Masuk Free Press

Who in the world is Hailey Welch? An unlikely star, the 21 year old Tennessean found overnight fame after a street interview conducted by TikTokers Tim & Dee TV, where she uttered the phrase that rocked pop culture and social media to its core. 

Welch was a quick sensation, finding a fanbase of mostly middle-aged men and millennials who were proud to put her phrase on hats, tumblers and bumper stickers. The internet was on the hunt for the person behind the saying, and it took Welch two weeks to come out of hiding. 

She initially shared that she “wasn’t ready for fame” and was originally embarrassed by the whole ordeal. When you look at Welch now, it’s an easy assumption that she made it through her initial hesitation and embraced the limelight.

After amassing followers on social media platforms and appearing as a guest on multiple shows and podcasts, Welch announced the start of her own podcast, Talk Tuah. 

The internet immediately responded with bewilderment. What could Hawk Tuah girl possibly have to talk about? What impact would this podcast make? 

I had the same questions. When I saw that the first episode of Talk Tuah had been released, I sat down, took out a notebook, and got to listening. What is it that they say? Mandatory Talk Tuah viewing at my house!

Although the episode began with Welch stating that she wanted viewers to “get to know her,” the first installment of the new podcast lacked any background. Welch and her special guest, comedian Whitney Cummings, jumped straight into random topics, skipping over the details behind her claim to fame entirely. How does Welch know I know who she is? I would have appreciated a little introduction. 

Throughout the episode, Welch and Cummings flew from topic to topic with reckless abandon. They discussed armpit botox, Jake Paul and Matt Rife, and pubic hair in the same five minutes.

 The podcast lacked a clear structure, and the frequent jump cuts made it clear that Welch wanted to be more than “Hawk Tuah” Girl. It took until halfway through the episode for Welch to even bring up the phrase, disclosing that she isn’t supposed to talk about the video to avoid being sued by the original creators. Welch then introduced her charity organization, “Paws Across America,” and Cummings gave her genuine advice from her own experiences working with animals and running a foundation. This was an enjoyable moment in the podcast as before then, Cummings had been nothing but crass and off-putting. 

Before watching this episode, I knew nothing about Hailey Welch’s character. I was only mildly familiar with Cummings, and upon first impressions, the two were a force together. But a positive force? I’m not so sure.

Throughout the episode, Welch gave intense “not-like-other-girls” vibes. She cussed up a storm, and rather disturbingly, referred to herself as a “little girl,” not once, but twice. This felt a little bit too much like catering to the strange fetishes of her predominantly male and predominantly older fanbase. 

Unlike other women and people in the spotlight, she understands that “everyone’s life is hard, don’t just sit there and cry.” Welch also referred to herself as a ghetto (Welch is a white woman) Dolly Parton, and Trailor Swift. I think this is a wide reach, considering that her only claim to fame is spitting on that thang.

She also insisted that she “wants the spotlight off of her,” even though she said in the same episode that she regrets not jumping on her fame sooner. It seems that Welch enjoys the celebrity, but is afraid that admitting it would make her a less relatable “real girl.” 

Welch’s desperation to be chill and “one of the boys” is clear not only in her use of language, but also in her and Cummings’ conversation. Welch frequently referred to other women as b****es and stressed that she is a low-maintenance girl. “All you have to do is feed me. Take me to a Taco Bell.”

The conversation frequently centered around men, and more specifically, Welch’s relationship, or situationship, with her mystery man. She told Cummings that she wouldn’t take her man to her grandma’s house to spend the night, and Cummings praised Welch for “actually having a moral compass and capacity for shame and embarrassment.” It’s phrases and messages like that, subtle take-downs of other women, that left a consistent bad taste in my mouth throughout the episode.

The pair devolved further, and during their discussion of feminist women who, as per Cummings, “think they’re in power for not wanting to cook and clean,” Welch immediately replied that she personally “likes doing that.” There’s nothing glaringly wrong about that until Welch thought it was wise to ask, “What else do they [feminist women] do besides b****?” Through laughter, Cummings tacks on “Are you just a hungry, filthy b****?”

By this point, I was honestly disgusted at the character, or lack thereof, Welch had displayed thus far. It felt like I was watching a female Joe Rogan. But I did wonder how much Cummings influenced how she was presenting herself.

Whitney Cummings is famous for her abrasive nature, especially when discussing sex and womanhood. When she and Welch shared their personal turn-ons, she shared her penchant for a problematic tattoo of Indians, rapists or other women’s names. This, of course, had Welch in stitches, and as a viewer it felt like I was watching Freak One and Freak Two.

Another observation is that Welch didn’t come off as particularly intelligent. While I wasn’t expecting Einstein, Welch frequently asked questions about elementary facts and words, and expressed confusion about basic topics. One wonders why she wants to be perceived this way, especially on her own podcast where she can cut out as much as she pleases, and what that may say about her intended audience. 

When the 56 minute video finally ended and I was finally free from the Talk Tuah shackles, I decided that this would not be a recurring feature. 

I found Welch unenjoyable, unengaging and, worst of all, cringe. I understand that as a 17 year old girl, I am not the intended audience, but I have a hard time believing that people could find legitimate value and entertainment from Talk Tuah. But hey, different strokes for different folks.

In the name of fairness, I will end this polarizing article with a fitting joke from YouTube user veqda:

hawk 1: any ideas for a viral joke?

hawk 2: uhhh