Was Pops Wrong For This Jamar Pittman
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
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.