When viral moments happen, it’s pretty normal for the person behind it to have their fifteen minutes of fame. Then, the internet moves on. But that isn’t the case for Hailey Welch. Welch, 22, went viral after coining the phrase “hawk tuah” during a street interview. Since then, the now-infamous phrase has become a mainstay in the internet lexicon, while Welch herself has become a mainstay in the creator economy.
She launched a podcast, attended club events, sold her own Halloween costumes, and, most memorably, launched a cryptocurrency scheme. While the scheme ended up being memorable for the wrong reasons, Welch is preparing to bounce back. As she ends her months-long social media return with a comedic skit, news broke that her rise and fall are set to be the subject of a new documentary.
What’s the ‘Hawk Tuah’ Documentary About?
As reported by Deadline, the project will be headed by Bungalow Media + Entertainment: a production company that has previously won an Emmy for its work. The documentary will “chronicle how Welch, a young woman from a small town with no active social media presence, unknowingly created a viral moment that gave way into a global phenomenon.”
In an interview with Deadline, Bob Freidman, producer and CEO of Bungalow Media + Entertainment, said: With only a single sentence, Haliey Welch went from an unknown young woman having a night out on the town to ‘enjoying’ 15 minutes of fame to global phenomenon who cemented her status in the pop culture lexicon.”
“There are very few people who know what it is like to achieve this level of fame and live under the 24/7 microscope known as social media. This documentary will serve as both an inspiring and entertaining story of Haliey’s journey, and a lens into what it means to navigate the risks and rewards that come with living in the public’s eye.”
This documentary will also address the crypto scandal that almost destroyed Welch’s career, with a press release (via Deadline) noting that the “bizarre crypto controversy” adds “yet another unexpected chapter to her story.”
While addressing the scandal is better than completely ignoring it, victims of the crypto scheme are undoubtedly hoping that the documentary does a good job of holding Welch to account. For her comeback to be a success, it’s crucial that the documentary does this.
The internet never forgets, but maybe this documentary will help them forgive.
