Chinese BBQ owner Ma Jianping’s resemblance to Elon Musk sparks online frenzy

A barbecue chef in northwest China has taken the internet by storm after users remarked on his uncanny resemblance to Elon Musk, promoting a wave of memes and humorous jokes on social platforms.

The 48-year-old Ma Jianping runs a barbecue restaurant in TongChuan, Shaanxi province where his facial features, eyebrows and expressions similar to Musk’s have captivated fans’ attention including Tesla drivers.

Nicknamed “BBQ Musk”, he’s become shy and nervous from the attention which has boosted his foot traffic and generated partnership opportunities.

Ma asserted that his unexpected fame has left him feeling “shy and nervous”. He further clarified that his business at his previously quiet restaurant has doubled with many customers now visiting, taking photos, and greeting him.

On social platform X, fans have been sharing humorous comments with one user writing, “Wow that’s wild do people think he’s really Elon or just enjoying the lookalike hype?”

Second remarked, “Ma Jianping runs Yilan Restaurant in Tongchuan and accidentally became the most famous Elon lookalike on earth and simultaneously building robots in Texas, striking IRGC targets, and apparently grilling in Shaanxi. Productive week.”

Third observed, “This is the west's ultimate strategy to subordinate China. Making people so brain rotted as to make such a big deal of people who look like billionaires and celebrities.”

No doubt, his online fame ignited a boom in AI-generated memes while users have been creating images of Ma on social platforms in a suit to enhance his resemblance to Musk.

It is worth mentioning that Liaoning farmer Yang garnered more than 120,000 followers by recreating the signature look of Jensen Huang with glasses-frames and a black leather jacket.