Haliey Welch, widely recognized as the “Hawk Tuah” girl from her viral social media meme, recently celebrated a significant milestone by reaching one million followers on Instagram. Over the weekend, Welch made a notable appearance at Daer Nightclub and Dayclub, located at the guitar-shaped Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Sporting Miami Dolphins gear, Welch was invited to judge the Miss Daer bikini contest, an event that reportedly earned her a substantial $30,000 payout.
In a video shared by TMZ, Welch is seen getting emotional during the celebration. She handed out a bouquet of flowers to the contest winner, hugged one of the winners, and posed for photos amidst the loud music and smoke machines. The announcer’s voice boomed, “You won, and you got to meet Haliey!” as Welch and the woman in a red bikini smiled for the cameras.
The event was a grand affair, with promoters and bottle girls parading around to celebrate Welch’s achievement of surpassing one million Instagram followers. A woman holding a giant champagne bottle and wearing a cowboy hat, a nod to Welch’s signature style, rode in on a rocket ship carried by four men. Overwhelmed by the festivities, Welch was seen suppressing tears several times.
Welch’s rise to fame has been meteoric since her “Hawk Tuah” moment went viral on June 9. The video, filmed by content creators Tim & Dee TV on Nashville’s famous Honky Tonk strip, featured Welch giving a humorous response to a question about a move in bed that drives men crazy. Her answer, “You gotta give ’em that ‘hawk tuah’ and spit on that thang,” has been viewed over four million times on YouTube.
Joining Welch at the Daer Nightclub event was her friend Chelsea Bradford, who was also in the background of the viral video. The celebratory parade in Welch’s honor marked another win for the Tennessee native, who has since launched her own merchandising company, 16 Minutes LLC. To focus on her new business endeavors, Welch quit her job at a bed spring factory in Belfast, Tennessee. She plans to sell T-shirts and hats with the phrase “Hawk Tuah ’24. Spit On That Thing,” according to a trademark filing.
Initially, Welch had isolated herself in rural Tennessee, where she lives with her family, to avoid the limelight. However, she has since embraced her newfound fame, rubbing shoulders with celebrities like Shaquille O’Neal and country music star Zach Bryan. Welch was even seen talking to talent scouts over the July 4th weekend, discussing the possibility of her own reality TV show.
Despite her rapid rise to fame, Welch has faced some unwanted attention, particularly from men pestering her to start an OnlyFans account. In an Instagram video, she firmly stated, “Stop asking me for the link in bio for my OnlyFans. I don’t have an OnlyFans and there will never be an OnlyFans. I just make funny jokes, that’s all I do.” She also mentioned receiving a bizarre request from someone willing to pay her $600 to spit in a jar.
Welch’s next move could be a relocation to Hollywood to pursue her career further. TMZ reported that she is close to landing a TV deal, with sources indicating that she has been meeting with talent agencies and producers. During her rise to fame, Welch received advice from Shaquille O’Neal on how to handle the pressures of being in the public eye. O’Neal advised her to keep a smart team around her and to ignore the haters.
It’s unclear whether Welch is a genuine Miami Dolphins fan or if she wore the jersey simply because she was in Florida. Regardless, her appearance in Dolphins gear has brought some positive attention to the team. If she is indeed a fan, she will likely be rooting for the Dolphins to make it to the playoffs for the third consecutive season in 2024. The team has reached the playoffs in each of Mike McDaniel’s first two seasons as head coach but has yet to secure a win.
As Welch continues to navigate her newfound fame, it will be interesting to see how her career evolves. Whether she remains in Tennessee or moves to Hollywood, her journey from a viral meme to a social media sensation is a testament to the unpredictable nature of internet fame.
Source: TMZ, Tim & Dee TV
