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Hawk Tuah Girl has become the newest social media sensation, as well as the fuel behind thousands of memes. The blonde beauty gained buzz after a video clip surfaced of an on-street interview with Tim & Dee TV. In the interview, she uses the now famous catchphrase in reference to a sexual act. Since going viral, the public has gone crazy over the Hawk Tuah meme and it’s become America’s newest catchphrase. So who is the woman responsible for the latest social media craze?
Who Is Hawk Tuah Girl?
After the meme began making the rounds, people were curious about the identity of the woman in the video. The internet darling who’s taken the world by storm is Hailey Welch. Initially, rumors swirled that Welch was an elementary school teacher, who was fired from her job after the video went viral. But in reality she’s a 21 year-old factory worker, who lives with her family outside of Nashville, Tennessee.
In an interview with USA Today, Welch discussed her newfound fame, something she had to adjust to.
The first week of it, I was so embarrassed. I wouldn’t come out of my house. I went to work, but that’s about it. Other than that, I didn’t go anywhere. But I went from being embarrassed to living in the moment.
One of the things that Welch quickly realized about being an internet celebrity is dealing with trolls. “The negative comments do bother me. I mean, you go through there and you’re like, ‘well, you don’t know anything about me.”
Her celebrity status has landed her podcast interviews and a nightclub appearance alongside NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal. But America’s new sweetheart isn’t letting fame go to her head.
I’m nobody special. I’m just small town girl.
What Is Hawk Tuah Meme? Explained
Little did Welch know that a June evening out with a friend in Nashville would make her an internet sensation. The ladies were attending CMA Fest when they were approached by Tim & Dee TV for an on-street interview. The content creators asked Welch, “What’s one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time?“
The small town girl fired back with her famous response, “You gotta give ’em that ‘hawk tuah’ and spit on that thang.”
After posting Welch’s clip on their social media channels, it didn’t take long for the meme to go viral. Aside from sharing the video, fans began making their own memes with Welch’s catchphrase.
How Much Has Hawk Tuah Girl Made?
Now that she’s a celebrity, Welch has decided to use her fame to make a living. She quit her factory job and signed with the Los Angeles based management firm The Penthouse. With Welch in high-demand, her firm is negotiating for $25,000 for an appearance, according to USA Today.
Aside from public appearance, Welch is also launching her own brand of Hawk Tuah merchandise. After the meme went viral, merchandisers immediately capitalized on the trend. Now, it’s her turn to make a profit from her catchphrase.
With the help of Jason Poteete, owner of the Tennessee based company Fathead Threads, Welch has her officially licensed merchandise. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Poteete revealed he was the one he reached out to Welch first.
Of course she hasn’t gotten a dime from the first video that went out. Nobody was asking permission for her to do nothing, neither. I just wanted her to get some profit off of this deal.
So far the company is only selling hats, which retail at $32.78. They also have signed hats that Welch autographs herself that sell out quickly. Although Poteete refuses to share how much they’ve earned from merchandise sells, Rolling Stone estimates it to be around $65,000.
Welch has also trademarked her famous catchphrase under her company 16 Minutes LLC. With the trademark allows her to use the name for entertainment services and for merchandise like shirts and hats, which she sells in her online store.
Between her appearances and her merchandise sales, Welch will add more money to her bank account. She’s red-hot at the moment and no one can blame her for monetizing on her success.
