A man who photobombed the New Year's Eve photos of three friends just trying to have a good time is proving to be a dismal reminder of how some people just ruin everything.
On the surface, the idea of somebody photobombing a picture doesn't necessarily sound like the worst thing in the world. Most of us have probably been on both sides of that situation, whether intentionally or not.
And on New Year's Eve—or any big, public celebration—the vibe can be such that sharing joy with strangers can seem like a good idea in the moment, even if it appears more awkward to outsiders after the fact.
But the particular situation at hand digs in a little deeper. TikToker @sarahhcusick originally posted a minute long video that showed her and her two friends experiencing the moment the calendar flipped over into the new year, complete with fireworks in the background.
They had found what appears to be a quieter place off to the side to record themselves and take pictures without being bothered.
"not even 12s into the new year and a man ruined the vibe," reads the text overlay.
Sure enough, about 15 seconds into the video, some random guy wanders over towards the three of them and just stands there, ignoring the fact that the women are hugging and grouped together and very clearly uninterested in engaging with them.
At no point does he seem to pick up a single clue, trying to talk to them and moving closer still even after they've repeatedly and visibly dismissed him and gone back to doing their own thing.
the fact that he just stood there the entire time is crazy? pic.twitter.com/0MzX53kDKd
— ??????? (@beyoncegarden) January 1, 2026
Social media reacts
Predictably, the responses were split between those who are tired of men who refuse to acknowledge that women don't owe them attention and take the L when they're so obviously being brushed off vs those who think the women were in the wrong for not catering to his whims just because he had the gall to walk up to them.
The second group of commenters also got shut down pretty quickly.
1 it shouldn’t have interrupted a personal moment w friends 2 he should’ve left when they were clearly not interested? pic.twitter.com/GqmYnCi1Z2
— ??????? (@beyoncegarden) January 1, 2026
She literally waves him off mid-hug, he freezes like he's suddenly a fireworks enthusiast.
— Mohini Monarch (@MohiniWealth) January 2, 2026
If "failing to read the room" was an Olympic sport, he'd take gold in 2026 .
the fact that he just stood there the entire time is crazy? pic.twitter.com/0MzX53kDKd
— ??????? (@beyoncegarden) January 1, 2026
We aren’t here to make men feel better when they choose to interrupt moments with our friends ???♀️
— Disability Rights (@TalkThatTalk_K) January 1, 2026
The guy here lacks fundamental social skills. You don’t walk up to people having a personal celebration and interrupt it. That’s just basic common sense. When someone asks you to move out of their personal space, you usually just move. Instead they had to move out of their shot.
— The Truth ⚖️ (@pattykazUSA) January 1, 2026
Fireworks popping, girls hugging it out, random guy swoops in—gets the hint, ignores it, and admires the "view."
— Mohini Monarch (@MohiniWealth) January 2, 2026
Masterclass in how NOT to read the room, now with 3M views for educational purposes .
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