Was Pops Wrong For This Jamar Pittman

2021reaction videoactive

Was Pops Wrong For This refers to a viral clip from a 2021 CNN interview where JaMar Pittman appeared to be holding back laughter during a serious segment about the Oxford High School shooting. The moment became a popular reaction video and GIF on Twitter/X starting in 2023, spawning photoshops and AI-generated edits.

Overview

Was Pops Wrong For This is a reaction meme featuring JaMar Pittman, a pastor who appeared in a CNN interview following the November 2021 Oxford High School shooting in Michigan1. During the segment, the camera panned to Pittman after his son JeVon called him his hero. Pittman appeared to be suppressing laughter before burying his face in his shirt, though he may have been holding back tears2. The ambiguous emotional display, juxtaposed against the serious on-screen headline about terrorism charges, made the clip instantly memeable.

The meme gets its name from an Instagram infographic posted by @hiphopties that asked "WAS POPS WRONG FOR THIS?" alongside screen recordings of the viral clip3. This gave JaMar Pittman the nickname "Pops" across social media. The clip is used as a reaction to convey barely contained laughter in inappropriate situations.

In 2024, internet users discovered Pittman's YouTube channel and additional photos of him with a grey beard, leading to photoshop edits and AI-generated videos using Viggle AI3. Many compared the meme to IShowSpeed's trying not to laugh edits.

How It Spread

After @dchocolatedoll's tweet went viral and was deleted, Instagram user @hiphopties posted a carousel on April 3rd, 2023, that included the clip and the now-iconic "WAS POPS WRONG FOR THIS?" infographic3. The post gained over 85,200 likes within a year, cementing the "Pops" nickname.

Usage as a reaction video exploded on Twitter/X throughout June 2023. User @crackcobain__ quote-tweeted a controversial take using the Pops video, gaining over 34,000 likes3. User @upblissed found an old photo from Pittman's X account, writing "so this nigga always been unserious," which also received 34,000 likes3. The meme became a go-to for expressing barely contained laughter at inappropriate moments.

The meme resurged in March 2024 when @OJSIMPS0NBURNER shared the video in response to a prompt about videos that always make people laugh, gaining 29,000 likes3. This sparked renewed interest, with users finding Pittman's YouTube channel and his wife defending him in the comments3. Edits using Viggle AI to rotoscope Pittman into other videos became popular, and the meme was frequently compared to IShowSpeed trying not to laugh compilations3.

How to Use This Meme

The Was Pops Wrong For This clip is typically used as a reaction when something inappropriate makes you want to laugh. Users quote-tweet or reply with the video or GIF to convey "I know I shouldn't laugh but I can't help it." The thumb-pointing moment where Pittman gestures toward his son is also used in edits, often with crowds cheering or other comedic additions. Advanced users have rotoscoped Pittman into unrelated videos using AI tools like Viggle AI.

Frequently Asked Questions