The Staten Island Clown sightings first went viral in March 2014 when grainy photos of a creepy, Pennywise-like figure holding yellow balloons under a streetlamp began circulating on social media. The mystery gripped the public imagination before it was eventually revealed to be a clever viral marketing stunt by Fuzz on the Lens Productions. Despite the reveal, the imagery remains a staple of New York internet culture, symbolizing the bizarre and often unsettling atmosphere of urban legends. In meme culture, it is frequently used to represent the feeling of being in the wrong place at the wrong time or to poke fun at the unique reputation of Staten Island compared to the other four boroughs.