interviews
Laney Griner, Mother Of ‘Success Kid,’ Recaps How Her Photo Became A Viral Sensation 14 Years Later
n the mid-2000s, meme culture was just beginning to heat up online and was very much still in its infancy. In 2007, a famous photo of a baby with its fist raised became one of the first viral meme characters — even before the days of icons like Bad Luck Brian or Overly Attached Girlfriend. Perhaps the most well-known baby picture of all time, Success Kid was an early Advice Animals meme that even sees use in memes nearly 15 years later.
Laney Griner, the mother of Success Kid (whose real name is Sam), originally captured the image during a family trip to the beach, completely unaware of the phenomenon it would become after sharing it online. To hear more about their story and what it was like for Sam to “grow up as a meme,” we reached out to Laney and got the full scoop on the tale of Success Kid 14 years after the image was taken.
Q: Hey, Laney. Thanks for joining us and giving us the chance to interview you. We’re always looking to dig deeper into the story behind the meme with these, so could you start things off by telling us more about yourself and what you’ve been doing lately?
A: Sam is 14 now and will start ninth grade in the fall. He likes to draw, create videos and make music. My husband, Justin, is drawing comic book art and tattooing. I spend a lot of time in the garden and in nature. It’s been a long, difficult time with the virus and needing to stay home so much, but we have fun as much as possible.
Q: I’d like to begin by hearing a bit about your backstory. Can you give us some insight into Sam’s childhood, what it was like and where he grew up?
A: Sam was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida in the northeast of the state. He was born six weeks prematurely and spent weeks in the NICU. Ever since coming home, he’s been a happy, funny, smart and curious boy. Sam really likes living here.
Q: So take us back to that day in August 2007 when you snapped the famous photo of Sam that eventually spawned the “Success Kid” memes. What were the photos being taken for, and how did the iconic pose in the image come about?
A: After Sam was born, I became very interested in photography and Flickr. I got my first DSLR camera in the spring and then spent my days taking photos of baby Sam — setting up shots and practicing. He always had such great facial expressions, and I loved taking photos of him. I’d snap dozens each day.
On the day of the meme’s photo, I wanted to go to the nearby Ponte Vedra Beach to take some photos with Sam and my husband, when Sam was 11 months old. I don’t know why I thought Sam would sit for photos there as well as he did at home, but I was wrong. It was a lot more difficult to sit Sam down in the beach sand and take his photo because he was only interested in exploring and playing in the sand. I managed to get one shot of him smiling, then he started crawling around and would sit back and pull his hand to his mouth, as babies do at that age. I’d move his hand and he’d do it again. I noticed he had a really funny expression on his face, so I snapped a quick photo. Just after taking that last picture, the clouds darkened and the sky opened up with rain. We ran to our car and headed home.
On the drive home, I skimmed through my photos and noticed the now-famous shot of Sam. I thought it was a funny freeze-frame of him pulling his hand up to his mouth and was excited to post it to my Flickr account where a lot of other self-taught photographers supported and critiqued each other. I posted it as soon as I got home, with the title “why I oughta,” and it was immediately popular with my friends and contacts. That photo has always been one of my favorite pictures of Sam, and it continued getting likes and comments, but I didn’t think of it beyond that.
Q: As you’re both familiar with, this seemingly trivial shot was initially used in other memes before Success Kid came along. Do you recall the moment you first saw it being used in such a fashion online? What did you make of that back then?
A: I began seeing it used in late 2008 with the wording “Imma f**k you up” across it. Friends and family were sending me links to places they saw it too. Initially, a few of his other photos went around also, but none as much as the Success Kid shot. Around the same time, I saw the other versions of it going around too (mostly on Reddit, the Chive and 4chan). There was a manipulated version that added a child crying in the background and the words “I hate sandcastles.”
I was not happy about all of this initially. I didn’t even know how to pronounce “meme” (I know … but I’m not a boomer!), and social media was still very new. I didn’t like the idea that his picture was so out there, being manipulated and used by strangers. He was still just a baby then and it felt a little scary and like we were too exposed. Plus, I really didn’t like the early versions, which I thought made him seem like a bully. They felt too negative to be paired with his sweet babyface. I didn’t understand how or why people were using it, and when I came across it posted, I’d often comment insisting that people take it down.
Q: So then, years later, it eventually became solidified as Success Kid, which I heard you were much happier about compared to the earlier iterations. Where’d you see one of these for the first time, and could you elaborate more on why you disliked the previous associations picturing Sam in memes?
A: I first saw the Success Kid version in 2010 after a friend sent me a link, which I believe was on Reddit. When I saw the title, “Success Kid,” and the way they used the meme, I was thrilled. At that point, the photo was abundantly available online, and I’d reconciled that I was never getting it back. I also became more familiar with the way memes work and wasn’t as concerned. I knew I had to accept its viral-ness no matter what they called it, and I just hoped this Success Kid version would be the one that stuck. I always thought of Sam as a super kid because he had a hard fight after being born prematurely, plus he was such a happy, loving boy, so it all felt very appropriate to me. After it became Success Kid, it really took off and Sam became forever part of internet culture. Of course, today I love it. But it took some getting used to.
Q: How did some of your close friends and family react to the phenomenon? Were most of them happy to see your photo and Sam’s image being used in such a way, or was it more of a negative reaction?
A: My family didn’t learn about it really until it became Success Kid. Once that happened and they began seeing it used so often, they were all very excited. I have never heard any negativity about it from anyone I know. We had a contract with Hot Topic for Success Kid T-shirts and my whole family wore them. Our friends and families were very excited for us and happy to see the photo’s growing popularity, especially when we started to be paid for its use.
Q: At the time, how savvy were you guys with memes and internet culture in general? Was this your first real encounter with them?
A: As I mentioned earlier, I was completely unaware of memes initially, and what it meant to go viral online. At that time, the only memes I saw on the very early social media sites were either of animals or celebrities. Someone said, “Sam is now a meme!” and that was the first time I can ever recall hearing the word. I’ve become much more familiar with it since though!
Q: Does Sam remember when he first really learned about the meme and understood the concept or meaning behind it? How did he feel about that after he was old enough to grasp it?
A: As far as Sam knew, he was basically born a meme. I took it when he was 11 months, and it went viral by the time he was 3, so he had no capacity at the time for understanding the concept of memes or the internet. In 2012, we were invited by Tim Hwang to be panel guests at the third and final ROFLCon held in Boston at MIT. Before going, we showed Sam that his photo was being shared all over the world. I think he still didn’t get it fully yet because he was just 5 years old, but he seemed to enjoy the attention it brought him. By that time he was getting online and watching videos. He was very excited to meet David After The Dentist, who was on our panel also.
Q: Since he was one of the youngest memes to ever become such a hit, I imagine the impact it had on his personal life must have been immense as he grew up with it constantly being associated. Can you elaborate on what that was like and how Sam’s felt about being a meme through the years?
A: When he was still very young, Sam enjoyed the meme and that people called him famous or asked him to do the pose. Though now that he is a teenager, I think it’s all a little embarrassing for him — as are many situations for teenagers when they are in the spotlight. He thinks the meme is cool but never posts about it on his social media.
He was incredibly happy that the meme helped raise money for his father’s transplant. He understands the value of it, and he loves posting memes, but it all happened when he was too young to understand so I think he sees it more as “my meme.”
Q: Many of the individuals we’ve spoken to about their memes either love or hate the association. What do you make of your particular case? Does Sam enjoy his ties to Success Kid now that he’s older, or is it more of a mixed bag and something that he wants to distance himself from?
A: Sam likes the meme and thinks it’s cool that it went viral, but he doesn’t tell people about it unless he knows them and never mentions it. When he was little, he enjoyed doing these interviews with me, but now it makes him feel a bit uncomfortable. It’s just his age, I think.
I love my ties to the meme. I’ve always really liked pop culture and it’s very cool to have his photo be a part of that. My experience with it has been 99 percent positive. The only negative reactions I’ve seen usually came from mom blogs or groups saying I was selfish to put my child out there and that I surely have caused him a lifetime of irrevocable harm and that I somehow could cause him to be kidnapped. I don’t pay attention to that stuff. They don’t know us or our story, so I ignore it. It’s been incredibly positive for our family.
Q: Since you’re part of such an iconic group of internet culture, what other meme celebrities have you all met at events like ROFLCon over the years?
A: We had a lot of fun at ROFLCon and it was really fun meeting other internet “stars.” We connected most with David DeVore Jr. from David After The Dentist. He, his father and his brother were on the panel with us, and they are also from Florida. They are really great. Most of the memes I’ve met have been online, like Bad Luck Brian, Nyan Cat, Grumpy Cat, Ermergerd, Scumbag Steve, Disaster Girl and Keyboard Cat. We like chatting about our shared experiences in this bizarre little meme world. It’s fun and they’ve all been great people.
Q: Success Kid was undoubtedly one of the biggest Advice Animal memes to come from that early period of internet culture, but I remember hearing that you felt like you sort of lost the image to the web during its heyday. How were you able to acquire the rights to the photo and control its use since then? Can you tell us some of the ways this internet fame had effects on your life and career?
A: Yes, when it began going viral, I was not happy about it. Sam was still a baby then and it felt strange having others use and manipulate his photo, having no idea where they posted it. As I said, I didn’t fully understand memes yet and I guess it felt a little like an invasion of privacy. That sounds ridiculous now since I chose to post it online, but that’s how it felt then. It never occurred to me that his photo would be used by strangers.
After seeing it used so frequently, I knew I needed to protect my photo but I wasn’t sure how. Flickr was partnered with Getty Images and allowed users to add photos to potentially be used as stock images. I thought then I at least had some protection over it until I could get the copyright. While it was with Getty, it was licensed by Virgin Mobile for billboards around England and for use in a Vitamin Water commercial.
I spoke to some folks at ROFLCon about wanting some help dealing with this and Charlie (Keyboard Cat’s owner) told me about Ben Lashes, the first meme “agent.” I got in touch with Ben and met Kia Kamran, the copyright attorney he worked closely with. They helped me get the copyright to my photo and we’ve worked together ever since. They understand this phenomenon more than anyone.
Q: So, all these years later, how well do each of you keep up with memes and other types of internet culture? Is it something you find interesting, or do you not pay too much attention to them these days?
A: Sam loves memes and all internet trends. He’s the prime age for that. I post memes now and then, but I’m 45 so, you know.
Q: What about Success Kid memes, got any favorite versions you particularly love that you can share? Has either of you ever made any Success Kid variants yourselves?
A: I made a couple several years ago. Sam has never made a meme of himself and I’m happy for that. My favorite one ever was the meme made and tweeted by Obama’s White House. I see it used often by teachers and nurses, which I also love. Church groups have used it frequently too. The meme is appealing to many types and is family-friendly, so it’s accessible to a wide audience.
Q: Alright, so what about other memes outside of your own. Do you have any favorite templates, types or trends in the meme world that are favorites?
A: I still love the classics like Disaster Girl, Grumpy Cat, anything with NeNe Leakes. I don’t create memes though or stay up on meme trends.
Q: Given the impacts that the meme has had on your family and each of your individual lives since it was taken over a decade ago, I’m curious if you’d go back and prevent yourself from ever uploading the image to the internet if you had the choice. So, what would you do if you had that option?
A: I wouldn’t change a thing. This is a rare experience for regular folk to be a part of and I’m honored that a photo I took of my sweet son one day – a total fluke shot – has become a part of American and internet culture. The meme isn’t part of our lives most days and has never been intrusive or felt like a chore. We truly have had nothing but really fun, positive experiences with it all, and it will be a great family story we all share for the rest of our lives. How could I ever want to change that?
Q: Any final word to add?
A: I have always loved pop culture and the way it defines generations and helps shape cultures, so it’s surreal to have contributed in some small way to American culture and internet culture, and it being seen all over the world, that is super rad. It has been nothing but a completely positive, fun, unique, family-bonding experience, and I’ll love these memories forever.
Laney Griner is the mother of Sam Griner who went on to become the Success Kid meme in 2011 after she snapped the image of him years earlier. You can follow along with Laney and Sam by checking out her Twitter and Instagram for more.
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