The IShowSpeed Smiling Trying Not To Laugh meme stems from one of the many high-energy livestreams by Darren Watkins Jr., better known as IShowSpeed. The image captures Speed making a distinctive, strained face as he attempts to suppress laughter or a reaction to a donation, video, or chat comment. It has become a staple reaction image for situations involving 'forbidden' laughter, such as trying to stay serious during a funeral, a school presentation, or after a friend says something hilarious at the wrong time. Speed's expressive facial features and the clear tension in his expression make it the perfect visual shorthand for the struggle of maintaining composure.