Chewbacca Mom has shown us that social media is the new land of opportunity.
Since filming herself cheerily laughing in a Star Wars Chewbacca mask, stay-at-home Texas mum of two Candace Payne has seen herself catapulted into the world of celebrity.
(If you’re not one of the 155 million people who have viewed the Facebook Live video, or if you’re flagging and in need of a pick-me-up this morning, here’s the lovely video once more. Joyous.)
People all over the world have been quick to give Chewbacca Mum gifts as a thank you for her heartwarming video. Mark Zuckerberg invited her to Facebook HQ to say thanks for her record breaking Facebook Live video, James Corden hooked up a meeting with Force Awakens director JJ Abrams, and last week Southeastern University in Florida gifted Candace and her entire family University scholarships.
Candace’s positive vibes have proved infectious, and an incredible money spinner for Candace and her family.
The folks over at TIME Money have cracked out the calculators and worked out that Candace has earned up to $420,000 (just over £290,000 in real money) in gifts.
Adding things up, the boffins have worked out Candace earned $3,000 in toys and gift cards from Kohl’s after her shoutout in the original video. Then came $7,500 from travel and TV appearances, a lovely holiday and convention tickets added things up more, before the free scholarships for Candace and her entire family gave up the big money. Not a bad bit of monthly earnings from a stay at home mum from Grand Prairie, Texas.
You can read the full breakdown of how much she has earned to date here. Now if you excuse us, we’re off to try and make a viral video of our own, we fancy a trip to Mexico with our gift money…
