A Bit Fruity with Matt Bernstein Hawk Tuah: From Harmless Meme to Right Wing Symbol
Jul 17, 2024
Taylor Lorenz and Matt Bernstein discuss the journey of a 21-year-old viral sensation turning into a right-wing symbol. They touch on internet culture, the allure of fame, monetization struggles, the mainstreaming of internet culture in 2020, and the politicization of a meme character into a right-wing symbol.
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Early Viral Stars and Monetization
- Early internet viral stars like Antoine Dodson (Bed Intruder) and Kimberly Wilkins (Ain't Nobody Got Time For That) gained fame from viral videos.
- Despite their cultural impact, they struggled to monetize their fame due to a lack of infrastructure and exploitative practices.
Lack of Infrastructure for Early Internet Stars
- The internet's immaturity and lack of e-commerce infrastructure made it challenging for early viral stars to profit.
- The dominance of gatekeepers and negative perception of monetization further hindered their success.
The Ellen Show and Viral Fame
- The Ellen Show became a stepping stone for viral individuals, boosting their fame through mainstream media exposure.
- This model became less effective as online platforms allowed individuals to gain fame independently.