It turns out that the "Popeyes meme kid" went and got himself all grown up. ABC7 Chicago reports that Dieunerst Collin went viral after video of him clutching a Popeye's soda cup while suspiciously eyeballing a cameraman was posted on Vine. It quickly turned into a meme that permeated social media for months. Some kids would shrivel up and die to find themselves the punchline of an internet joke. But not Collin. When life gave him Popeyes, he made bank.
ESPN reports that, initially, Collin wasn't happy about his unwanted fame. However, as he grew into his teens and became "a redshirt freshman center at Lake Erie College in Ohio," he decided to turn that frown upside down and capitalize on his 15 minutes. Collin tagged Popeyes in a Sports Center Instagram post congratulating him on becoming a state football champion, and the chicken chain signed him up to a sponsorship deal in a heartbeat.
"I went on Instagram and decided [to ask] everyone to repost and tag Popeyes, not knowing that I would get all the support I got," Collin explained. "Popeyes DM'ed me and said we actually want to work with you," he shared. The food chain announced the news via a meme, of course. "Proud to welcome @CollinDieunerst to the family," they tweeted alongside a meme of him in his famed childhood cup stance next to a recent pic of him in his football gear.
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