10 Guy Reveals His True Identity As Connor Sinclair After Nearly A Decade Of Anonymity

While the origins of many memes have been uncovered over the years, the true identity of 10 Guy has never been known since it first appeared online back in 2011. As one of the most well-known images from the early days of Advice Animals, 10 Guy’s real name has eluded many, including us, despite his image becoming a viral sensation throughout the 2010s.

Now, after nearly a decade of remaining in the shadows, 10 Guy has finally stepped into the light to reveal his identity for the first time. In April, unbeknownst to many until just recently, Connor Sinclair set up a Twitter account under the name “@10GuyOfficial” where he began slowly tweeting over the course of the month while confirming he was none other than 10 Guy himself alongside an announcement of an upcoming NFT release.

Yes it's me. The Real Deal 👋

10 years of 10 Guy 🙌

The Original 10 Guy meme NFT going live in the near future.

Watch this space 😀 pic.twitter.com/aZ1kzipOu7

— 10 Guy (@10GuyOfficial) April 11, 2021

Yesterday, Sinclair shared a clip under the title “10 Guy REVEALED” on his YouTube channel where he addressed the meme and announced himself as the man behind the famous photo.

Sinclair then reached out to us yesterday to discuss these recent events, so we caught up with 10 Guy to ask a few questions about why he suddenly decided to reveal himself all these years later — finally putting one of the longest-running “unsolved meme-steries” to rest.

“Honestly I never thought it would have the staying power it does,” Sinclair told us. “I've had plenty of offers for promotions, from board games to a snack food brand. I've never gone through with them because I didn't think people would care, and it felt a bit disingenuous almost? The meme belongs to everyone who shared it, liked it, etc. I just happen to be the guy with the sweaty face and the glazed expression who went viral. But now feels like a good time to do it. As you said, a decade, 10 years of 10 guy. It just felt right. Of course, the hype around NFTs is a large part of that but the timing just felt perfect.”

After seeing some of the recent coverage and hype surrounding the meme NFT craze that kicked off earlier this year, Sinclair said that things like seeing Snoop Dogg promoting NFTs on Twitter sparked an interest in announcing his role in 10 Guy, as well as speaking to several meme celebrities in recent months who’ve seen historic sales for their crypto-collectibles.

“I've been in touch with Kyle Craven (Bad Luck Brian), who is an absolutely fantastic guy and has really helped me, including inviting me on to Foundation [the crypto art platform],” Sinclair said. “Chris Torres (Nyan Cat) very kindly got in touch too. It's all very surreal, especially as I've been anonymous for 10 years. I think it would be fair to say all the old memes give people a sense of nostalgia, a throwback to a more innocent time — especially after the year we've just had.”

We also asked Sinclair why he decided to keep himself anonymous since 2011, as well as if he’d ever thought about coming forward before. Since his meme depicted him as “Really High Guy” and “Stoner Stanley,” Sinclair merely avoided his internet fame due to worries of a negative association.

“To be honest, the meme went viral when I was 18 and just starting University,” he said. “I was a bit nervous about getting too involved, and I wasn't comfortable about it when I was younger and studying, if it might have affected my career, etc. I don't think I could have imagined still talking about it 10 years later! But if I reflect, it's been a great thing. It makes people happy, what's better than that.”

While most people have never really known Sinclair was the man behind the meme, he did tell us that his identity wasn’t exactly a tight-lipped secret either. According to him, everyone in his circle of friends knew his association with 10 Guy, including friends of friends. Additionally, Sinclair told us that people spot him all the time out in public and ask for a photo.

Perhaps the most wholesome piece of his tale is how the meme played a role in meeting his partner. “My partner Lucy and I just celebrated our six-year anniversary,” he said. “We first met because she recognized me and asked me for a photo. Now we have a house together and a little dog Mosey, so really, I should be saying thanks to my alter ego!”

Sinclair agreed to do a more in-depth interview with us for part of our ongoing editorial series, so check back next week to hear the full account of 10 Guy and what Sinclair’s been up to over the last decade since he became a viral meme.