you first get a sitcom, you just listen to anybody," Kevin said on The Tonight Show. "You're just happy to be there."

    Close-up of Kevin with Jimmy on the talk show

    He continued, "The photographer was just telling me to do goofy things. He was like, 'Smile now like you're sexy. Now like you're shy.' I got into this position like, 'What the hell am I doing?'"

    Close-up of Kevin with Jimmy on the talk show

    Let's just say Kevin wasn't too excited about these photos being released. He even asked the photographer to ensure that certain photos never saw the light of day, including the one that went viral.

    Close-up of Kevin on the talk show

    "Then I said, 'Well, please bury that one.' And he goes, 'Yeah, no worries. That won't come back.'"

    Close-up of Kevin with Jimmy on the talk show

    And boy, did it come back in a big way! While Kevin thinks it's "so dumb" that the resurfaced photo became popular on social media, he couldn't help laughing at some of the memes that were spawned from it.

    Close-up of Kevin with Jimmy on the talk show

    To learn more about Kevin, be sure to check out his full interview on The Tonight Show below:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC

    And check out King of Queens, which is currently streaming on Peacock.