Copyright Parade
Something’s fishy here! A public school art teacher named Matt Taylor is blowing up on TikTok, having grown his following to almost 300,000 followers in just two weeks after posting his very first video from the classroom on Oct. 15. Why is he getting so much attention? Fans believe he’s really 60-year-old King of Queens actor Kevin James in disguise. “Art gives your imagination wings, it teaches you about life,” the teacher says in his first video, claiming his “students” asked him to start the account. Other videos show him gathering teaching materials from a supply closet, fielding questions from students, and doing painting tutorials à la Bob Ross, all while giving inspirational chats about the importance of art. In one video, he claims he’s been a teacher “for a total of about 14 years” for 4th and 7th graders. So, why do people think this man is actually the Paul Blart: Mall Cop star? For starters, he looks and sounds just like the beloved actor. He has the same accent, the same bald head, and the same graying beard. He also has a last name (Taylor) that could also be a first name, just like James. James also has a film called Playdate coming out on Nov. 12, 2025, that features James as a stay-at-home dad spending time around kids, while his character in another upcoming film called Solo Mio is named Matt. Fans suspect the account could be “genius marketing” for one or both of those projects. Fans have noticed other details, too. “The fact that he never addresses or mentions the bagillion comments saying he’s Kevin James proves that he’s Kevin James,” said one commenter, while another wrote, “Just did a tooth comparison and… Yeah, that’s Kevin James.” 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 One other thing worth mentioning is that Taylor does paint really well. “I don’t know what to be more impressed by: His commitment to this character or the fact that he is actually a really good artist,” said one follower.
