Who is the 'Hawk Tuah' girl, and what does it mean? (2024)

Hawk Tuah Girl is the internet's latest viral star, and her origin story is all too common in the digital age. It started with one of those man-on-the-street interviews designed to go viral. The questions were sexual in nature, and that, combined with the setting (a.k.a. the party scene in Nashville), was a recipe for success.

In case you haven't been on TikTok lately and missed it, Hawk Tuah Girl first surfaced in a Tim & Dee TV video. She's asked, "What's one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time?"

In a Southern accent, she answers, with enthusiasm and in a ridiculous way: "Aw, you gotta give 'em that 'hawk TUAH' and spit on that thang! You get me?" She says this while miming, well, spitting on that...thang...in the form of a microphone angled toward her.

This clip, in turn, went viral on TikTok with videos featuring the moment, reacting to it, or updating folks on it, gaining millions and millions of views. It's since been revealed that Hawk Tuah Girl is named Hailey Welch. As the internet is wont to do, people began digging and starting random rumors.

Chief among them? That Welch was a teacher and fired for the viral clip. That started when a parody account fooled people online.

But while Welch initially seemed a bit hesitant to cash in on the viral moment, she has begun selling merchandise now, which is a pretty foolproof way to pull in money. She's working with a local Tennessee company called Fathead Threads to sell merchandise capitalizing on all the Hawk Tuah virality. Among the items: a "Hawk Tuah 2024" trucker hat, graphic tees, and New Jersey-Boardwalk-esque shirts making crude Hawk Tuah jokes.

Some reporting has also suggested Welch could soon have representation. Page Six reported that industry buzz suggests she's in talks with major talent agencies.

Honestly, it's good for Welch. She was funny in the interview and probably never expected to go viral for something some people consider embarrassing. But now she can laugh all the way to the bank.