"Scammed millions, dipped and came back for more"— Internet reacts as the Hawk Tuah girl returns to the internet after meme coin scandal
Hailey Welch, popularly known as the viral Hawk Tuah girl, has released a new video on Instagram following her break from the internet due to a cryptocurrency scandal.
In the video skit posted on Tuesday, Hailey portrayed her dreams about netizens' comments about her. She poked fun at the online theories surrounding her absence, including claims that she was pregnant, jailed, and more.
After gaining internet fame last year, Hailey launched a meme coin named after her viral nickname, the $HAWK coin, on the blockchain platform Solana. Unfortunately, the venture failed as its market price plummeted from $490 million to $29.1 million in just 24 hours.
The Hawk Tuah girl faced immense backlash from investors and netizens alike. Some even accused her of orchestrating a pump-and-dump scheme. Initially, she addressed the controversy, stating that she was cooperating with the affected parties to resolve the matter.
However, shortly after, the 22-year-old vanished from the internet, even stopping her podcast video uploads. Her silence led to further criticism. After nearly three months of absence, Hailey Welch finally made a post regarding her crypto controversy, prompting netizens to express their reactions.
Many criticized the Hawk Tuah girl for returning to the internet after what had transpired, accusing her of taking no accountability for her actions.
"Scammed millions, dipped and came back for more", wrote one X user.
"So she thinks 3 months is all it takes for people to forget you stole them?", wrote another.
"This is what y’all get for making talentless people who have an entertaining personality famous. They scam and don’t get held accountable for it. Her PR team is going to make most people forget about her scam. Watch", commented one more.
"So is she going to refund the people who lost money?", asked an individual.
Many condemned Hailey Welch for sharing the humorous video instead of apologizing to the investors who lost their money.
"Was expecting an apology video with a ukulele or an interpretive dance, but forgot she doesn’t have any form of talent like that so it was honestly a smart move to continue the insufferable behavior", said one.
The internet appeared to be unhappy with her return, as many stated they didn't want her back.
"I was hoping that her 30 seconds of fame was over", wrote one.
"No one was wondering where she went quite frankly we were all happy she was gone don’t bring her back", another resonated.
Hailey Welch, aka the Hawk Tuah girl, to get a documentary made on her overnight fame
In June 2024, Hailey Welch became a trending topic across social media platforms after she demonstrated a sound made during a s*x act in a street-style interview with YouTubers Tim & Dee TV. As 'Hawk Tuah' became a popular catchphrase online, netizens became curious about the viral girl's name and whereabouts.
After being identified as Hailey Welch from Tennessee, the Hawk Tuah girl began to capitalize on her fame. She profited from 'Hawk Tuah' merchandise, made guest appearances at various artists' events, and received invitations to participate in podcasts. Eventually, Hailey Welch created her official social media accounts and launched her own podcast channel.
According to Deadline, Bungalow Media + Entertainment is making a documentary about the "unexpected rise to fame" of the Hawk Tuah girl. CEO Bob Friedman told the outlet:
"There are very few people who know what it is like to achieve this level of fame and live under the 24/7 microscope known as social media. This documentary will serve as both an inspiring and entertaining story of Haliey’s journey, and a lens into what it means to navigate the risks and rewards that come with living in the public’s eye."
Release dates and other details about the documentary are yet to be disclosed.