The weird LeBron James You Are My Sunshine TikTok meme, explained
Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Have you seen some videos on TikTok or on other social media sites with LeBron James and the song You Are My Sunshine and you’re wondering what the heck that’s all about? And you’re very confused about that whole thing? Don’t worry. We’re here to help.
I mean, I just said it up there. People are taking this over-lit (I don’t know if that’s the term but whatever!) photo of a smiling LeBron James and putting the sounds of You Are My Sunshine underneath.
What is that? Let’s discuss!
What is the LeBron James You Are My Sunshine TikTok meme?
Here are a bunch of examples!
LeBron James = sunshine
— thumbsupaccount (@thumbsupaccount) March 26, 2024
You are my sunshine Lebron pic.twitter.com/MdtULRK03t
— BronnyMuse (@BronnyMuse06) March 23, 2024
oh boy lebron…
where do I start…
u bring a light into this world that no person or thing could ever extinguish. The world would be such a dark place without you my handsome ray of sunshine
pic.twitter.com/Pittcer0K3
— The Greatest Memes Ever (@DaGoodMemes) March 23, 2024
I really can't believe we live in a society where a still image of LeBron James with a heavy bloom effect while "You are my sunshine" plays in the background is a meme pic.twitter.com/lf903LMWOY
— DelysidOfficial (@DelysidOfficial) March 28, 2024
i cant get the lebron sunshine video out my head pic.twitter.com/DiyDwGJ94F
— Sephen (@Sephenel) March 23, 2024
Rob sent me 15 of those LeBron sunshine videos pic.twitter.com/UPk3MRff8u
— Memphis Grizzlies Suicide Baiting (@GundamSeedYaoi) March 27, 2024
Ohh lebron where do I begin, I admire the way you play the game with your grace and greatness, your smile is bright like a sunshine and I’ve watched spaceman 23 times 6 days a week my king
— BRON BRON (@dunkedbyjames) March 24, 2024
… What did I just watch?
I know. It’s weird.
Where did all that come from?
For that answer, we go to our pals at Know Your Meme:
Back in January 2023, TikTokers began an ironic meme trend known as “LeBron glazing” that mocks dedicated fans and defenders of NBA legend LeBron James for their seeming inability to criticize LeBron. The meme often sees users attach overly supportive captions over images or footage of LeBron, including captions that refer to him with nicknames like “my glorious king LeBron.”
The meme continues throughout 2023 and that December, TikTokers began setting footage and memes of LeBron to the song “You Are My Sunshine” by Christina Perri, as if dedicating the song to the NBA player and referring to him as “their sunshine.” The memes took off throughout the first quarter of 2024 along with a gushing ironic copypasta that begins with, “Boy oh boy LeBron, where do I even start.”
That’s just wild.
It sure is.