The Big Bird and Snuffy meme draws from the long-running storyline on Sesame Street where Aloysius Snuffleupagus was considered Big Bird's imaginary friend. For 14 years, the adults on the show never saw Snuffy, creating a running gag where Big Bird appeared to be hallucinating. This changed in 1985 when Snuffy was finally revealed to the rest of the cast. In meme culture, images of the pair often represent a situation where someone sees a looming truth or problem that everyone else is ignoring. It has evolved into a versatile format for themes of validation, gaslighting, or simply celebrating an iconic childhood duo.