About

Why Is He Lying? refers to a YouTube thumbnail showing the Marvel Comics character Wong (played by actor Benedict Wong) alongside large yellow text reading, "Why is he lying?" Similar to other New Rockstars Thumbnail Reaction Images, the meme comes from a YouTube video thumbnail image by the New Rockstars channel, which has since been unlisted. In 2022, people began using the thumbnail as a reaction image on sites like X / Twitter, often commented under posts to accuse someone of lying. The image is very similar in style to the "Does He Know?" reaction image and New Rockstars thumbnail meme. An offshoot and opposite version of the meme known as Why Is He Telling the Truth? then emerged in June 2025.

Origin

The "Why is he lying?" image originated from the thumbnail of an unlisted YouTube^[4] video, titled "WONG Joining the Thunderbolts? She-Hulk Episode 3 Predictions! | The Breakroom," by the New Rockstars channel about the MCU character Wong that asks why he is lying about a certain subject, which was streamed on September 1st, 2022. In roughly three years, the video received over 62,000 views and 1,900 likes.

On October 8th, 2022, X^[1] user @LeEyepoke posted a cropped version of the thumbnail in response to a post that reads, "Draymond Green said the looming contract situation 'had nothing' to do with the punch of Jordan Poole," garnering over 140 likes in three years. This is the earliest known use of the meme.

Spread

The thumbnail spread as a reaction image over the following years as a way of calling someone out for lying. On June 18th, 2023, TikToker^[2] @xteiss posted a video offering three thumbnails that are used as reaction images, including the Why Is He Lying? image, garnering over 180,000 views in two years.

On January 5th, 2025, Redditor u/ke7iah posted the meme to the /r/Batman^[3] subreddit along with a screenshot of an X post about the Snyder Cut, garnering over 800 upvotes in roughly five months.

Why Is He Telling the Truth?

In early June 2025, a variant of the Why Is He Lying? meme edited to read "Why Is He Telling the Truth?" then emerged online.

The original version of the Why Is He Telling the Truth? meme was posted by Tenor^[5] user eeexdlolll on June 1st, 2025, edited to read "Why Is He tellin the truth?" via a recaption edit.

On June 7th, Tenor^[6] user calu_ then posted another version, altering the text to mimic the original New Rockstars style more closely.

On June 16th, 2025, TikTok^[7] user @xst1ckerx posted the meme to the platform, receiving over 20 likes in roughly two weeks.

Various Examples

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Search Interest

External References