Viral phenomenon 'King Curtis' from 'Wife Swap' just broke his 6 year silence to ask the internet for money
Back in the olden days, you know, in 2009, a video could pop up on the internet and stay relevant for weeks, even months. The 24-hour viral machine we know and love today wasn't as fast six or seven years ago. It was a different time.
One of the 'net's favorite viral video characters was a little kid named Curtis, whose family signed up for the show "Wife Swap."
The show's premise was simple: Two families with very different values, priorities, schedules, and routines would swap matriarchs. For a little bit, each mom would live by their new family's rules. Then, the tables would turn and the family would live by their new mom's rules. No one would easily adjust. Drama. Then, each family was to walk away having learned something about themselves, their spouses, their kids, and their lives.
Curtis, probably about eight or nine at the time, found himself living under the regime of new mom Joy, who dismissed Curtis' addiction to chicken nuggets and processed meats. "King" Curtis' tag line was "Bacon is good for me!" and he often screamed it at Joy when she was trying to rid the family fridge of junk food.
Most famously, he told the camera in a thick southern accent that Joy "is acting like she's the Queen and we're the sorry people!" He also packed a small suitcase and attempted to flee the house until Joy went home to her own family.
The internet fell in love with Curtis. If you need to refresh your memory, watch the whole video below (uploaded in 2009 with about 8 million views):
"I was going through Instagram," he says, "when I figured out Lucy Hale wanted an update on my life."
Sure enough, Lucy Hale, of ABC Family's "Pretty Little Liars," recently posted this to Instagram: