In a moment originally aimed at embarrassment and shame, a door of opportunities and fame for Derrick Lambert has come. The 40-year-old Arkansas native made a late-night run to a local Whataburger fast food restaurant for himself and some children in his neighborhood when a group of women, he said, began gossiping about him. The two sides exchanged jokes before Lambert said he heard them whisper something else about him to each other. Lambert confronting the women outside the restaurant will live in digital history forever.
“I ain’t fresh?” he asked. “I ain’t fresh?”
When Lambert took a step back and looked at the group of women behind the camera, they told him he wasn’t, laughed at him, and told him to take his “L,” which is slang for “loss.”
The 11-second clip immediately went viral online, and not necessarily because social media users were also laughing at him. The clip went viral because a majority of online commenters supported Lambert. His outfit of a color-coordinated Ralph Lauren polo, creased blue jeans and blue New Balances is not only neat and fashionable but appropriate for a 40-year-old man making a late-night run to a fast food restaurant.
Amid all of the newfound fame, a sketch of an action figure version of himself, a song sampling the clip and multiple skits and song promotions referencing him, Lambert stopped by rolling out to give his first interview on the situation and his plans moving forward.
What’s today’s outfit looking like?
Oh, man. The same ole LRG [t-shirt] and I have on some Air Maxes today.
Have New Balance or Ralph Lauren reached out to you yet?
Yes. New Balance got in contact with me, but I haven’t heard from Ralph Lauren.
How have you and your team handled everything since you’ve gone viral?
I just take it one day at a time. I’m absorbing it.
It was overwhelming at first, but it’s easing up by the day.
What size were those drinks you ordered at Whataburger?
Man, they looked like half gallons to me. I don’t know, man. About 32 oz.
When did the back and forth with you and the women first start?
Man, that’s a long story. They came at me, man, to be honest. Basically, they weren’t minding their business. I was talking, and with one young lady, I asked what she said. She said something smart, and I said, “You didn’t say that.”
That really wasn’t anything, but when I was walking out, I heard them [bad] mouthing me, so I just said something to her and then so they ran up on me and started bashing me. I was just defending myself.
I was leaving out; that’s when they came after me. They were already recording me inside [the restaurant], but they didn’t show that part. When I was outside, that’s when they recorded and edited it and it went viral.
Who was the first person that let you know about the video?
My cousin called me the next morning and told me I went viral on TikTok.
So, you’re still working as a truck driver. Do you plan on going full-time on social media?
Yes, I can. I just need to learn how to work the social media. I’m not on the social media networks [that often], but it’s not going to be hard to figure out. That’s something I’m looking forward to doing, though.
What has your inbox been like?
Oh, man. I can’t sleep. On Monday morning, my phone was just [going crazy]. I picked it up, and I saw nothing but women, man. I was like, “Russia done hacked my phone.” I saw someone say, “Man, this the Twitter Gang. We saw you on Twitter.” I was like, “Man, I don’t have a Twitter…” then they showed me I had 16 million views.
What do you plan to do with this new fame?
Hope it just grows. Do some investments. I’m going to launch a website and I want to support Black businesses. I also want to do an anti-bully campaign.
Where can people follow you?
On Facebook at Officially Derrick Lambert, on Instagram @DLamb870 and on TikTok at @DerrickLambert375.
