The 'Bangs' meme originates from an episode of the Whatever Podcast hosted by Brian Atlas, which gained massive traction on TikTok and Instagram in 2023. During a heated discussion about dating preferences, Brian questioned a guest's hairstyle, asking 'What's with the bangs?' and implying they were a psychological 'red flag.' The clip quickly became a viral sensation, sparking widespread debate and parody across social media. It is now frequently used as a template to mock hyper-specific dating dealbreakers, confrontational interview dynamics, or simply to highlight the humor in arbitrary aesthetic judgments. The meme captures the awkward tension of modern dating podcasts and the internet's obsession with identifying red flags in everyday choices.