Hawk tuah (IPA: [ˌhɔkʰ ˈtʼɤ̂ː][1][note 1]) is an internet meme originating from a viral YouTube video posted in 2024. During a street interview, Haliey Welch[2] (/ˈheɪli/; born 2002 or 2003)[3] used the catchphrase "hawk tuah", an onomatopoeia for spitting or expectoration on a man's penis during oral sex.[4]
| Origin/etymology | June 2024 vox pop YouTube interview with a young American woman in the Broadway district of Nashville, Tennessee; Onomatopoeic catchphrase |
|---|---|
| Meaning | The sound of spitting on a man's penis during oral sex |
| Context | "You gotta give 'em that 'hawk tuah' and spit on that thang" |
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Interview with Haliey Welch, by Tim & Dee TV, published June 24, 2024. |
On June 11, 2024, a vox pop YouTube channel, Tim & Dee TV, released a video featuring an interview with Haliey Welch in the Broadway district of Nashville, Tennessee, United States.[5] During the video, she was asked a series of adult questions including, "What's one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time?" Welch's reply, in a hard Southern Twang accent, was, "You gotta give 'em that 'hawk tuah' and spit on that thang," referring to spitting on a man's penis during oral sex.[3][6][7]
The original video went viral, receiving millions of views across TikTok and Instagram, spawning remixes and remakes of the original audio, and gaining Welch the nickname Hawk Tuah Girl.[8] The video and the phrase turned into a meme.[9] Welch, who had been a minimum-wage worker at a factory, subsequently created an Instagram account and gained a sizable social media followership and media attention.[10] She also founded a company under which she registered various trademarks, gained representation by an agent,[9] and began selling merchandise themed on the phrase and making paid appearances.[10] On August 15, 2024, she threw the ceremonial first pitch of a New York Mets game,[11] and launched a podcast, Talk Tuah, under the Betr media company co-founded by Jake Paul.[12] On November 14, 2024, Hailey Welch released a dating advice app, Pookie Tools. To build said app, Welch partnered with Ben Ganz, founder of Ultimate AI Studio, an AI automation platform.[13]
Notes
- ^ [ˌhɔkʰ ˈtʼɤ̂ː] represents a more-or-less narrow phonetic transcription of the actual noise Welch made. As a term, hawk tuah is usually pronounced /ˌhɔːk ˈtuːə/ HAWK TOO-ə.
See also
References
- ^ Aleksic, Adam (October 3, 2024). This is still funny #linguistics #language #phonology #hawktuah – via YouTube.
- ^ Hudak, Joseph (July 11, 2024). "We Had Breakfast With Hawk Tuah Girl, the National Hero We Need". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ a b Murphy, Chris (July 3, 2024). "The Hawk Tuah Girl: Everything You Need (and Absolutely Don't Need) to Know". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on July 5, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ Gormley, Brian (August 8, 2024). "Hawk Tuah Girl's Viral Merch Video Breaks the Internet". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 9, 2024. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
- ^ Bernstein, Joseph (July 3, 2024). "The Guys Behind 'Hawk Tuah Girl' Would Like a Little Credit". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 26, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Craighead, Olivia (July 1, 2024). "What's the Deal With 'Hawk Tuah' Girl?". The Cut. Archived from the original on July 2, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ Vargas, Ramon Antonio (July 3, 2024). "'Hawk tuah girl' leans into craze she ignited but looks forward to moving on". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ Lee, Cosine (June 28, 2024). "Who's the 'hawk tuah' girl Howard Stern calls 'every father's worst nightmare'?". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on July 6, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Ellwood, Mark (July 11, 2024). "'Hawk Tuah Girl' found a familiar path to viral fame. What happens now?". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
- ^ a b Colyar, Brock (July 18, 2024). "Hawk Tuah Takes Long Island". The Cut. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
- ^ Blistein, Jon (August 16, 2024). "Hawk Tuah Girl's First Pitch at a Mets Game Got Everyone Unnecessarily Mad". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 10, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
- ^ Gajewski, Ryan (September 3, 2024). "Hawk Tuah Girl Haliey Welch to Launch Podcast 'Talk Tuah' From Jake Paul's Media Company". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
- ^ Forristal, Lauren (November 14, 2024). "'Hawk Tuah' girl launches Pookie Tools, an AI-powered dating advice app, and it's fine?". TechCrunch. Retrieved November 25, 2024.