What’s a LOLCow? The ‘Fame or Exploitation’ Trend Sweeping TikTok

What's Trending

The LOLCow phenomenon, a term combining “LOL” and “cash cow,” reflects a troubling internet trend where individuals become unknowing sources of mockery for their quirks or vulnerabilities, often spiraling into exploitation. Originating in early trolling culture with figures like Christine Chandler, this concept has found new life on TikTok, spotlighting creators like Jasmine Orlando, aka Shawty Bae, whose viral fame is both celebrated and mocked.   While her engaging content has earned her a devoted following, critics argue much of Shawty Bae's popularity stems from being a “walking meme” rather than genuine admiration. The LOLCow trend, as some explain, crosses the line from lighthearted humor to cruel ridicule, revealing a darker side of digital culture that turns vulnerable creators into targets of relentless online obsession.

Transcript

00:00If your for you page is full of creators caught between fame and ridicule, you've likely

00:04stumbled into the world of the lolcow.

00:06But what exactly is a lolcow?

00:08Am I the only one who figured out what that was today?

00:11I had to look it up, I had no idea what that meant.

00:15A lolcow is someone unknowingly mocked online for their quirks or missteps.

00:19What might start as harmless laughs can quickly spiral into something darker.

00:23The term originated in the early days of online trolling.

00:27lolcow is a mashup of lol and cashcow, referring to people who become targets for endless laughs,

00:32often at their own expense.

00:34Icons like comic book creator and YouTube Kristen Chandler, better known as Chris Chan,

00:39were some of the earliest victims to bear the brunt of this online cruelty.

00:43Chris is really the inception of lolcow culture, he's the reason why so many people are followed

00:49the way they are.

00:50Fast forward to today and platforms like TikTok have taken the lolcow phenomenon mainstream.

00:55While many creators are experiencing a surge of popularity and even financial gain from

00:59their viral moments, some often are exposed to relentless trolling, harassment, and the

01:04very real impact of online ridicule.

01:07Creators like Jasmine Orlando, known as shawtybae, have gained massive popularity on TikTok with

01:12her engaging lip sync and reaction videos.

01:14But behind the viral moments, shawtybae faces a personal challenge, living with Bell's

01:19palsy, a condition affecting the muscles of her face.

01:22Hey guys, remember that I told you I have belly palsy?

01:27I feel better and I can blink my eyebrows and I can smile a little bit, but a little

01:34bit, not all the way, but yeah, I still have belly palsy by the way, but I'm getting

01:41better and better, so yeah.

01:43Shawtybae shot to fame when a video of her explaining what people can call her went viral,

01:47leading to an avalanche of memes and even merch featuring her catchphrase.

01:52While some might see this as fan-showing love, a deeper dive shows it's not all celebration.

01:57One Reddit user bluntly said,

01:58She's a walking meme.

02:00Most people aren't laughing with her, they're laughing at her.

02:04The lolcow phenomenon is a complex and often troubling intersection of viral fame and online

02:09cruelty.

02:10With some creators gaining significant visibility and even financial opportunities through their

02:14viral moments, the impact of their personal lives can be far from positive.

02:19Lolcows are almost always picked out by the internet because they essentially have disabilities,

02:24mental disabilities, they're handicapped, neurodivergent, etc.

02:28Shawtybae isn't one in a million, in fact, there are millions and billions of lolcows

02:33on the internet.

02:34It's just the nature of what it's going to be, and I honestly believe it'll always

02:37be that way.

02:38People will always be attention-seeking and mean on the internet.

Category

Transcript

Comments

Recommended