The Original Video Revealed: Inside the Uncut Footage Behind the Viral Man Crying Meme
By Robert Thorne
Q1: What is the official origin of the man crying meme?
The meme originates from an April 2010 episode of the A&E documentary series Intervention (Season 8, Episode 14). The clip features former world boxing champion Rocky Lockridge weeping after his son Lamar expresses love and forgiveness despite their painful past.
Q2: Who was the crying man in real life?
His name was Rocky Lockridge. He was an American professional boxer who held the WBA super featherweight title from 1984 to 1985 and the IBF super featherweight title from 1987 to 1988, defeating champions like Roger Mayweather during his athletic prime.
Q3: Did Rocky Lockridge ever earn money from the viral meme?
No. Lockridge received no royalties or licensing fees from the millions of views, remixes, GIF distributions, or TikTok sounds derived from the footage. The copyright remained with A&E Television Networks, and Lockridge lived on state aid and family care until his death in 2019.
Robert Thorne covers electric vehicle innovations, autonomous driving systems, global mobility trends, and automotive engineering developments.
