Who Is the ‘Joe Byron’ Guy from TikTok’s Viral ‘Bing Bong’ Sound?
If you are on TikTok and follow the platform regularly, chances are, you have already heard of the references like "Bing Bong," and "Joe Byron."
The Bing Bong sound is seemingly picked up from Instagram-based Sidetalk's April 2021's YouTube video titled Coney Island Finest.
The sound which features in all of their intros is derived from the sound of the New York train station.
The video in question is hosted by battle-rapper Nems, who hails from Coney Island, New York.
He goes by the self-proclaimed title of "The Mayor of Coney Island."
Twenty-four seconds into the fifty-four-second compilation video, Nems can be spotted producing the viral sound.
And in the opening seconds of the said video, he asked a Coney island inhabitant, "Who's the president?"
In his response, the video's guest replied with "Byron," multiple times.
The presently viral TikTok meme, popularly known as the Bing Bong meme, has given wider recognization to its creator.
More importantly, it is turning out to be life-changing for one individual.
Story Behind the 'Joe Byron' Guy
TJ is a homeless man living in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York.
He is the individual who is popularly known as the Joe Byron guy after he was seen mispronouncing the name of American President Joe Biden.
After his initial answer became a hit among internet users, TJ, alongside his "Byron," has featured in Sidetalk's other succeeding videos.
Apart from his "Byron," TJ is also known for his other catch-lines.
"What's up, Bryon?," and most notably, "What's up baby? Take me out to dinner," is all over TikTok.
After TJ's popularity hit a peak, internet users grew curious to know him.
His story, along with his state of homelessness, was later picked up by TikTok fan accounts.
After getting to know Tj and his life struggles, internet users came forward to help him.
Presently, there is a GoFundMe page set up for him by TikToker Zoe McCreary.
The page titled "Help TJ out the Streets," has received $34,318 from 22,000 donors as of this writing.
In one of the TikTok videos posted by McCreary, a sobbing-faced TJ was seen asking the viewers, "why am I homeless?"
In a later video, TJ was seen inside a car with McCreary and her husband thanking people for their support.
I appreciate you much. You don't know how much this means to me. I never though a dumb idiot like me would be this popular.
Additionally, in a separate video, TJ thanked the people who came forward to help him, saying, "remember you do make a difference."
Bing Bong Has Became Popular among Celebrities
As mentioned earlier, the Bing Bong sound is trending content on TikTok. However, its popularity isn't limited to casual TikTok users.
Huge names in the entertainment industry are now in awe of the viral sound.
The list of famous names going crazy over the meme includes rapper Lil Nas X who brought together a team of Olivia Rodrigo, Jack Harlow, Tinashe, Choe Bailey, Normani, Anitta, and Avril Lavigne to collaborate on a Bing Bong video.
The said artists were present at Variety's 2021 Hitmakers event, where rapper Lil Nas X was presented with Variety's Innovator Award.