The Brief: Queen Bey's reaction to having someone lean over her to talk to Jay-Z during a Warriors vs. Raptors game has been widely memed as a relatably uncomfortable experience.

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During game 3 of the NBA finals, while Beyoncé and Jay-Z sat courtside, cameras captured Beyoncés reaction to a woman leaning over her to talk to Jay-Z. While most of us probably can’t relate to the experience of being Beyoncé, or even of sitting courtside at an NBA game, we can relate to her subtle but unmistakable show of annoyance at being ungraciously ignored.

Fans have speculated that Beyoncé’s expression was a reaction to having her personal space encroached upon while someone talked to her husband but ignored her.

The woman in the video is Nicole Curran, the wife of the Warriors owner Joe Lacob. After facing significant backlash from Beyoncé stans, she clarified that she had only briefly talked to Jay-Z and that in the video clarifying Jay-Z’s drink order (after offering the couple drinks), leaning in because the stadium was loud.

Whatever was really happening in the video, this moment has been turned into a viral meme. Some jokes are about Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s relationship while many others note how Beyoncé’s facial expressions can be applied to a myriad of universal situations.

The Nudge

Fans pointed to what looks like a discreet nudge/scoot from Bey as her way of signaling to Nicole to back off.

Backlash From The BeyHive 🐝

The hostility that Nicole Curran was subject to points to how what may be a fun meme for some can be a devastating source of harassment for others. After facing online death threats, Curran switched her Instagram account to private. While the video may be amusing, it’s absolutely not an excuse to harass a stranger on the internet, no matter how devoted of a Beyoncé stan one may be.

Memes Galore

Memes featuring Beyonce’s facial expressions in this moment cover a variety of topics from Lemonade lyrics to High School Musical references.

Several people have pointed out that this video is reminiscent of a similar scene in which Jake Gyllenhaal and Beyoncé appeared to be having an engaging conversation while Jay-Z sat awkwardly between them, which also inspired a slew of memes.

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There goes my dinner plans

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