There’s a video sweeping the internet right now that, in just 25 seconds, manages to encapsulate the emotional range of Meryl Streep. It is, on the surface, a TikTok video of a young woman trying kombucha for the first time and making a whole bunch of faces. But it’s more than that. It’s not so much about kombucha as it is a perfect representation of any situation in life where at first you feel terrible but also good but then terrible but ultimately things are maybe okay. Writing a draft of an essay? This video is you. Making eye contact with someone in a bar? This video is you too.
The kombucha drinker is one Brittany Tomlinson, a complete unknown prior to her viral hit. Vulture caught up with Tomlinson to talk kombucha, face journeys, and hair tips.
Brittany, hi! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m 22, a Dallas native, and a Texas A&M graduate. Now, I’m a banker! I’ve been making dumb little Snapchat videos like the one I posted on TikTok for a few years now, but once I crossed over to TikTok it absolutely blew up for some reason. Life has been crazy since.
What has the response been like?
People have been super nice for the most part, saying I made their day or put a smile on their face. It’s so cute.
That’s adorable. Talk to me about the video a little more. What inspired it? What was your creative process like?
So my friends tease me because I usually eat garbage for every meal — fast food, snacks — and my friend Steph was like, “Britt you have to have a probiotic AT SOME POINT, like, it’s good for you try it!†Then I watched Cody Ko & Noel Miller’s vid on GT Dave and I was like, omfg okay why not.†Bought a can from Walmart, cracked it open, set up my camera, and boom. The reaction is literally genuine.
Forgive me but … who is GT Dave?
Watch this and all questions will be answered.
Okay, thank you. So back to the kombucha you drank.
It tastes like it WANTS to taste good, but sadly it fails. Also I’m an idiot and bought cherry-cola flavored. People were like, “Why didn’t you buy a fruit one dumbass?†I said “LMAO IDK.†Good news is, since the video, a bunch of different kombucha companies have reached out to me, including the one I tried, Live Kombucha. I’m gonna film a YouTube video ranking a bunch of different ones for the FINAL verdict.
Yes! Get that free shit!
I’m TELLING YOUUUUU! Also GT Kombucha is sending me a T-shirt and I literally almost passed out. Life is crazy, man. It’s so exciting. People have been telling me I should make a YouTube for years so my YouTube channel is in the works. It’ll be brittany_broski just like all my other social media.
Have you found people are going back and watching your old stuff, too?Yes, absolutely. My TikTok almost doubled in followers over the course of two days.
Do you have a background in comedy? Was it something you did in college?
I was on my high-school and college improv troupes and I was definitely a theater kid. I’ve been making dumb videos for forever.
From one theater kid to another, thank you for your service.
Always nice to meet another serviceman.
If you were to describe the face journey in the video what emotions would you use?
I would describe it as disappointing pleasure. Will I try kombucha again? Probably. Will I like it? Probably not. Will I keep drinking it? Yeah, most likely. You know? One of those.
I laughed so hard at your “oh by the way don’t forget that I’m hot†tweet, and I just have to ask, since it’s almost Christian Girl Autumn, what is the secret to your curls. That volume!
Kayleigh and Braxtynn my two angel kids <3 LMAO. THE SECRET IS TEASE THE SNOT OUT OF YOUR ROOTS. I’m from Texas man, bigger the hair closer to God. Periodt!