The Hawk Tuah Girl: Everything You Need (and Absolutely Don’t Need) to Know (2024)

“Hawk tuah.” A few weeks ago, these words—sounds, really—were little more than a Looney Tunes–esque way to mime the déclassé act of hawking a loogie. How quickly things can change! A young woman named Hailey Welch has gone viral for her spirited interpretation and risqué application of the phrase on camera, earning her the moniker Hawk Tuah Girl and capturing the attention of the nation. (Or at least, a large portion of the nation’s terminally online population.)

Since that fateful video, Welch has been caught in a media storm—addressing rumors on a popular podcast, performing alongside a country star, and selling tens of thousands of dollars of merchandise based on the phrase alone. Things have even taken a political bent, with Welch and her signature phrase becoming an emblem for the American right. All the controversy and the clicks have led to Welch gaining representation with a professional management company as a personality in her own right.

So how did we get here? What does the future hold for Hawk Tuah Girl? What does it even mean “to spit on that thang”? (Well, we won’t be getting into that one.) Here’s everything you need to know about the internet’s latest viral phenomenon.

Where did this all start?

TikTok, of course. The Hawk Tuah phenomenon began when 21-year-old Tennessee native Welch was stopped on the street for a TikTok interview by creator duo Tim and Dee TV. The resulting video, posted June 11, showed the content creators asking various women in Nashville—the unofficial bachelorette party capital of the world—the following question: “What is one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time?”

Welch’s response? “You gotta give ’em that ‘hawk tuah’ and spit on that thang! You get me?”

The delivery, the specificity, the cadence—it all seemed to add up to more than the sum of its parts. Welch’s strong Southern twang coupled with her comedic timing and true commitment to the bit—she really leaned into the loogie of it all—made the moment pop within an almost 14-minute long video. It quickly became the centerpiece of a standalone TikTok clip that at the time of publishing has received 372,000 likes, 4.1 million views, and thousands of comments, bookmarks, remixes, and reedits. Thus, Hawk Tuah Girl was born.

Is there more to it than that?

Not really. Welch and her friend stuck around for a longer, more in-depth interview with Tim and Dee TV, but it was that one short phrase that catapulted her to mega-virality. Basically, she had us at “hawk tuah.”

But why is she such a big deal?

That’s an amazing question, actually. Hawk Tuah Girl was originally tracking to be a medium-to-high viral internet moment—on par with, or perhaps slightly eclipsing, recent viral sensations like the Girthmaster or the Tall Couple. But the wily whims of the internet, a smattering of misinformation, and incredible timing converged to shoot Hawk Tuah Girl into the stratosphere of viral fame.

First, the misinformation. Immediately after Hawk Tuah went viral, the internet began running wild with jokes about Welch and the alleged consequences of her viral moment. One parody account on Facebook, Tippah County Tribune, wrote a post claiming that Welch, whom it called “Hailey Wellington,” was a preschool teacher at Epstein Day School and had been fired as a result of the video. Children, the Tippah County Tribune wrote, were allegedly “spitting on each other and everything else.” The fake story even included a fake statement from the fake Hailey Wellington, claiming that she planned to seek retribution against the preschool, and that she was throwing a fundraiser in the parking lot of a tractor supply store to retain funds for an attorney. Funny stuff!

While “Epstein Day School” should have been enough to signal to any reasonable person that the account was probably fake, media literacy is in the toilet. As such, the rumor caught wind. Multiple publications, from Yahoo to The Times of India, attempted to set the record straight re: the satirical account, but the damage was already done, contributing to the lore—and more importantly, the notoriety—of the Hawk Tuah Girl.

Eventually, the real Hawk Tuah Girl went on the podcast Plan Bri Uncut to set the record straight, revealing her real name and her real job. (Welch says she worked at a spring factory in her Tennessee hometown.) According to Welch, she was up at 2 a.m. getting ready to clock in for a shift at the factory when she first noticed she was going viral. She said she quit that job.

Good for her. But what was so great about Welch’s timing?

She struck when the iron was hot! Welch partnered with Tennessee-based apparel company Fathead Threads and quickly released a line of merchandise tied to the viral moment. Within weeks of going viral, Fathead Threads had reportedly sold more than $65,000 worth of “Hawk Tuah”–themed merchandise. The merch includes “Hawk Tuah ’24” hats for $32.78 per hat (or $50 for a signed hat—now out of stock).

The Hawk Tuah Girl: Everything You Need (and Absolutely Don’t Need) to Know (2024)

FAQs

What's with the Hawk Tuah girl? ›

Otherwise known as Haliey Welch, Hawk Tuah Girl is rising to prominence after being featured in a man-on-the-street interview from creators Tim & Dee TV. In the video, she's asked “What's one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time?” Her response is what's made her go viral.

What did Hawk Tuah say? ›

During the interview, the girl was asked an unexpectedly provocative question: "What's one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time?" Without missing a beat, she responded, "Oh, you have got to give it that 'hawk tuah' and spit on that thang, you get me?" Her enthusiastic and unfiltered response quickly caught ...

What is the meaning of hawk tuah? ›

(She was asked what she does in bed to make her man “go crazy,” to which Welch replied that she gives him the old hawk tuah—in layman's terms, she'll “spit on that thang.”)

How old is the Hawk Tuah girl? ›

Hawk Tuah Girl
Haliey Welch
Born2002 or 2003 (age 21–22)
Other namesHawk Tuah Girl
OccupationInternet celebrity
Years active2024–present
10 more rows

Where is Hawk Tuah's girl from? ›

Who is the 'Hawk Tuah' girl? Welch lives with her "granny" about 60 miles south of Nashville, Tennessee. She's never driven on the interstate, and she's never been on an airplane.

What does "hawk tua" mean? ›

Her delivery makes it very clear that this is an onomatopoeic term that mimics the sound of collecting saliva and spitting it out. Indeed, she even juts her head forward violently while saying “hawk tuah”, as if about to send a volley of discharge into the microphone in front of her.

What is hawk tuhh? ›

Hawk Tuhh Girl : The most popular person on TikTok is the Hawk Tuhh Girl, who is known for her Southern accent and her comment, “Spit on that thing!” In the now-viral video, a man was questioned, “What's one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time?” during a street interview.

How much money has Hawk Tuah Girl made? ›

She's doing just fine without it: Hawk Tuah merchandise has made around $300,000, on top of the appearance fees she's been raking in. And what does she plan to do with that money? Spend it on “animals and giving pizza to the homeless,” reports Page Six.

What is the hawk symbolize? ›

Across cultures and time, the hawk's cultural and mythological significance endures as a powerful symbol of strength, grace, and connection to the divine. Its soaring flight and sharp vision have inspired countless tales of prophecy, wisdom, and spiritual guidance.

What is a hawk tua girl? ›

"Hawk Tuah Girl" is taking it all in, and the sensation has now tapped into the sports world. Haliey Welch has gone viral in recent weeks with her now-infamous phrase, which was her response when she was asked "what move" in the bedroom makes a guy go "crazy."

How did the Hawk Tuah start? ›

The journey began innocently enough. A video featuring Hailey discussing an unusual piece of intimate advice rapidly gained traction online. Her phrase, "You gotta give him that hawk tuah and spit on that thing," struck a chord with viewers, propelling her into viral fame.

Why do hawks wear masks? ›

The bird wears: A hood, which is used in the manning process (acclimatising to humans and the human world) and to keep the raptor in a calm state, both in the early part of its training and throughout its falconry career. Out of all the falconer's aids the hood is the most important piece of equipment.

Who is the hawk goddess? ›

In Greek myth, the goddess Circe was associated with hawks. A hawk was the messenger of Apollo. In Greek & Assyrian mythology, the (old world) vulture was believed to be descended from the griffin, the guardian of the mysteries of life & death.

Is the Hawk a female? ›

Bird scientists don't have specific terms for female (or male) hawks. Male hawks are sometimes called “tiercels”, but there is no such term for female hawks. Sometimes, the general term “hen” or “hen-bird” is applied.

Why do they put blindfolds on hawks? ›

Hoods have been used for thousands of years and not just for birds. Most wild animals while being transported are blindfolded to cut down on the stress levels. Hunting cheetahs were hooded in the same way as hawks so they would not see the chase in progress.

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