The Internet Just Realized Jamie Foxx Isn't His Real Name - The Wrap

Jamie Foxx, host of the new show “Beat Shazam,” is trending right now, but not because of his latest gig. The actor’s real name isn’t Jamie Foxx, it’s Eric Marlon Bishop — and this revelation has hit the internet. Hard.

According to Twitter moments, the groundswell of bafflement spiked after Twitter user @_maccckiller posted a tweet with this realization, causing several others to share in her surprise.

The reason for the name change? Jamie Foxx told David Letterman in 2014 that it was to get a leg up doing stand-up comedy early on in his career. Because women were usually called up first during open mics, he changed his name to be more gender-neutral so he would get called up earlier.

Yes, Jamie Foxx’s birth name has been out there for quite a while. But, clearly, a lot of people didn’t know it until now.

Here are some of the best memes reacting to this mass realization:

https://twitter.com/xSHONTIx/status/869229774639693824

https://twitter.com/mfNEstan/status/869256414040121344

https://twitter.com/keepit250/status/869292991818682368

Jamie Foxx's real name is Eric pic.twitter.com/TZMMOfFfpp

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) May 29, 2017

https://twitter.com/mynameisNegan/status/869278913582837766

When Jamie Foxx's name isn't Jamie Foxx pic.twitter.com/I4zMQK2GoQ

— TrivWorks (@TrivWorks) May 29, 2017

When you find out #JamieFoxx isn't even his real name? pic.twitter.com/5zDJGjxn0k

— TV One (@tvonetv) May 29, 2017

https://twitter.com/Chiiiinnnnk/status/869287503555162113

https://twitter.com/NasHatton/status/869322976273072131

https://twitter.com/AntzInHerPantz/status/869567227808428032

This led to searches on the real name of other celebrities, which led to more surprised reactions.

You mean to tell me Jamie Foxx, Whoopi Goldberg, and Bruno Mars AREN'T their real names??? What's next? pic.twitter.com/vBrn2vxnKq

— Tylan LeDuff (@TylanLeDuff) May 29, 2017

https://twitter.com/Pupuchie/status/869332179423301633

All of these real names 😭 I feel so bamboozled pic.twitter.com/FUK82Hb7Hl

— 211 (@sosowhosews) May 30, 2017

pic.twitter.com/PjKZBeaL2e

— mya the scientist 🦋 (@_bawwsy) May 29, 2017

[powergridprofile powerrank=”1017″ node=”246782″ type=”person” path=”http://powergrid.thewrap.com/person/jamie-foxx” title=”Jamie Foxx” image=”jamie_foxx”]

But some pointed out that it’s not all that surprising, given that celebrities have been changing their names for years.

To the ones who thought Jamie Foxx name was really Jamie Foxx pic.twitter.com/aZNYvQcP4M

— D.T. (@Darlene26811165) May 29, 2017

Y'all tripping because Jamie Foxx ain't his real name? I must be getting too old for twitter pic.twitter.com/BV0sdp59iP

— Mankin The Creator (@MankinCreates) May 29, 2017