The Tom Hanks Golden Globe Grimace originated during the 77th Golden Globe Awards in January 2020. As host Ricky Gervais delivered a biting, cynical opening monologue targeting Hollywood's elite, cameras panned to Tom Hanks, who was captured making a squinting, visibly uncomfortable face. This instant reaction quickly became a viral sensation, symbolizing secondhand embarrassment, the feeling of hearing a 'too real' truth, or general distaste for a situation. It is widely used across social media to react to awkward jokes, controversial opinions, or moments where one just wants to disappear from a conversation.