Tina Fey Just Hilariously Cleared The Air After Timothée Chalamet 'Manspreading' Next To Her At Knicks Game Went Viral

What started as a viral photo from a Knicks game quickly became one of the internet's favorite celebrity storylines. Now, Tina Fey is clearing the air about the alleged "manspreading beef" with Timothée Chalamet while sharing what the Oscar nominee and Kylie Jenner were actually like off-camera.

For those who don't recall, Chalamet found himself at the center of countless memes after social media users accused him of "manspreading" next to Fey during a Knicks game in April. The photo that launched a thousand jokes showed Fey seated beside Chalamet, with the actor positioned between the comedian and Jenner while sporting a Knicks cap and a notably wide stance.

The reactions to the picture were pretty funny, but some people online seemed genuinely outraged:

Appearing on the May 27 episode of the New Heights podcast with Travis and Jason Kelce, the Saturday Night Live alum was asked about the alleged "manspreading beef."

Fey immediately made it clear there was no bad blood between her and the Dune actor:

"I should start by saying that Timothée Chalamet was nothing but lovely. Super friendly. Kylie was friendly and delightful…”

The celebrity pair have been dating since 2023.

And considering Chalamet has become a familiar face at Saturday Night Live in recent years, Fey was already well acquainted with the actor before their now-infamous Knicks outing.

Fey recalled that the group spent the night laughing together:

"We had a great time. He was joking around with Tracy."

As for the criticism aimed at Chalamet, Fey reassured listeners that she wasn't offended or annoyed, despite how cramped she may have looked in the photos.

She offered some hilarious context for the viral image:

"It wasn't until the next day that I saw all these manspreading things. But I will say, you've got to remember, so for every amount that he's sitting like this and manspreading, I'm doing the opposite.”

Fey also revealed that it was a surprise to find herself seated next to Chalamet and Jenner. The actor attended the game as a guest of Tracy Morgan, and according to Fey, much of the evening was spent joking around with the comedian and longtime Knicks superfan.

According to Fey, the seating dynamics weren't entirely Chalamet's fault:

“My big old can was takin’ the back.”

You can view her take on the hilarious meme here:

Fey also reflected on her growing reputation as a Knicks fan thanks to Morgan. After several trips to Madison Square Garden with one of the franchise's most devoted celebrity supporters, she's apparently become an honorary member of the fan base herself.

She shared her take on the infamous courtside celebrity row:

"I've been three times now with Tracy, so the internet classifies me as a Knicks fan, I'll take it. It's really fun. That celebrity row is bananas. I'm, like, hugging Spike Lee before the game."

The Knicks ultimately beat the Atlanta Hawks, helping keep the mood light throughout the evening.

Fey summed up the experience with a simple verdict:

“It was all good, and the Knicks won, so everybody was happy.”

While Chalamet hasn't publicly commented on the viral "manspreading" discourse, Fey's account suggests the internet may have been far more invested in the controversy than anyone actually sitting nearby. After all, sometimes a celebrity feud is just a Knicks game and an unfortunate camera angle.

Fey may have settled the debate, but that didn't stop social media users from weighing in on her explanation:

@marquise007/Instagram

@weenie_lala/Instagram

@ricklynn/Instagram

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@theinvisiblekat1/Instagram

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@2pahc/Instagram

You can watch the full podcast episode here:

- YouTube New Heights

Chalamet, meanwhile, has remained a fixture at Madison Square Garden throughout New York's playoff run. The Knicks' Eastern Conference Finals victory sent the franchise to its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, setting up a rematch with the San Antonio Spurs more than two decades later.

With Game 1 scheduled for Wednesday, expect Chalamet to be right back in celebrity row. Whether social media pays more attention to the Finals or his seating posture remains to be seen.