She's still remaining reclusive, however.
Hailey Welch has been thrown into the spotlight in recent weeks thanks to her "hawk tuah" meme going viral. While it might not be the most family-friendly thing to be known for, Welch is reportedly capitalizing on the moment.
Tennessee-based embroidery and apparel brand Fathead Threads is leading the charge in producing Hawk Tuah hats. Owner Jason Poteete has coincidentally known Welch for years and reached out to her once her comment started circulating online earlier this month.
"Of course she hasn’t gotten a dime from the first viral video that went out," Poteete told Rolling Stone. "Nobody was asking permission for her to do nothing, neither. I just wanted her to get some profit off of this deal."
It all started with a June 11 video from Tim & Dee TV, a duo known for their on-the-street interviews. When she was asked what bedroom move "makes a man go crazy every time," she stated plainly "You gotta give ’em that 'hawk tuah' and spit on that thing."
Welch has been "overwhelmed" by the unexpected fame, Poteete said. "There are some crazy people in the world who’ve reached out to her," he explained. “She’s probably one of the most well-known people in the world at this point. But I don’t know if she’s embraced it."
Still, Poteete remains hopeful that she will. "It could be a blessing or a curse,” he said. “She may be in the right place at the right time or the wrong place at the wrong time. [But] I think she’ll do fine in the end."
Fathead Threads is just selling "Hawk Tuah '24" hats in 14 colors at $32.78 each. Poteete claimed the shop has sold more than 2,000 hats so far, which would total at least $65,000. "Our largest orders are usually 100 hats, maybe 150 to 250 shirts. This is way out of the normal for us," he said. "This is a small, family-owned shop. We’re all hands on deck right now."
They're not the only ones selling merch, however, Tim & Dee TV are similarly hawking (no pun intended) their own limited-edition Hawk Tuah shirts and hats.
Even though Welch has been laying low in the aftermath of the meme, Poteete said her on-camera persona that millions know is more in line with who she is in real life.
"She has a bubbly personality. She can be somewhat risqué. You never know what she’s gonna say," he said. "I just think the world needed a laugh, and she provided that."
