The 'White People Be Like / Black People Be Like' meme format is a staple of observational comedy that predates the internet, rooted deeply in 1980s and 90s stand-up comedy routines. It gained mainstream digital popularity as a way to humorously contrast perceived cultural differences, social reactions, and lifestyle habits between different demographics. While it began as a spoken-word trope used by comedians like Bernie Mac and Dave Chappelle, it evolved into a versatile split-screen image template on platforms like Twitter, Vine, and TikTok. Today, the meme is used to poke fun at everything from reactions to horror movies and spicy food to different styles of parenting, serving as a relatable way to highlight the diversity of human behavior through a comedic lens.