In 2013, a picture of a young girl named Chloe Clem broke the internet. The meme showed the young girl giving her sister the “side-eye” while she sobbed happily in her neighboring car seat. Chloe’s mother Katie Clem also admitted feeling “guilty” for a few decisions she took as a parent. The picture went viral on the internet by turning into meme and made Chloe an internet sensation overnight.
The mother of two opened up about what it was like for Chloe growing up with that degree of fame. Chloe’s fame on the internet benefited her family in more than one way. Katie spoke to People about her daughter’s internet fame, calling it a “fun ride.”
Katie recalled how Chloe was only 2 when people started recognising her and coming up to her in public. “They were freaking out. They were taking pictures of her,” she shared. She continued talking about how things were really fun when they started. She explained, “You just hop on this train and you say yes to everything.”
Katie also admits how she did not include her “kids’ consent” when the meme gained traction. “We just did it because you get wrapped up in all of the things,” the mother of two shared with People. Katie revealed how she realised the situation had become “too much” for her kids and how no one was “benefitting” from it anymore.
Katie also recalled how she had the realisation that she did not want her kids to get the amount of “exposure” they were getting. She also admitted that once both her daughters got older she was “forcing them to do things” even when they were bored.
This is when she realised that things had to change for the good. Katie revealed how after that whatever content they posted online was more of a “family decision.” She recalled how after that she would constantly communicate with her daughters and make sure they wanted to participate in the videos that were being posted.
Side-Eyeing Chloe features 2-year-old Chloe Clem’s reaction to her parents’ Disneyland surprise, captured in a viral YouTube video. Her expression remains a popular meme template worldwide. pic.twitter.com/Nibkan33PT
— Gabriel Gray (@unfilteredGray) November 9, 2024
“Did I do everything right? Did I do everything wrong? Are the behaviors and the things that my kids are displaying 10 years out because of this happening?” the mother of two questioned her own behavior. Katie admitted how in retrospect “guilty” she is for some of the things she did.
Katie also spoke about how the family’s life changed after Chloe’s picture went viral. “10 years ago, we were so poor. This happened to us and we’re like, ‘What? We can pay bills.” She revealed how the money they got helped them “survive for a decade.”
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The family gained a lot of financial stability through the meme going viral. They were the sole owners of the original image outright which let them monetise its commercial use. They even partnered up with Google Pixel in a short while. They eventually sold the image for $74,000.
The couple was able to buy a car and save up enough money for their daughters’ education and wedding. The mother of two says the meme blowing up was like “divine intervention” for them. She also confessed that the money helped them during some “vulnerable” times in their lives.
