# Green Man > Green Man is a 2006 sports fan costume originating from a Philadelphia Eagles tailgate, later written into FX's *It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia* by creator Rob McElhenney as Charlie Kelly's full-body green spandex alter ego. Green Man is a sports fan phenomenon and recurring character from the FX comedy *It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia*, originating from a real-life incident at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field around 2006. A man in a full-body green spandex bodysuit sprinted through an Eagles tailgate, inspiring the show's creator Rob McElhenney to write the character into the series as Charlie Kelly's alter ego. The Green Man costume spread from TV screens to stadiums across the country, with fans in green bodysuits popping up at everything from NFL games to PGA tournaments. ## Origin The story starts in a Philadelphia parking lot. Around October 2006, after the Eagles beat the Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field in one of the most anticipated games of the season (Terrell Owens' first return to Philly since leaving for Dallas), the crowd poured into the lots to celebrate[1]. Rob McElhenney, the star and creator of *It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia*, was among them. While most fans went back to their tailgates, McElhenney's friend had other plans. Without warning, the man (described by McElhenney as "a well-respected orthopedic surgeon") stripped down and pulled on a full-body green spandex leotard, then took off running through the parking lot high-fiving every person in sight[1]. "He was running all over the place, and everyone wanted to take pictures with him," McElhenney told ESPN. "Everyone started chanting, 'Green Man! Green Man!' It went on for several hours, and all I could think was, 'My god, there has to be a way I can take advantage of this on the show'"[1]. McElhenney made good on that thought. Green Man was written into *It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia*, where Charlie Kelly (played by Charlie Day) adopts the green bodysuit as his chaotic alter ego, typically appearing at sporting events while drunk or otherwise impaired[4]. - **Platform:** Real-life event (Philadelphia Eagles tailgate), FX television (*It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia*) - **Creator:** Rob McElhenney (show creator, popularizer), unnamed orthopedic surgeon friend (original Green Man) - **Date:** 2006 ## Overview Green Man is a person wearing a bright green, full-body spandex bodysuit that covers everything from head to toe, leaving no skin visible. The look is deliberately absurd: a faceless, lime-colored figure dancing, flailing, or just standing in places where a neon green lycra-clad person absolutely should not be. The character became a staple on *It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia* as Charlie Kelly's go-to costume for sporting events and other chaotic situations[4]. In real life, the concept took on a second life as fans across the country adopted the outfit for stadium appearances, turning it into a Where's Waldo-style game during televised sports[1]. ## How It Spread Green Man broke out of the show and into real-world sports around 2009. During that year's Buick Open, a person in the signature green bodysuit appeared in the gallery behind Tiger Woods as he prepared to tee off. The camera caught the figure dancing in the lower left corner of the frame before panning away, leaving viewers at home unsure of what they had just seen[1]. Deadspin covered the incident, calling Green Man a "full-blown phenomenon" and connecting it directly to the FX show's influence[2]. From there, the green bodysuit started appearing at events across the country. ESPN's Toby Mergler wrote in 2009 that Green Man had become "the sports world's version of Waldo," showing up at games coast to coast and appearing on ESPN broadcasts regularly[1]. The trend had legs: fans in green bodysuits turned up at NFL games, college football, basketball, and other events, each one hoping to get caught on camera for a brief, surreal moment of anonymous fame. Mergler even published a wish list of sporting events where Green Man should appear next, including the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, Wimbledon, the Westminster Dog Show, and the Kentucky Derby[1]. The challenge was aimed directly at college students and diehard fans. ## How to Use The Green Man concept is simple: buy a bright green full-body spandex suit (also called a zentai suit or morphsuit), put it on so no skin is visible, and show up somewhere unexpected. The comedy comes from the contrast between the setting and the absurdity of a featureless green figure acting as if nothing is unusual. At sporting events, the typical move is to position yourself where a TV camera might catch you, then dance or gesture wildly when the camera pans your way. The goal is a brief, blink-and-you-miss-it appearance that leaves viewers questioning what they just saw[1]. For *It's Always Sunny* fans specifically, the Green Man costume works as both a direct reference to the show and a general-purpose absurdist outfit. Charlie Kelly's version of Green Man typically involves erratic dancing and a complete disregard for social norms[4]. ## Cultural Impact Green Man crossed from a single parking lot stunt into a recognizable sports culture fixture within just a few years. ESPN dedicated a full feature article to the trend in 2009, treating it as a legitimate sports fan movement rather than a one-off joke[1]. Deadspin recognized it as a case study in viral marketing, noting how an obscure FX show had managed to inject a character into the real-world sports landscape through fan adoption[2]. The green bodysuit industry owes a debt to the trend. What started as a single friend's impulse purchase at an Eagles game grew into a widely available costume category. The suit itself is now a standard offering at costume shops and party stores, frequently purchased for Halloween, sporting events, and general shenanigans. It's worth distinguishing the meme "Green Man" from the unrelated architectural motif of the same name, which refers to medieval foliate heads carved into churches and buildings across Europe[3]. The two share nothing beyond the name. ## Fun Facts - The original Green Man was an orthopedic surgeon, not a comedian or actor[1]. - Rob McElhenney witnessed the first Green Man appearance in person at a Philadelphia Eagles tailgate before writing it into his show[1]. - Deadspin called the Green Man phenomenon a masterclass in "viral marketing" for *It's Always Sunny*, even though it started organically[2]. - ESPN's Toby Mergler specifically challenged college students to bring Green Man to the Winter Olympics and Westminster Dog Show[1]. - The Buick Open where Green Man appeared behind Tiger Woods was the final Buick Open ever held[2]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Green Man? Green Man is a character and fan phenomenon involving a person in a bright green full-body spandex suit, popularized by the FX show *It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia* and adopted by sports fans across the country[1]. ### Where did Green Man come from? The original Green Man appeared at a Philadelphia Eagles tailgate around 2006, when Rob McElhenney's surgeon friend donned a green spandex bodysuit and ran through the parking lot[1]. ### What does Green Man mean? Green Man represents pure, anonymous absurdity. The featureless green suit strips away identity, letting the wearer act without social consequence. On the show, it's Charlie Kelly's chaotic alter ego[4]. ### How do you use Green Man? Put on a green full-body spandex suit and show up somewhere unexpected, typically a sporting event where cameras are rolling. Dance or act oblivious to your surroundings for maximum effect[1]. ### Is Green Man still popular? Green Man is a classic costume and reference that peaked in the late 2000s and early 2010s. The green bodysuit is still a recognizable costume, especially among *It's Always Sunny* fans[1]. ### Who created the Green Man character on TV? Rob McElhenney wrote Green Man into *It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia* after witnessing his friend's real-life Green Man stunt at an Eagles game[1]. ### When did Green Man appear at a golf tournament? Green Man appeared during the 2009 Buick Open, dancing in the gallery behind Tiger Woods during a tee shot. The moment was broadcast on television and picked up by sports blogs[2]. ### Is Green Man the same as the medieval Green Man? No. The medieval Green Man is an architectural motif of a face made of foliage, found in churches across Europe since the 12th century[3]. The meme Green Man is a green spandex bodysuit character from modern sports culture. ### What show features Green Man? *It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia* on FX features Green Man as a recurring bit, with Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day) wearing the suit at sporting events and other inappropriate moments[4]. ### Did Green Man appear on ESPN? Yes. By 2009, Green Man appearances at various sporting events were being captured on ESPN broadcasts frequently enough that the network published a feature article about the trend[1]. ## References 1. [Toby Mergler gets to the bottom of the latest spandex-clad sports fan phenomenon - ESPN]() 2. [Deadspin | The Legend Of Green Man]() 3. [Green Man]() 4. [Green Man - Urban Dictionary]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/green-man Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library