Behind the meme: TikTok's viral kombucha girl

Brut America

Remember the viral "Kombucha Girl" meme?   For Brut, comedian and content creator Brittany Broski retells the story of how she accidentally became "Kombucha Girl" and how she was able to capitalize on her viral moment ...

Transcript

00:00I hated Cumpage Girl. I hated that, like, branding.

00:04Because I was like, if that's what I'm going to be known as for the rest of my life,

00:07like, just, I don't want to do this.

00:10It really smells like a public restroom.

00:19No.

00:19I've always just kind of been, like, the entertainer of the group.

00:30I was, like, you know, overweight growing up.

00:32And I was just always, like, the funny friend.

00:34You know how it goes.

00:34I graduated college 2018.

00:36I was a licensed insurance agent.

00:38Hated it.

00:39Was miserably depressed.

00:40Moved on to a bank job.

00:42Ooh, so much better.

00:44And I worked in trust and investment services.

00:47I started seeing ads for TikTok on Snapchat.

00:51And it was, like, furries and, like, cosplayers.

00:55I downloaded it as a joke.

00:56And then I got addicted.

00:57Because I was like, wait, there's, like, actually funny comedy stuff on there.

01:03This was June 2019.

01:04The first video I ever uploaded was not the Kombucha meme.

01:08It was a depression meal check.

01:12Depression meal check!

01:14What the f**k is this?

01:28You know what?

01:35No.

01:36Well, it did not do well on TikTok.

01:38Someone downloaded the video, re-uploaded it to Twitter.

01:42And as all memes do, it went viral on Twitter.

02:07I would be drunk somewhere at a bar.

02:10And people would come up to me, like, flash on in my face.

02:14Like, do the face!

02:15Do the face!

02:15About a month later, I got fired from my job because of the meme.

02:20They basically brought me into an office.

02:22And they were like, we can't have a 20-something-year-old

02:25d**king around online doing pee-pee-poo-poo and then coming in and being like,

02:29hi, I'll manage your money.

02:31So, I understand.

02:32But at the same time, sucks.

02:34Sucks really bad.

02:35And I was like, I just lost my job.

02:38If there was ever a time to show that I'm funny,

02:41and I'm more than some Jim Carrey faces, it's now.

02:54I was pumping out content because I knew everyone was coming to my page.

02:57I was gaining followers like this.

03:00I mean, it was exponential.

03:01I was pumping out impressions, skits, accents.

03:05I was doing it all.

03:07Shh!

03:08Guys.

03:10You're a good soldier, choosing your battles.

03:14Does that say £20.50 for a mimosa?

03:18Oh, you're having a f**king laugh.

03:20Is that a piss take?

03:21It was very validating, you know, for people to be like,

03:23oh, she's just taste testing some Pepsi or whatever she was drinking.

03:27To be like, oh, damn, she's kind of funny.

03:29I hated Cumbridge Girl.

03:30I hated that, like, branding.

03:34Because I was like,

03:35if that's what I'm going to be known as for the rest of my life,

03:37like, just, I don't want to do this.

03:39So I made sure, you know, like,

03:40Brittany Broski was what I wanted people to know me as.

03:43So for it to finally happen, it's like,

03:45oh, damn, it's happening.

03:46Okay, okay.

03:48It's a very rare and special job.

03:53I got to meet Alicia Keys, question mark, Tyra Banks.

04:01Went to the American Music Awards.

04:03I've gotten to meet some really, really cool people.

04:06Honestly, this is like, eh.

04:09But the coolest part of all of it is some of the friendships

04:11I've made from TikTok of, like, creators, like other creators.

04:16Because this is such a unique life experience.

04:18You know, I'm a TikToker.

04:20Not many people can relate to, like, the nuance of that

04:24and how cringey it is, but also how cool and unique and niche it is.

04:28I have been such a consumer of digital media for so long.

04:32And now to be in that circle is just like, man, I'm happy to be here.

04:36Literally, I'm just happy to be here.

04:37It's been really neat.

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