Florida Man: The true stories behind the meme

Lianna Norman, USA TODAY NETWORK - FloridaThu, August 13, 2026 at 1:49 PM UTC

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Floridians can be strange. Some of us say things like “jiffy feet,” we might ask Google questions like “What do I do if there’s a gator in my yard?” and we’re now known nationwide for spawning the “Florida Man.”

If you haven’t paid attention to Sunshine State news headlines within the past 13 years, “Florida Man” isn't just a catchy phrase that sparked a Netflix series and an HBO Max series.

It’s what we call the kind of person who would attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a hamster wheel, throw a live gator into a Wendy’s drive-through window or attempt to steal a parrot from a pet store by putting it in his pocket. Yes, those are all real headlines from the last six years.

But are Floridians really that much wilder than the rest of the country, or is there a reason behind the volume of unique headlines about Sunshine State residents?

Here’s a quick breakdown of the “Florida Man” meme, when it started, why the phenomenon exists and how to watch the shows it inspired.

Watch 'It's Florida, Man.' with the Disney Bundle

Florida Man headlines from 2020: Florida Man didn't let 2020 slow him down. Here's everything he did.

When did ‘Florida Man’ become a meme?

“Florida Man” headlines were published long before the phrase became a meme. But in 2013, an internet trend of singling out wacky headlines from Florida caught flame and became one of the most iconic and long-lasting online jokes.

The craze is often credited to an X account (formerly Twitter) created in January 2013 under the handle @_FloridaMan, which compiled unique news blurbs from the Sunshine State. The account is no longer posting, with its last Tweets made in 2019. But the meme has lived on far beyond the X account.

The last “Florida Man” headline that the account posted in March 2019 reads “Florida Man Fire Bombs Garage That Impounded His Car, Hits His Own Vehicle.”

From there, the meme took off on other social media platforms, like Reddit, Facebook and Instagram, further amplifying the “so Florida” crime reporting coming out of the state (often involving a gator or two).

There has even been a recurring trend in which you search “Florida Man” and your birthday to see a headline that took place on that day.

For example, searching “Florida Man January 1” will get you Google results like “Florida man arrested on New Year's Day for throwing lit fireworks at patrol car” and “Florida man arrested after naked rampage with a hammer and machete.”

Why are there so many crazy ‘Florida Man’ headlines?

Are Floridians actually that much wackier than the rest of the country, or is there an explanation for the abnormal headlines?

There is a theory that suggests Florida’s public records laws are looser than other states, allowing journalists access to more information about crazy, niche crimes.

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But a 2021 article about the “Florida Man” craze by Ira P. Robbins, a law professor at American University and criminal law expert, suggests that it was just the internet doing what it does best and fanning the flames of a trend and making it one of the longest-lasting jokes online.

“Explanations for Florida Man center on Florida's Public Records Law, which is known as one of the most expansive open records laws in the country… The problem with this theory is that it incorrectly implies that Florida's Public Records Law offers journalists advantages in writing stories that other states' laws do not,” the abstract of the article says.

“Despite the broad grant of access to police documents that Florida's open records law provides, other states' open records laws similarly provide the public with access to arrest records, incident reports, and, although to a lesser extent, mugshots…

Internet platforms allow a wide audience, which may already have been receptive to jokes about Florida due to its reputation for being a newsworthy state to easily consume, share, and re-share Florida Man content, inspiring journalists to continue to write Florida Man stories.”

Shows, games inspired by the ‘Florida Man’ meme

The long-running “Florida Man” trend has inspired two shows and a viral sort-of annual statewide Olympics for Florida men.

In 2023, 10 years after the meme caught flame online, a Netflix mini series titled “Florida Man” was released. The fictional limited series follows an ex-cop from Florida who returns to the Sunshine State to find a mobster’s runaway girlfriend.

In October 2024, HBO released a show called “It’s Florida, Man,” which has two seasons under its belt and was renewed for a third in January 2026.

The show, executive-produced in part by “East Bound and Down” and “Righteous Gemstones” creator and star Danny McBride, is part documentary, part dramedy, part reenactment and had a long roster of well-known guest stars in its first two seasons.

Also in 2024, the first annual “Florida Man Games” took place in St. Augustine, catching national attention and even more “Florida Man” headlines. There have now been three iterations of the games.

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What are the Florida Man Games?

The Florida Man Games is a silly and irreverent X Games-like athletic competition that gathers thousands of Floridians to watch teams from each region of the state compete in headline-worthy battles to test very unique skills and "live the headlines, without the jail time."

At The Florida Man Games, you can find teams of Florida men (and women) competing in events like the "Evading Arrest Obstacle Course," "Weaponized Pool Noodle Mud Duels," a "Florida Sumo Cage Match and Beer Chug," "Human Beer Pong" and more — all to win a cash prize, bragging rights and a snakeskin champions' belt. They even host events for attendees, like the mullet competition.

The games are usually held at the end of February or the beginning of March. The 2026 Florida Man Games were held on Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Freedom Factory racetrack in Bradenton, Florida.

Lianna Norman is a trending reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida, covering pop culture, lotteries, rocket launches, Florida wildlife, breaking news and more. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Florida Man: The true stories behind the meme

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