Internet personality Haliey Welch, widely recognized as “Hawk Tuah Girl,” has made her public comeback with a new episode of her podcast, Talk Tuah, marking her first appearance since December 2024.
Her hiatus was prompted by the backlash following the controversial introduction and rapid decline of the Solana-based meme token HAWK, which she had publicly endorsed.
The token initially surged to a market capitalization of $490 million before plummeting by 93% in a matter of minutes.
Community Backlash Forced Welch Offline
The fallout from the token’s collapse resulted in significant criticism, compelling Welch to temporarily withdraw from social media. A brief podcast episode released in February was swiftly taken down.
Welch opened the latest episode with a warm greeting: “It’s been a hot minute since we’ve been back here,” marking the conclusion of her several-month absence.
Welch’s comeback episode featured popular YouTube star KSI, whose real name is Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji, as her first guest.
Although both Welch and KSI have previously faced controversies related to cryptocurrency promotions, they chose not to delve into these matters during their discussion.
Instead, the episode centered on managing the stresses of online fame and the impact of public criticism.
KSI reflected on his own experiences, stating, “I’ve had my ups and my downs—and my dooooooowns. You’ve got to roll with the punches and stay consistent. People in this industry will use and abuse you.” Welch responded, “I found that out the hard way.”
Despite past accusations against KSI regarding the offloading of promotional tokens like XCAD Network and Ethernity Chain—claims he has denied—he asserted that public criticism is merely “just noise.”
Talk Tuah is back! Thx for coming on @KSI pic.twitter.com/osdf5s66qF
— Talk Tuah with Haliey Welch (@talktuahpod) April 8, 2025
While Welch is not named in the ongoing civil lawsuit concerning the HAWK token, she has been cooperating with authorities. A previous investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission has since concluded.
The current case is targeting the token’s launch platform overHERE, its founder Clinton So, influencer Alex “Doc Hollywood” Schultz, and the Tuah the Moon Foundation.
Coffeezilla Debunks $500M Rug Pull Claims in Hawk Tuah Coin Controversy
In the aftermath of the Hawk Tuah meme coin’s collapse, YouTube investigator Stephen Findeisen, known as “Coffeezilla,” responded to misinformation surrounding Welch and the launch of the HAWK token.
Taking to X, he challenged sensational news headlines that alleged Welch orchestrated a $500 million rug pull or benefited by $50 million from the token’s demise, labeling these claims as exaggerated and unfounded.
Coffeezilla noted that the HAWK team had “presold a few million” tokens to strategic advisors, who allegedly sold their holdings early, exacerbating the token’s volatility.
He emphasized that the precise amount of funds raised is yet to be determined but mentioned that Welch’s attorney has indicated she received $125,000, with her tokens locked for a year.
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