The Interrogation of Stephen McDaniel stems from the real-life 2011 murder investigation of Lauren Giddings, where suspect Stephen McDaniel exhibited incredibly bizarre behavior during police questioning. The footage went viral years later, primarily due to McDaniel's 'statue-like' ability to remain perfectly still for hours on end, combined with his eerie, calculated responses. Internet users transformed these chilling moments into memes that represent extreme awkwardness, the feeling of being caught in a lie, or the intense pressure of a performance. It is frequently used to depict someone trying (and failing) to appear normal in a situation where they are clearly under scrutiny or experiencing an internal crisis.