Emily Carter
The woman on the phone meme, also known as BBQ Becky, refers to a video that surfaced online in April 2018. It shows a white woman in sunglasses and a dark sweatshirt calling the police on two Black men for barbecuing at Lake Merritt in Oakland, California. The video sparked dozens of memes and ignited a conversation around implicit racism.
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What You'll Learn
'BBQ Becky' meme
The "BBQ Becky" meme refers to an incident that took place in April 2018, when a white woman called the police on two black men for barbecuing at Lake Merritt in Oakland, California. The woman, who was wearing sunglasses and a dark sweatshirt, was captured on video by Oakland resident Michelle Snider, the wife of one of the men. The video, which was posted on YouTube, showed the woman calling the police to report the barbecue as "illegal", as the park did not allow charcoal grills.
The incident sparked dozens of memes and ignited conversations about implicit racism and the trend of white people calling the police on African Americans without just cause. The woman in the video was given the nickname "BBQ Becky" by Twitter user @currentmscook, and the hashtag "#BBQBecky" became widely used. The meme also inspired a weekend picnic event in Oakland, California, titled "BBQing While Black", a play on the expression "walking while black".
The "BBQ Becky" meme was referenced in the season finale of Saturday Night Live, with comedian Aidy Bryant portraying the woman in sunglasses and a hoodie, with a cell phone attached to her ear. Bryant's performance mimicked the woman's grimace and exaggerated her role as the "charcoal barbecue patrol".
The "BBQ Becky" meme is just one example of a broader trend of white people calling the police on black individuals for mundane activities, such as barbecuing in a park. These incidents have sparked conversations about racial profiling and the role of police in responding to non-criminal activities. The memes that have emerged from these incidents use humour and satire to draw attention to serious issues of racism and discrimination.
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The woman's sunglasses
The woman in the sunglasses, who has since been dubbed "BBQ Becky", became the subject of a viral video and meme in 2018. The video, posted to YouTube by Oakland resident Michelle Snider, shows a woman in sunglasses and a dark sweatshirt calling the police on a group of black men for barbecuing at Lake Merritt in Oakland, California. The incident sparked conversations about implicit racism and led to various memes and a national news story.
In the video, BBQ Becky can be seen wearing sunglasses and what some have described as a "grimace". Her sunglasses have been described as "wraparound" and "Terminator sunnies". The style of these sunglasses, along with the woman's expression, has become an iconic and recognisable image. The sunglasses are likely to have been a contributing factor to the spread of the meme, with their distinctive shape and association with a sense of fashion that is often mocked or criticised.
The sunglasses themselves are a type of wraparound style, with lenses that curve around the side of the face and offer more coverage from the sun. This style of sunglasses is often associated with a sense of practicality and function over fashion, and they are commonly worn for sports or outdoor activities. The lenses are likely polarised, which helps to reduce glare and enhance visibility, making them a popular choice for activities like driving, cycling, or boating.
The frames of BBQ Becky's sunglasses appear to be a dark colour, possibly black or a dark tortoise shell pattern. The frames are relatively thick and noticeable, with a slight curve to them that follows the shape of the lenses. The sunglasses also appear to have a slight tilt to them, sitting at a small angle on the woman's face. This tilt, along with the expression on the woman's face, may contribute to the sense of disdain or judgement that the image conveys.
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The video's virality
The video in question, which appears to show a white woman in sunglasses and a dark sweatshirt calling the police on two black men for barbecuing at Lake Merritt in Oakland, California, sparked dozens of memes and ignited a conversation around implicit racism when it surfaced online in April 2018. The woman, who became known as "BBQ Becky", was criticised for attempting to police the behaviour of the two men without just cause, with many drawing comparisons to other similar incidents.
The video was shot by Oakland resident Michelle Snider, the wife of one of the men, and posted on YouTube on April 29, 2018, under the title "White Woman Called Out for Racially Targeting Black Men Having BBQ in Oakland". It received over a million views in two weeks and sparked a wave of online reactions, including memes, photoshops, and a community picnic event in Oakland titled "BBQing While Black".
The "woman on the phone" meme, as it became known, was fuelled by the visual of the woman's distinctive sunglasses and cell phone, with comedian Aidy Bryant even impersonating her on Saturday Night Live. The incident and the subsequent memes sparked a broader conversation about implicit racism and the trend of white people calling the police on African Americans without valid reason.
The virality of the video and the subsequent memes can be attributed to the way it tapped into a broader cultural conversation about race and power dynamics in the United States. The woman's appearance, with her sunglasses and cell phone, became a symbol of privilege and entitlement, and her actions were seen as a form of ""policing"" that was not only unjustified but also potentially dangerous for the men involved.
The memes and online reactions served as a form of social commentary and a way for people to process and respond to the incident. By appropriating the visual of the woman on the phone, the memes transformed a serious incident into a form of cultural critique that was widely shared and recognised. The virality of the video and the subsequent memes of "BBQ Becky" highlight the power of the internet to disseminate information and shape public discourse, for better or worse.
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Accusations of implicit racism
The "woman on the phone meme," also known as "BBQ Becky," refers to a woman who was filmed calling the police on two Black men in Oakland, California, for barbecuing at Lake Merritt. The video, which was posted on YouTube on April 29, 2018, sparked dozens of memes and ignited a conversation around implicit racism. The woman in the video, who was wearing sunglasses and a dark sweatshirt, was calling the police on the men for using a charcoal barbecue in an area that did not allow it. While the grill was indeed in a location that did not permit charcoal, one of the men said that people had been barbecuing with charcoal in the park before.
The incident drew comparisons to other recent events of white people calling the police on African Americans without just cause. For example, on May 11, 2020, a white woman called 911 to falsely claim that a Black bird-watcher in Central Park was threatening her life. In another instance, a woman accused a teenager of stealing her cellphone and demanded that he give it back. The woman, later identified as Miya Ponsetto, tackled the teenager and tried to search his pockets before they were separated. The teenager, Keyon Harrold Jr., and his father, jazz musician Keyon Harrold, said they believed they had been racially profiled.
In a similar case, a woman was recorded on video hurling racist slurs at a child of Somali heritage in a public park in Rochester, Minnesota, on April 28, 2025. The woman accused the child of stealing from her son's diaper bag. An online fundraiser was set up for the woman, which raised over $675,000, but it was also met with a significant number of racist and derogatory comments. These incidents have sparked discussions about implicit racism and the role of white people in reporting or accusing Black individuals without valid reasons. The "BBQ Becky" meme, in particular, has become a symbol of these conversations, with community members in Oakland organizing a picnic event titled "BBQing While Black" to draw attention to the issue.
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The police's response
It is unclear what specific incident of "the chick with the cell phone and sunglasses" you are referring to. However, there are two incidents that involve a woman with sunglasses and a cell phone calling the police that have sparked widespread media attention and internet memes.
In the first incident, commonly referred to as "BBQ Becky", a woman in Oakland, California, called the police on two Black men who were barbecuing at Lake Merritt. The woman, who was wearing sunglasses and a dark sweatshirt, was recorded on video by Michelle Snider, the wife of one of the men. The video was posted on YouTube on April 29, 2018, and quickly went viral, sparking conversations about implicit racism.
In the video, the woman can be heard saying that the charcoal barbecue is "illegal." While it was indeed in a location that did not allow charcoal grilling, one of the men pointed out that people had been barbecuing with charcoal in that area before. It is important to note that the police were called solely because the men were barbecuing, which many perceived as an act of racial profiling and an unnecessary use of police resources.
The Oakland Police Department did not release an official statement regarding this specific incident. However, in similar cases, the police have often defended their response by stating that they are obligated to respond to all calls and complaints from the public. In some cases, police departments have acknowledged the complexities of these situations and have worked to improve their training and response protocols regarding racial bias and discrimination.
In another incident, which also occurred in Oakland, California, a woman in sunglasses called the police on a group of people having a cookout in a park. This incident, which took place on May 11, sparked similar outrage online and was compared to other recent incidents of white people calling the police on African Americans without just cause.
The Oakland Police Department's response to this particular incident is not publicly available. However, as with the "BBQ Becky" incident, the police were criticized for responding to a non-urgent matter that was perceived as an act of racial profiling. This incident further ignited conversations about the role of the police in addressing issues that may be better handled through community dialogue and conflict resolution, rather than law enforcement involvement.
In both cases, the police's response was heavily scrutinized by the public and the media. While there is no information on any disciplinary actions taken against the responding officers or any official statements issued by the Oakland Police Department regarding these specific incidents, they have sparked broader discussions about police reform, implicit bias, and the appropriate use of police resources.
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Frequently asked questions
The woman in question is known as BBQ Becky. She was filmed calling the police on two black men for barbecuing at Lake Merritt in Oakland, California. The incident sparked dozens of memes and ignited a conversation around implicit racism.
In the video, BBQ Becky can be seen wearing sunglasses and calling the police on a group of people who were having a cookout in a park. The police were called because the group were allegedly using a charcoal barbecue in a location that did not allow it.
The video received a lot of attention online, with many people comparing it to other incidents of white people calling the police on African Americans without just cause. The woman in the video was given the nickname "BBQ Becky" and became the subject of numerous memes and photoshops.
The "Woman on the Phone" meme refers to a video or image of a woman talking on the phone. The meme usually involves the woman saying or doing something that is perceived as ridiculous or inappropriate. The meme has been used to comment on issues of racism and police brutality.
