*Dieunerst Colin became a viral social media star eight years ago when he appeared on Vine after being mistaken for viral star Lil Terio.The clip – shot in a Popeye’s – shows 9-year-old Colin giving the cameraman “side-eyes,” and the video birthed the insanely popular “side-eyed Popeye’s meme”.
The video accumulated 19 million views and Popeye’s used the meme in commercials. Colin is nearly unrecognizable today as a 6-foot-1, 315 lbs high school football champion nicknamed “The Killer Whale,” at East Orange High School, The Sun reports.
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Samuel Jean recorded the video of young Colin at Popeyes and now admits he regrets posting the clip.
“I know I was 21 and still young and naive,” Jean says. “I look back at it and was like, ‘What if I’m in his position? How would I feel?’ You got a whole bunch of people coming up to you in school either making fun or thinking it’s cool, but nine out of 10 times, they’re probably making fun of him. I felt for him.”
Source: Kid from Viral Popeye’s Meme is H.S. Football Champion 8 Years Later
