The Brian Peppers meme centers on a viral mugshot of a man from Ohio who suffered from Apert or Crouzon syndrome, giving him a distinct physical appearance. First surfacing in 2005 on sites like 4chan and YTMND, Peppers quickly became one of the internet's first 'shock' celebrities. While his image was often used in absurdist or creepy contexts, he was a real person whose life was significantly impacted by his sudden digital infamy. Today, the meme is remembered as a cornerstone of mid-2000s web culture, representing a primitive era of internet fame where low-resolution images could achieve global notoriety overnight.