John King wowed CNN viewers on I Am a Plaything (2025)election night with his deft map skills and his constant references to America's suburbs. But he also caught the internet's attention for something else: lurking.

In desk shots of Wolf Blitzer and Jake "Not A Blue Wave" Tapper, King was hanging out in the background like a cable news ghost. Sometimes he was poking around on his map; sometimes he was on his phone.

Was he on Twitter? Perhaps he was looking at memes of himself, lurking in the corner on CNN. Or perhaps he was texting. He didmention all the election-related texts he'd been receiving throughout the night.

Mashable Trend Report Decode what’s viral, what’s next, and what it all means. Sign up for Mashable’s weekly Trend Report newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!
SEE ALSO: This election night Photoshop battle imagines wild political agendas

All things considered, his presence did not appear to be intentional. But it was good.

King of lurking! Good night.


Featured Video For You
'We're being used': Rapper Vic Mensa pleads for gun control legislation.