- - Kevin James Recreates Viral “King of Queens” Meme More Than 20 Years Later

Ashley VegaJanuary 29, 2026 at 3:45 AM

0

Kevin James

Tony Esparza/CBS Photo Archive/Getty

Kevin James recreated his viral King of Queens meme pose at a recent premiere

The actor has spoken about being shocked when the old sitcom photo resurfaced online

James has now embraced the meme multiple times, including alongside Jimmy Fallon

Kevin James is once again leaning into the meme that refuses to die.

The King of Queens star recently recreated his now-viral photo — the one that’s been turned into a widely shared reaction meme — more than 20 years after it was first taken. Entertainment Tonight asked James to strike the pose while he attended the premiere of his upcoming movie Solo Mio.

The image, which shows James in a plaid shirt with an exaggerated shrug and a “what can you do?” expression, unexpectedly became an internet staple years after the sitcom originally aired. And while James may not have expected the photo to resurface, he’s clearly willing to have fun with it now.

While speaking with the outlet, James says of the photo and ask, "It felt so corny then, it would feel so corny now," before posing.

Kevin James at the Solo Mio premiere

Michael Loccisano/Getty

This isn’t the first time he’s revisited the meme. When it began blowing up again in 2023, James used it to promote his stand-up tour, embracing the joke rather than running from it.

He also recreated the moment alongside Jimmy Fallon during an appearance on The Tonight Show in January 2024. Speaking with Fallon, James reflected on how the whole thing started as a silly photoshoot when he was just grateful to have landed a sitcom.

“I remember,” James said with an amused sigh. “When you first get a sitcom, you’re just so happy to be there.”

He explained that the photographer encouraged him to try goofy poses for the promotional shoot. “And the photographer was just telling me to do goofy things,” James recalled.

But even then, he admitted he knew the pose was questionable. “I got into this position, ‘What the hell am I doing? Please bury that one,’ ” he said, remembering how he hoped it would never see the light of day.

According to James, the photographer reassured him at the time that it wouldn’t be an issue. “He goes, ‘Yeah, no worries. That won’t come back,’ ” James said.

Leah Remini, Kevin James, and Jerry Stiller on The King of Queens

Gale Adler/CBS via Getty

Of course, the internet had other plans. “25 years later, the thing pops up,” James added, shaking his head.

— sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

During his appearance with Fallon, the two even put on matching plaid shirts and recreated the iconic pose together, further cementing the meme’s place in pop culture history.

Now, with Solo Mio set to premiere Feb. 6, 2026, James is proving once again that he’s in on the joke — and that sometimes the moments you want hidden forever are the ones that live on the longest.

on People

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”