During the quiet, more simple time of June 2024 when America’s biggest concern was which elderly man will be our next president, a viral sensation splashed onto the fabric of our great national discourse: The Hawk Tuah Girl. While on the streets of Nashville, Tennessee, Haliey Welch sprang to prominence after being featured in a Tim & Dee TV interview where she unloaded her catchphrase on an unsuspecting populace. Just a fair warning, things are going to get a little spicy.
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“What’s one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time?” the interviewer asked Welch, and her response would launch a thousand merchandising ships. “You gotta give ’em that ‘hawk tuah’ and spit on that thang. You get me?” And with that, Welch’s viral fame was off to the races. She was up there with “Damn, Daniel,” but obviously, much more adult-themed! Case in point, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Welch signed with a management team called The Penthouse, which quickly got to work trying to capitalize on the moment.
However, despite Welch’s fame starting out hot and heavy, the moment seems to have ended with a whimper, and we can’t help but wonder if she fumbled the bag.
Hawk Tuah Girl went a little too hard on the merch
In the immediate afterglow of her viral moment, Haliey Welch signed a deal with Fathead Threads, which claimed to have sold 2,000 “Hawk Tuah” hats within the first two weeks, according to Rolling Stone. Welch then spent most of July making podcast appearances, and basically, trying to figure out what the heck to do with the situation on her hands. Irish Star reports that Welch did make $30,000 hosting a bikini contest at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Florida, but for the most part, she seems to realize the safest bet is putting “Hawk Tuah” all over everything.
On July 30, TMZ reported that Welch was firing off all kinds of businesses idea including a gambling service called “Bet on that Thang” and a line of cooking sauces. The first is a barbecue sauce called “Hawk Sauce,” and the second is a hot sauce called, you guessed it, “Hawk Tuah Sauce.” If ain’t broke, don’t fix it, we guess.
While Welch has filed a trademark for the “Hawk Tuah” name, other companies already popped into action capitalizing on the viral moment, which already seems to be on the wane. However, TMZ reports that Welch is hoping her brand will have enough juice to power a comedy career. In fact, Welch was offered a helping hand from an industry vet, but not in the way she expected.
Bill Maher gave the Hawk Tuah Girl some creepy career advice
On July 28, Bill Maher interviewed Haylie Welch on his Club Random Podcast. Maher’s interest in the “Hawk Tuah Girl” already had us raising an eyebrow given his well-documented history of attending Playboy Mansion parties, and he definitely delivered on his penchant for uncomfortable moments. By this point, Welch’s viral fame was starting to go limp, so Maher offered her some advice on how to keep the fire going. Naturally, that advice was gross.
“You need to do a podcast, you do it right here on Club Random, if you do it my way, sex expert,” Maher told a shocked Welch (via Newsweek). “You were given the chip of fame, now you want to trade that in for something that uses that but takes it to the next level. You have to trade on what you’re already known for. That’s the one thing you’re known for.”
Maher was so confident in his pitch that he advised Welch against wasting her trademark on fleeting products. After her embarrassment at Maher’s suggestion, Welch pulled the trigger on “Hawk Tuah Sauce” two days later and is clearly going to just ride this thing out. Uh, thanks, Bill.
