Paul Blart: Mall Cop emerged as a prominent meme due to the ironic glorification of Kevin James' character, an overly dedicated and clumsy security guard. While the film was released in 2009, the internet repurposed its posters and still frames to represent wannabe authority figures or to satirize intense action movie tropes. The meme often features Paul Blart on his signature Segway, symbolizing a blend of unearned confidence and slapstick comedy. It is frequently used in photoshop battles or to represent someone taking a low-stakes situation far too seriously, eventually evolving into a symbol of nostalgic irony within the meme community.