IIf you were on the internet in the mid-1980s when YouTube exploded in popularity, then you you probably know Kelly. The character, created and played by actor Liam Kyle Sullivan, went viral in 2006 with the song and video “Shoes”.
In it, Kelly goes in search of a pair of shoes after receiving a disappointing birthday present from her parents. We hear your monotonous but enthusiastic opinions about which shoes “dominate” and which ones “suck.” The original video has been viewed more than 69 million times and Kelly became a beloved recurring character in popular videos of the time, such as “Text Message Separation” It is “Let me borrow that top.”
Eighteen years later, Kelly performed “Shoes” at a Pride event in Los Angeles on Sunday — and the audience’s response showed that she has not been forgotten. The unexpected performance went viral as videos of the event spread online and racked up millions of views, a testament to Kelly’s lasting impact and her hilarious, unforgettable song.
One TikTok creator’s performance upload alone garnered more than two million views, while another video on X reached more than five million.
At Monday’s performance, the crowd can be heard welcoming Kelly to the stage to lively applause, and she takes a second to soak in the moment. The collective joy is palpable from the moment she says the first line: “Shoes.”
“This is pride,” says a comment on TikTok. Others recalled watching the iconic video when they were young and shared that it was the first viral video they remember watching. “I don’t think people really understand the cultural impact this has had,” one person wrote on X.
Kelly’s appearance all these years later shows the staying power of great, original content. The “shoes” will always live.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
