Remember the young boy from the well-known Popeyes meme?
Dieunerst Collin became famous on the now-defunct Vine platform when he was seen giving a memorable side-eye look at a Popeyes location in New Jersey.
This viral incident took place in 2013 when Collin was just nine years old. He was in line to buy a family pack of chicken biscuits and fries when someone began filming him.
Collin’s reaction was captured, and the video quickly gained popularity after being shared on Vine.
Even now, it remains one of the most recognizable memes online.
In a 2023 interview with CNN, Collin explained, “When it happened, we didn’t want to be in the spotlight. And just having that out there, people were coming to my dad and saying, ‘Hey, we’ve seen your kid on this,’ trying to make a joke of it. My dad didn’t like it for his kids to be joked on.
“But now, the fact that I switched it into a blessing, he likes it.”
Curious about what Collin is up to these days?
In 2023, Collin, who is a freshman at Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio, secured a sponsorship with Popeyes. This agreement, known as a NIL deal, allows the use of his name, image, and likeness on billboards.
This opportunity arose in 2021 after Collin became a state champion with his high school football team.
Jim Weber, a podcast producer, tweeted, “The @Popeyes meme kid @CollinDieunerst is now a freshman offensive lineman at Division II Lake Erie College and if this guy doesn’t have a NIL deal by tomorrow, the Louisiana kitchen needs to clean house on upper management.”
Following online encouragement, Popeyes offered Collin a NIL deal.
“A lot can happen with the power of the internet behind you!” Collin expressed in a release, according to PEOPLE.
“I can’t believe I can say I’m officially sponsored by Popeyes. Thank you to everyone who helped spread the good word!”
An NIL deal involves a person and a brand collaborating to allow the individual to earn from their name, image, and likeness.
Popeyes created promotional materials featuring the iconic image of a young Collin that started it all.
In a video narration, Collin reflects, “This is where our story started,”
“The moment that made us a meme. We didn’t ask for it. We didn’t understand it. But don’t worry little man, we didn’t let it stop us. Because the more we grew, the tougher we got. We learned to lean in. We turned the attention into motivation and the motivation into championships. This is where our story started and now it’s where a new one begins.”
Currently 20 years old, Collin frequently updates his social media with posts related to football.