The kazoo jumpscare has no known creator or original video, and it grew as a short joke sound shared across meme pages, soundboards and short-form video. Creators use the toy-like buzz of a kazoo to replace the loud scream expected in a scream meme, turning a moment of tension into an anticlimax. That contrast fits pranks, horror parodies and reaction edits where a serious scare would feel too heavy. Because the clip is only about a second and a half long, it is easy to drop into a cut without breaking the pace, which has kept it in use.