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I looked up that guy who went viral for the 'distracted boyfriend' meme | After the Hype - Vivisector

I looked up that guy who went viral for the 'distracted boyfriend' meme

I was watching a video about old memes and they mentioned the actual guy from the 'distracted boyfriend' stock photo. I got curious and looked him up. Turns out he's a Spanish model named Jose Luis, and he said the photo shoot was just a normal day at work. He got a bit of fame for a while, people recognized him on the street, but it all faded pretty fast. Now he's back to doing regular modeling jobs and says the whole thing was just a weird blip. It made me think about how many people get pulled into the spotlight for a second without wanting it, and then just get dropped when the internet moves on. Has anyone else followed up on a random viral person and found out what they're doing now?

4 comments

4 Comments

laura6675mo ago

Remember the "Woman Yelling at a Cat" meme? The woman is a real person, a former actress. She said it messed with her head seeing her angry face everywhere, tied to a joke she wasn't in on. It's a weird kind of fame theft. They get all the attention but none of the control. Makes you wonder if a payout is worth becoming a permanent punchline.

val_ramirez3mo ago

Honestly, I get what you're saying but I kind of see it differently. Saying it "messed with her head" like she's some victim feels a bit much to me. She was a former actress, she worked in a business where your face literally is your brand, and she knows how exposure works. Yeah it sucks that people made a joke out of her angry moment, but getting your face out there is literally what actors pay millions for. Plus, that meme died down a long time ago, it's not like she's still dealing with it daily.

laura6675mo ago

Yeah, I read an article about that woman from the "success kid" meme. Her mom posted the baby picture and it blew up. The family actually used the money from licensing to pay for the dad's medical bills, which is pretty wild. The kid's a teenager now and seems totally normal, just had this weird childhood thing. It's strange how a single moment can get stuck online forever.

grant1555mo ago

Wait, but @laura667, isn't that kind of sad? That picture is his whole identity to millions of strangers forever. It's not just a weird childhood thing, it's a brand he never chose. Think about the "distracted boyfriend" guy, he said it ruined his real life relationships because people only saw him as that cheater meme. Or the "hide the pain Harold" guy, who said he felt like a prisoner to a joke. The money helped, sure, but that's a huge trade. Your kid's face becomes a joke for medical bills. That's pretty dark when you think about it.