Tron Guy

2004

Date: March 2004 · Place: Jay Maynard's home page, Fairmont, Minnesota · Figures: Jay Maynard, computer programmer, 45 · Tags: Cosplay, Viral Person 01. A Programmer in Spandex Jay Maynard, a Minnesota programmer, sews a costume of the cyan-lit Tron suit from the 1982 Disney film, photographs himself wearing it on his home page, and links from a Slashdot comment in March 2004. The photos travel. Jimmy Kimmel Live books him; he does conventions; he becomes a recurring The Howard Stern Show guest. The suit is unmistakable and the photographs are unflattering in a way that lets the audience laugh comfortably. 02. The Volunteer Meme Person Where Star Wars Kid is made viral against his will, Tron Guy chooses. Maynard makes himself the meme, monetises modestly, attends conventions for a decade. He is the era's clearest case of the consenting viral person. He attends the Tron: Legacy (2010) premiere in his suit, by invitation of the studio. The meme survives because the meme cooperates. Sources • Jay Maynard home page, tronguy.net (Wayback, 2004-2010) • Wired, 'Tron Guy is in the building' (2010) • KnowYourMeme, Tron Guy