In another video TJ says he never thought “a dumb idiot like me” would be this popular. In one video, TJ reacts to the fundraiser. McCreary, who lives in Brooklyn, has been sharing updates about TJ on – where else – TikTok. He is sober he just needs a little push.” “This will help him get inside and warm place to sleep at night and food to eat. “Tj is a homeless man trying to get his life together and off the streets,” the fundraiser, created by Zoë McCreary, reads. More than 2,000 people have donated so far.

Until a GoFundMe was created for the man who has become known as “Joe Byron.” His real name is TJ, and he’s homeless, according to the fundraising page.

While the men in these videos went viral just not in New York City, but across the country, little is really known about them. Social media users started to use “bing bong” and “Joe Byron” not just in their TikTok videos, but in their every day vernacular.Įven John Legend turned the Coney Island quotes into a ballad. And these interviews from the streets of Brooklyn’s beachside neighborhood proved to be a treasure trove of audio. Not only do videos go viral on TikTok – so do sounds. “What’s up, baby? Take me out to dinner.” SideTalk has now followed up with the men several times – and they’ve gone massively viral online. “What do you want to tell Joe Byron right now?” he’s asked. Nearly everyone in the video stands out – one man invites Ariana Grande to Coney Island, another shouts “bing bong.” And one man, who is asked about the president, innocently calls him “Joe Byron.” They recently shared a compilation of interviews from Coney Island. The show posts quick one-minute interviews on the streets of New York - and is known for popularizing the term “bing bong,” which mimics the sound at New York City subway stations and has become a rallying cry for the New York Knicks. The social media show SideTalk posted the interview with Byron on TikTok. Many know him as “Byron” or just “that guy from Coney Island.” He went viral on TikTok for his innocent and impromptu interview on the street, and now, thousands are people are chipping in to help him. ▶ Watch Video: Unlikely friendship leads to TikTok fame

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