Who Is the Burger King Crown Guy? A Look at the Viral Plane Incidents That Sparked Backlash

The image of a man wearing a Burger King crown on a plane has been burned into the internet’s memory. But who exactly is the “Burger King Crown Guy,” and why does he keep appearing in headlines and memes?

Turns out, it’s not just one moment, it’s a combination of bizarre and disturbing events involving different people, different airlines, and the same unforgettable prop: that paper Burger King crown.

Let’s break it down.

The First Viral Moment: JetBlue Flight Meltdown (2020)

Back in October 2020, a JetBlue flight from Kingston, Jamaica, to New York took a chaotic turn.

A man wearing a Burger King crown reportedly got into a loud and aggressive argument after claiming someone took his seat. Things escalated quickly. Passengers captured footage of him yelling racial slurs, including the N-word, and bizarrely defending himself by claiming to be “part West African.”

He was eventually removed from the flight by authorities in Jamaica, but not before the internet caught wind of it. The video was shared widely, and just like that, “Burger King Crown Guy” became meme material.

But this wasn’t just another internet joke, it raised serious questions about airline conduct and racism in public spaces.

The Second Incident: Antisemitic Crowds on a Southwest Flight (2022)

Fast forward to 2022, and the Burger King crown showed up again — this time in a far darker context.

On a Southwest Airlines flight, two men were seen wearing altered Burger King crowns marked with antisemitic slogans. Phrases like “Ye is right” (a nod to Kanye West’s controversial remarks), swastikas, and even “6 million wasn’t enough” were written on the crowns.

The photos went viral. The Simon Wiesenthal Center condemned the incident and called for Southwest to take a stronger stance against hate speech. The airline responded, but the damage was already done, yet again, a cheap paper crown became the focal point of a public outrage.

From Meme to Symbol of Public Disruption

It’s not often that a novelty fast-food item becomes a recurring character in airline controversies. But here we are.

The "Burger King Crown Guy" meme, now a fixture on TikTok, YouTube, Tenor GIFs, and even Etsy merchandise, is no longer just funny. It’s evolved into a symbol of outbursts, offensive behavior, and the uncomfortable truth about what people are sometimes willing to do when they think no one’s watching (or when they know everyone is).

It also shows how quickly we turn real, serious issues into content. One minute it’s a disturbing incident on a flight, the next minute it’s a viral joke or a clip for reaction videos.

What’s the Bigger Picture Here?

Both of these incidents bring up the same core issues: how airlines manage disruptive passengers, how hate speech is policed in public spaces, and how the internet responds, often with memes, merch, and dark humor.

Whether it’s a man yelling slurs or someone using a fast-food crown to spread hate, the online world rarely forgets, but it also rarely pauses to unpack the seriousness behind the spectacle.

More Than Just a Meme

At first glance, the “Burger King Crown Guy” might seem like another internet oddity. But underneath the virality lies something more troubling: the normalization of racism, antisemitism, and public disorder in places meant to be safe and neutral, like an airplane cabin.

So next time you see that crown in a meme, it might be worth asking: Are we laughing at the absurdity, or ignoring the real story behind it?