Timeline of a Phenomenon: How a Single Tear Transformed Global Meme History
By Chloe Bennett
Q1: Who took the original photo used in the Crying Jordan meme?
A1: Stephan Savoia, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning staff photographer for the Associated Press, took the photograph on September 11, 2009, during Michael Jordan's enshrinement speech at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Q2: Why did Michael Jordan cry during his 2009 Hall of Fame induction?
A2: Jordan was overcome with emotion while reflecting on his journey to basketball immortality, addressing the family members, rivals, high school coaches, and competitors who fueled his obsessive drive across decades.
Q3: How is the Crying Jordan meme different from the Rocky Lockridge meme?
A3: Jordan's meme is a static photographic image capturing Jordan's tearful face from 2009, primarily used via Photoshop face swaps to mock sports losses. Rocky Lockridge’s meme is an animated video clip from a 2010 episode of the A&E reality series Intervention, featuring the former boxer bursting into a loud, emotional wail.
Q4: Did Michael Jordan ever sue anyone over the use of the meme?
A4: Jordan never filed lawsuits against social media users or parody accounts sharing the image for satire. His legal representatives made it clear, however, that commercial brands attempting to profit from the image or use it in marketing without licensing would face aggressive trademark and right-of-publicity litigation.
Chloe Bennett explores the intersection of pop culture, streaming entertainment, digital trends, and contemporary lifestyle. Her weekly commentary reaches thousands of culture enthusiasts.
