2024 has been a year that has truly shown the power that social media has in catapulting people from all walks of life to stardom and fame, as well as infamy and ridicule.
From a 21-year-old minimum wage worker becoming a multimillionaire overnight to an Olympic gymnast becoming a dancing star, these individuals captured the public’s imagination in unexpected ways.
Whether through social media stardom, stylish athletic performances, or scandalous viral incidents, these 10 people prove that, in today’s world, the wall separating relative obscurity from viral popularity is narrower than we thought.
Hailey Welch—The Hawk Tuah Girl
Image credits: hay_welch
In perhaps one of the strangest examples of social media fame, 21-year-old Hailey Welch went from relative obscurity to a social media sensation overnight, becoming a millionaire in the process.
Welch became known as the "Hawk Tuah Girl" after using the phrase in a viral YouTube video on the Tim & Dee channel, amassing millions of views since it first premiered on June 11.
The video was originally a street interview montage in which the YouTubers asked random women about what was, in their opinion, "a move in bed that makes men go crazy." Welch captivated the internet by energetically and confidently stating that women ought to "give 'em that 'hawk tuah' and spit on that thang!"
Welch, who had been a minimum-wage worker until that point, capitalized on her newly found fame, gaining a sizable following on her social media sites and launching a podcast called Talk Tuah on August 15. The podcast was a massive success, at one point reaching nº3 on the US Spotify charts.
Welch's fame, however, could be turning into infamy after she launched a Solana-based cryptocurrency called HAWK, which skyrocketed to market cap shortly after its release and subsequently lost almost 90% of its value, causing investors to accuse the social media celebrity of being part of a pump-and-dump scheme.
Stephen Nedoroscik—Pommel Horse Guy
Image credits: Eurasia Sport Images / Kristy Sparow / Getty
25-year-old Stephen Nedoroscik became an internet sensation after a captivating pommel horse performance for Team USA gymnastics at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Sporting a nerdy look that hid a well-toned physique underneath, he immediately drew "Clark Kent" comparisons after removing his glasses to ace the competition entirely. The athlete secured the first-ever bronze medal for the US men's gymnastics team in 16 years.
Stephen started his career while in high school. While training, he noticed he was performing exceptionally well on the pommel horse, so his coaches recommended that he specialize in that event.
The decision proved wise, and awards followed. In 2015, he won his first Junior Olympic National title, earning it again the following year. In 2017, he became the NCAA National Champion, and in 2020, he won his first international gold medal at the Melbourne World Cup.
His fame went beyond the Olympic stage, becoming one of the participants of the 33rd season of Dancing with the Stars, ending up in fourth place alongside his dancing partner, Rylee Arnold.
Yusuf Dideç—Turkey's John Wick
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The air pistol competition became a meme-making machine after Turkey's Yusuf Dikeç amazed everyone with his professional and relaxed attitude.
What truly made Dikeç stand out was his unorthodox and relaxed competition style, which caused the public to compare him to movie hitmen like John Wick.
While many shooters are known for their meticulously professional appearances, Dikeç competed with a laid-back attitude, often seen shooting with one hand in his pocket and wearing standard glasses, making him an instant social media sensation.
The 51-year-old marksman is a retired member of the Turkish Gendarmerie and has been competing since 2001, earning 30 medals across various international championships.
While his rivals competed with modern accessories and sights and struck dramatic poses before their shots, Dikeç relied only on his reading glasses, nonchalantly putting his hand in his pocket before shooting and effortlessly winning the silver medal.
His viral "calm pose" during the Games became a trend, with athletes from different countries mimicking his gesture as a tribute to his iconic style. Despite his viral fame, Dikec's focus remains on his sport, and he's already looking to win gold at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Johnny Somali—Public Disruptor
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Johnny Somali, also known as Ramsey Khalid Ismael, went from famous to infamous on social media in 2024.
Initially gaining popularity as a streamer, Somali made waves for his online provocations. He visited places like Japan and Israel and purposely acted rude and annoying toward the countries' locals and their customs.
His visit to Korea in September 2024 was the straw that broke the camel's back. The 24-year-old made controversial comments and performed a lap dance on the Statue of Peace, a monument that commemorates the women used as sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during WWII. After this, his YouTube channel was terminated.
South Korea, however, wouldn't let the insult stand and forbade the streamer from leaving the country on November 2. Scared, Somali uploaded an apology video four days later, but his audience considered it "insincere."
As of late November 11, Somali has been indicted by the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office and is set to face trial on December 20. If found guilty, the streamer could spend up to 10 years in jail.
Rachael "Raygun" Gunn—Controversial Breakdancer
Image credits: Ezra Shaw / Getty
The Australian Olympic breakdancer Rachael "Raygun" Gunn jumped from relative obscurity to viral infamy following her performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics on August 9, 2024.
Her dancing routine was ruthlessly mocked online, with people calling the moves "ridiculous" and others labeling it a "detriment to the sport at large."
Aside from sparking memes and comedic routines by the likes of Jimmy Fallon seeking to poke fun at the B-girl's extravagant moves, her presentation has also been the object of serious allegations.
A group of people created a Change.org petition to "hold 'Raygun' Rachel Gunn accountable for unethical conduct."
The campaign, which had over 55,000 signatures before being taken down by the website, accused the dancer of manipulating the Olympic selection process to her own advantage, using her influence to pass over other artists in favor of herself.
In response, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) condemned the petition, with its Chief, Matt Carroll, calling it defamatory and a form of harassment.
Gunn was the centerpiece of the October 27 edition of Australia's magazine Stellar, appearing almost unrecognizable in high-fashion attire. "I don't think I'll be competing for a while. I need to heal and get back to dancing for myself," she stated in an interview.
Kurt Caz—Daredevil Vlogger
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Kurt Caz is a 25-year-old travel vlogger from South Africa. He is known for his YouTube channel, where he documents his adventures around the world.
After starting his journey by creating content about his trips through Europe, he consistently went viral in 2024 by shifting his videos toward exploring dangerous locales and showcasing the rarely shown realities of the countries he visits.
This year, Caz traveled to South America, visiting dangerous, marginalized areas in Argentina, Brazil, and Venezuela. His videos often feature him accompanied by beautiful women from those countries as he tries to expose the darker side of each area he visits.
His relatable and adventurous spirit resonated with viewers, propelling his channel to new heights. In 2024, he amassed over 3.26 million subscribers, with his videos regularly breaking the 2 million views mark.
Jonathan Jacob Meijer—The Man with 1,000 Kids
Image credits: Loose Women
Jonathan Jacob Meijer, a Dutch YouTuber and former civics teacher, gained infamy for fathering up to a 1,000 children via sperm donation.
Meijer was banned from donating sperm in 2023, but his excesses date back to 2017. The Hague District Court in the Netherlands issued a significant ruling against the prolific sperm donor known for fathering over 550 children. Judges affirm him to have misled fertility clinics and prospective parents.
Initially, Dutch fertility clinics imposed strict limits of 25 children per donor across 12 families, guidelines intended to safeguard against genetic risks and ensure responsible donor practices.
However, an investigation in 2017 revealed that the donor had already exceeded the limit by fathering 102 children through these clinics alone, with additional undisclosed donations elsewhere.
Meijer's case got even more attention after he was the subject of a Netflix documentary called The Man With 1,000 Kids, which premiered on July 3, 2024.
Meijer threatened to sue the streaming service shortly after, labeling the documentary an "attack on his character," but he has yet to take legal action.
Mark Longo—Peanut the Squirrel's Owner
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The owner of Peanut the Squirrel, a social media sensation who captured the hearts of thousands of fans, became as famous as his renowned pet after Peanut was tragically euthanized on November 1.
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation raided Longo's house to take both Peanut and Fred, a pet raccoon, under the premise of both having rabies.
Longo and his wife, Daniela Bittner, have since filed a lawsuit against the state, arguing that their rights were violated, specifically their due process rights and their freedom of speech. They are seeking damages from the state.
"There are many questions as to why Peanut and Fred were killed. There was no reason whatsoever to believe that either animal had rabies, and killing the animals was outside the scope of the warrant," explained the couple's attorney, Nora Constance.
"Entering someone's house and searching it is such an extreme violation of that person's right to privacy, and that's why we have a Fourth Amendment to protect us from unreasonable searches and seizures."
Nara Smith—Lifestyle Influencer
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Nara Smith is a popular South African-German model and social media star who rose to fame on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where she shares content about her life, cooking, and family.
Known for her down-to-earth approach, Nara combines her love for fashion and family life, blending luxurious visuals with relatable moments.
Her TikTok account (@naraazizasmith) has garnered millions of followers, and viral videos like her grilled cheese recipe earned over 40 million views in early 2024, due to the way she makes each recipe from scratch, documenting each step of the process in a relaxing manner.
She is married to fellow model Lucky Blue Smith, and the couple has three children. Their youngest, Whimsy Lou, was born in April 2024.
Nara has worked with major brands such as Marc Jacobs and Prada, integrating her family life into high-fashion campaigns and collaborating with beauty brands like Dior.
Jools Lebron—Very Demure, Very Mindful
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Jools Lebron is a rising TikTok star who became viral in 2024 with her catchphrase, "Very Demure, Very Mindful."
She first garnered attention in August 2024 with a TikTok video titled "How to be Demure at Work," which quickly amassed millions of views. (Similar to Gorlock the destroyer?) This video and a follow-up introduced her to a broader audience, including celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Joe Jonas, who began creating content using audio from her videos.
Lebron, a Puerto Rican trans woman, has credited the success of her viral content for helping to fund her gender transition. Her rise to fame also led her to appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on August 19, motivating her team to issue trademark filings for her catchphrase.
Her viral impact has extended beyond entertainment, with brands—including NASA—using her signature phrase in marketing.
Despite her viral success, Lebron explained how the word "demure" started to consume her identity, with her fame being "overwhelming."
"I started to feel like everyone I had met was not really interested in me as a person. They were interested in 'demure,'" Lebron said in an interview. "I started to feel like a puppet. When you go viral like this, no one tells you how to handle it. There's no guidebook."