Introduction

The Khaby Lame Shrug meme features influencer Khaby Lame showcasing the simplicity of solutions through his expressive reactions to complicated life hacks.

Background

The Khaby Lame Shrug, also known as 'It's That Simple,' originated from a series of screenshots taken from a 2021 TikTok video. In this video, Khaby Lame critiques a flawed pizza life hack by demonstrating a straightforward method, shrugging to emphasize the obviousness of his approach. The video, uploaded in April 2021, quickly gained traction, leading to the creation of numerous image macros that humorously illustrate simple alternatives in various contexts.

How It Began

On April 26, 2021, TikToker Khaby Lame posted a video reacting to a questionable pizza hack that suggested using a pizza saver to easily slice a pizza. Rather than using the hack, Lame simply pulled the pizza apart, demonstrating a more efficient method. His shrugging reaction highlighted the simplicity of the alternative, and the video went viral, amassing over 200 million views within two months. Watch the video here.

Meme Evolution

The meme gained momentum on May 13, 2021, when the Twitter meme page @ChurchOfBoobism shared an image macro utilizing Lame's expressions, juxtaposing two screenshots of him with humorous labels. This post was later shared on Reddit, where it received significant upvotes across various subreddits. Over the following weeks, the format proliferated on platforms like Reddit and Tumblr, with users creatively applying Lame's shrugging expression to a wide array of scenarios, thus solidifying its place in meme culture.