Corn Kid

"Corn Kid" refers to a viral internet phenomenon centered around a young boy named Tariq, whose enthusiastic expressions of love for corn captivated audiences worldwide. The moment originated from an interview conducted by Julian Shapiro-Barnum for his web series Recess Therapy, which began in April 2021 as a project interviewing children about life's bigger questions (Boston University, 2022).

The viral interview was recorded at Brooklyn's Smorgasburg food festival in August 2022, where Tariq passionately described corn as "a big lump with knobs" and declared, "I can't imagine a more beautiful thing" (NPR, 2022). His genuine excitement and memorable phrases like "It's corn!" and "It has the juice!" quickly resonated with viewers when the video was published, leading to widespread sharing across social media platforms.

The video gained exponential traction when The Gregory Brothers, known for their musical remixes of viral content including "Double Rainbow Song" and "Bed Intruder Song," transformed Tariq's interview into a catchy song titled "It's Corn" (NPR, 2022). Released on August 28, 2022, the song amplified the meme's reach significantly, with the audio being used in over 400,000 TikTok videos and the official music video garnering millions of views on YouTube (Billboard, 2022).

Tariq's newfound fame led to extraordinary opportunities for a 7-year-old. On September 3, 2022, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem declared him the state's "Official Corn-bassador" and designated the date as "Official Corn-bassador Tariq Day" (NPR, 2022). The proclamation noted that "Tariq's a-maize-ing endorsement contains more than a kernel of truth and has reached ears across the world via social media."

His celebrity status expanded to include appearances on The Drew Barrymore Show, participation in the 2022 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, attendance at movie premieres including Disney's "Pinocchio," and brand partnerships with companies like Chipotle and Green Giant (NBC News, 2022). Tariq also joined Cameo, offering personalized videos starting at $220, and attracted support from other internet child stars, including Mason Ramsey (the "Walmart Yodel Kid"), who offered encouragement about navigating viral fame (NBC News, 2022).

The phenomenon exemplifies how authentic, heartfelt moments can evolve into major cultural touchstones in the contemporary meme landscape. As NPR noted, the success demonstrates TikTok's unique capacity to not just spread viral content but invite users to build upon it with their own creative interpretations, creating "more of a cultural impact because people are engaging with it in their own way" (NPR, 2022).