Looking back at the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s astonishing how much the world around us changed. From social distancing lines at grocery stores to curbside pickups becoming the new norm, the virus reshaped how we moved, interacted, and how we reacted. Some of those reactions became immortalized online, and few were as bizarre or viral as the now-infamous “Victoria’s Secret Karen” incident, which has recently resurfaced on Reddit.
In the summer of 2021, New Jersey’s high-end Mall at Short Hills became the backdrop for one of these COVID-era viral sensations. What began as a minor social distancing dispute over a Victoria’s Secret coupon escalated into a scene straight out of a reality TV show. Ijeoma Ukenta, visiting the mall for a quick shopping trip, encountered Abigail Elphick, who had apparently gotten too close for comfort in those paranoid, pre-vaccine days. Ukenta, hoping to maintain a six-foot distance, asked Elphick to step back, a seemingly simple request that set off an absurd chain of events.
As Ukenta began filming –probably anticipating some minor grumbling– Elphick’s reaction spiraled out of control. First, she lunged at Ukenta, then fell to the floor, sobbing and begging for her not to film. What followed was an astonishing mix of tears, pleas, and a panic-fueled meltdown that rapidly evolved into a viral moment.
What made this encounter particularly jarring, and ultimately viral, was the contrast between Elphick’s frantic cries to “get her away from me!” and her repeated attempts to charge at the very person she was seemingly terrified of. “Do you see how you’re walking towards me?” quipped one recent Reddit user, capturing the contradiction that left viewers baffled and amused.
The situation became even more surreal when Elphick dramatically collapsed to the floor, convulsing in what many assumed was a fabricated seizure. “Better lay down and play dead and go from there,” joked one commenter, reflecting the absurdity of the moment. This was an era when public freakouts became increasingly common, but few matched the sheer intensity and performative flair of Elphick’s episode.
Yet, beneath the humor and shock of the incident, the pandemic had pushed people’s limits in ways we hadn’t fully anticipated. Social distancing, mask mandates, and fear of contagion created new norms, but they also heightened tensions and anxieties in public spaces. What might have been a minor conflict in “normal” times was amplified by the paranoia and uncertainty that permeated every aspect of life during COVID-19. As one Redditor commented, “I’ve been on the other end of that… that shit is terrifying,” revealing how tense and unsettling these seemingly ridiculous incidents could be in the moment.
According to the NY Times, the court filings that followed offered a more nuanced view, revealing that Elphick’s reaction was linked to her fear of losing her job and apartment if the video spread online. Her panic, it seems, was driven by the recognition that viral fame could upend her life—a fear realized when her image circulated across the internet, with users labeling her the “Victoria’s Secret Karen.”
For many, though, this video epitomized the surreal, almost dystopian nature of the pandemic. In a time when even going to a mall felt like a hazardous expedition, tensions ran high, and the smallest interactions could spark chaos. These strange social distortions were a hallmark of life during COVID-19, as people struggled to navigate the new and often confusing rules of public life. Masks and six feet apart became more than health guidelines—they were pressure points that could trigger meltdowns like Elphick’s.
Two years later, the “Karen” incident serves as a snapshot of that bizarre era, a time when fear, frustration, and the unfamiliar merged into moments that seemed almost too ridiculous to be real.
