Haliey Welch, the viral sensation known as the “Hawk Tuah” girl, has re-emerged into the public eye after the calamitous launch of her Solana meme coin last December. The new episode of her “Talk Tuah” podcast that was released on YouTube on Thursday abruptly disappeared, raising questions and sparking controversy.
The episode, which was released more than two months after the debacle of her meme coin, was quickly removed from her YouTube channel. However, before it could be entirely scrubbed from the internet, copies of the episode began to circulate on social media platforms.
The leaked episode features an intriguing discussion with Richard “FaZe Banks” Bengtson, CEO of gaming organization FaZe Clan, and his industry companions, DeGods creator Frank (real name: Rohun Vora), and content creator and influencer Threadguy.
In the episode, Welch shares her experiences of launching the meme coin, the challenges she encountered when the deployer held 80% of the supply, which caused the token price to plummet to near zero, and the backlash that followed. The conversation also touched on the lawsuit filed against Welch’s business associates.
Banks, following the episode leak, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his disapproval. He claimed that he had agreed to participate in the podcast with the understanding that the episode would not be leaked to manipulate markets and that Welch’s crypto team would find a resolution for the funds she gained from the HAWK project.
Banks further accused Welch’s team of orchestrating the episode leak to fuel hype around the now nearly valueless HAWK token. He alleged that the team had assured him that the episode would not be released unless it had his approval. Banks said that as chatter around the episode began to circulate, they decided to call off the episode.
Coinciding with the leak, the HAWK token saw a surge in price, more than doubling on Thursday afternoon. However, the token’s price has since steadied, with a 9% increase at a current price of $0.00078, as per data from CoinMarketCap.
In response to the unfolding drama, Decrypt reached out to Welch’s spokesperson for clarification on the episode launch and to comment on Banks’ allegations, but there was no immediate response.
This story is a stark reminder of the volatility and unpredictability of the crypto market. It also highlights the importance of understanding the intricacies of cryptocurrency before embarking on such ventures, as well as the potential legal and reputational risks involved. The evolving narrative surrounding Welch’s return to the public eye promises to provide further valuable insights into the world of meme coins and their influence on the crypto market.
