# Black Man With Puffed Up Cheeks
Big Winnn's selfie of himself in red sunglasses with cheeks blown out became a reaction image for suppressing a cough, laugh or scream. The first documented meme version hit /r/meirl in November 2018, and by November 2020 a Harry Potter edit from Twitter user @wavydavhie had earned over 500,000 likes.
## Origin
Big Winnn, who posts as @bigwinnnnnn and used the handle @bigwinnn at the time, uploaded the source selfie to his Instagram Story at some point before 2018[3]. Who first screengrabbed the image and turned it into a reaction post is not documented, so the meme creator is listed as Unknown. One of the earliest known meme versions was posted to /r/meirl on November 27, 2018, captioned about trying to hold in a cough, and collected over 40,700 upvotes in the three years that followed[1].
- **Platform:** Instagram (source photo) / Reddit (meme spread)
- **Creator:** Unknown
- **Date:** 2018
## Overview
Black Man With Puffed Up Cheeks, also known as Big Winnn Holding Breath, appears in the source photo wearing red sunglasses, holding a huge breath so that his cheeks balloon out in a cartoonish puff[3]. Meme versions keep the picture intact and attach a caption describing something the person is physically fighting to suppress. A cough during a silent moment, laughter at an inappropriate time, or a scream of pain after stubbing a toe are among the most common captions users attach[1].
Posters often rely on a top-and-bottom caption layout, with the top line setting the scenario and the bottom naming the suppressed reaction. Users have also edited the picture to replace Big Winnn's face with other characters, as happened with @wavydavhie's Harry Potter version in late 2020[5].
## How to Use
Posters typically pair the image with a two-part caption. The top line sets a scenario where the subject must stay silent or still, often a public setting like a classroom, funeral or quiet library. The bottom line names the thing bursting to come out, such as a laugh at a serious moment or a scream of pain after stubbing a pinky toe[7].
## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is Black Man With Puffed Up Cheeks?
A reaction image of rapper and influencer Big Winnn wearing red sunglasses with his cheeks comically puffed out, used to depict holding something in like a cough, laugh or scream[3].
### Where did Black Man With Puffed Up Cheeks come from?
Big Winnn posted the source photo to his Instagram Story at some point before 2018, and the first documented meme use appeared on /r/meirl on November 27, 2018, with a caption about holding in a cough[1].
### What does Black Man With Puffed Up Cheeks mean?
Big Winnn's puffed cheeks represent the physical struggle of suppressing an urge, with captions supplying the specific scenario such as stubbing a toe[2] or choking back laughter[4].
### How do you use Black Man With Puffed Up Cheeks?
Pair the image with a two-line caption that names a situation where you cannot react and the suppressed reaction itself, as in @wavydavhie's Harry Potter version with over 500,000 likes[5].
### Is Black Man With Puffed Up Cheeks still popular?
After going viral in November 2020 with Big Winnn's own Instagram repost[6] and @wavydavhie's half-million-like tweet[5], the image settled into classic reaction image status.
## References
1. [https://www.reddit.com/r/meirl/comments/a0wohn/me_irl/]()
2. [https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/9z7gea/the_reaction_right_after_stubbing_your_toe_on_the/]()
3. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/black-man-with-puffed-up-cheeks-holding-in-cough]()
4. [https://www.reddit.com/r/meirl/comments/fhhv4q/meirl/]()
5. [https://twitter.com/wavydavhie/status/1330187408072171521]()
6. [https://www.instagram.com/p/CH6mKOBMV7H/]()
7. [https://imgur.com/gallery/26FrNp9]()
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Source: https://meme.com/memes/black-man-with-puffed-up-cheeks-holding-in-cough
Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library