Virality, Fame & Being Judged by Millions w/ Corrie Yee

In this episode, Claudia and Lynnie sits down with Corrie Yee to talk about the reality behind internet fame, from viral moments and building an audience to being recognized in public and judged by people who have never met you. 

They discuss the pressure of living online, the highs and lows of social media, and why attention isn't always what it seems.

If you've ever wondered what life is like on the other side of virality, this conversation offers an honest look behind the screen.

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:00

Welcome to Coffee and Cleavage. Welcome, guys. Cheers. I'm Linny. And I'm Claudia. And we have a very special guest today. Everyone, this is Corey Yee. Hello, everyone. Can you see my excited face?

SPEAKER_03 0:15

I think when we started doing the pod together, we're like, we need Corey. Oh yeah. On here.

SPEAKER_00 0:20

Absolutely. Oh my god. I thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_03 0:23

Because Corey, like class beauty, um smartest woman ever, most viral woman ever. So I'm like, I know, girl.

SPEAKER_00 0:33

Thank you. Yeah. I feel it's like in the you know, coffee and cleavage could use a brunette.

SPEAKER_03 0:39

We honestly can. I feel like Corey posts a video and it's like 30 million views in like three seconds.

SPEAKER_00 0:46

Oh, I know. Yeah. That's crazy. It's it's so weird. Like the minute I stopped trying to um do these big productions and create the perfect images, and I just focused on cre like capturing the realism and reactions of normal people, that's when it just started exploding. It's like I just put on a cute little dress and go to the grocery store and film like a guy's reaction, and then it just started going viral. It's been great.

SPEAKER_03 1:16

Which is so crazy because like I'll see some of like your like super viral videos, the looks people give you sometimes. I'm like, are people always like this to women, to others, like to ourselves?

SPEAKER_00 1:27

Like it's crazy, it's crazy, right? And I'm sure you guys get it all the time, and and you have you kind of feel the energy and people giving you the evil eye, which is really sad to me because you know, when I see a beautiful woman, for instance, I want to empower her and I cheer her on, and I'm like, girl, you look so good. Yeah, but a lot of times, you know, you get the the evil eye, and the oh my god, I can't believe she wore that.

SPEAKER_04 1:50

I love seeing the women's reactions when you walk by.

SPEAKER_03 1:53

And they're looking at you like you're wearing a G string, like you're dressed beautifully, like you always look so classy, and like the eyes are crazy.

SPEAKER_00 2:01

You know, honestly, I think a lot of it too is um I don't think Americans are used to seeing people dress nice anymore. Yeah, I want to break the pajama trend, get rid of the Uggs, get rid of the aloe pants. Let's bring back some, you know, some high heels and some classy, elegant dresses and just bring back good fashion, bring back caring about yourself and high, you know, good maintenance and how you carry yourself is very important.

SPEAKER_03 2:29

Well, I think that's a really good segue into our topic today. Yeah. Because we want to talk about all three of us can talk about basically the dark side of having a public life. And I think the more viral you become, especially you, because like looking at your Instagram, if you guys don't follow Corey, please make sure you look at her page right away. I mean, that is true, true viral content. So you are very much in the public eye. So how do you think, especially like doing some of these like viral videos, how has it affected you in like a public life?

SPEAKER_00 3:06

You know, I've gotten a lot of a lot of um a lot of for instance, I've had a lot of women reach out to me and say, thank you for posting these because it's encouraged them to be a better version of themselves and to wear something that they wouldn't normally wear and to just be better. I've also had a lot of hate and um at first you know, I was a little hesitant to start posting this type of content because I was really more concerned about what my friends and family would think. I didn't want people to think that I was doing this for attention or you know that I'm stuck up or so full of myself. You know, the reality is that I know how to monetize attention. I don't post for free. Like when I post, I know how to monetize. I know when people scroll, I get paid for that. So that's the difference. And so um really the the the main thing that I was concerned with in the beginning was just of course what my friends and family would think. Um and of course, you know, there's you're gonna get a lot of different opinions when you start posting this type of content. But um one thing that um that that I get excited about is when I encourage other women that say, Thank you. You know, I want to dress better and I want to be better, and I love the way you present yourself and the confidence and just being able to walk into a room and really not give a fuck what anybody else thinks. I love that. Yeah, and I think that's key to um really true happiness is just the moment you're able to free yourself of and not give a shit. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I have so much fun with it now. We I kind of go into character with my photographer, Steve. He's um He's like the man behind the scenes. Yeah, I was wondering who did. Yeah. So for those of you who don't know Steve, he's about five foot two, he's very small, uh a little Filipino guy. So talented, so much talent packed in five foot two. Oh yeah, a lot of talent packed in there, a lot of oral content. Um, but he hides like behind a bush or something. Yeah, you know, he'll be like, okay, Corey, go go walk down this aisle. And I'm like, all right, Steve, and he's just kind of hiding.

SPEAKER_03 5:03

Have you guys ever gotten like caught? Like, has anybody gotten pissed at you guys for like filming them or anything like that?

SPEAKER_00 5:08

Surprisingly, only once. Really? We had um we had we were filming in the mall, and uh there was about three younger guys, these these guys were probably about 21 years old that saw Steve filming and they approached him and and they kind of circled around him. And and I always call Steve a honey badger. I go, he doesn't give a shit. Yeah, he won't give anyone his phone. He's like, fuck off. Yeah, you like this is my right. I can legally do this, I can film, I'm in public. You know, um, and so he just anchored. Um, but there was a point where I had to intervene with these three men, and I was like, okay guys, let's let's take a step back here. Yeah. I was like, come here, Steve, let's go. Um, but you know, I mean, we're not harming anyone, really. No, we're just he's just sitting there with his cell phone and I'm just walking around just yeah, just being mean.

SPEAKER_03 5:57

Well, you obviously you you put a lot of yourself up on social media. Do you ever feel like being on social media and having such a public life, it ever does interfere with like your your privacy of your personal life? Or are you good at separating work from from play?

SPEAKER_00 6:14

It's difficult.

SPEAKER_03 6:15

Yeah, you know, like do you feel like every time you go out you have to film content because like you might get some good reactions?

SPEAKER_00 6:21

No, no. So I separ I keep that completely separate. I have my days, I I probably film public content maybe twice a week. I keep that completely separate, you know. However, I when I'm out, like those stuff that I usually would wear out. Yeah, it's just I keep, you know, even when I, for instance, if I go to lunch with my girlfriends, I'm not over here filming the whole time. Like, I like to be present because you know, when you're a content creator and all you do is create content, it's exhausting. It is, yeah. So it's important to keep that separate. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 6:49

I feel like like I think being on social media over time, it has taught me like, girl, put your phone away. When we're like, I used to be really bad at that. My husband yells at me, used to yell at me for that all the time. He'd be like, Call you, like, we're out at dinner, like put it away. Yeah. For like an hour. And I used to feel so guilty because I'm like, well, I gotta post this. I gotta Instagram eats first, like, you gotta like show everybody what you're doing. But like, I feel like being so much in the public eye, it's taught me to like really savor the moments where I'm like doing things for myself, you know. Like when we're out at dinner, like we're never on our phones.

SPEAKER_04 7:23

We are, and I I was gonna say, I love that going out with you because that is rare because most girls you go out with, you know, everyone's it's true.

SPEAKER_00 7:31

Yeah, and it's it's boring. They're not present, they're kind of half-assed listening to your conversation. Yeah. And you know, they're just really living in the pr you know, the past or seeing what other people are doing. And it's yeah. So I guess it's kind of a good thing being a content creator if you're able to put aside I don't think a lot of people are though.

SPEAKER_03 7:49

I think I think have you guys seen like it's like one like motivational speaker, maybe the audience knows. Um he was saying basically, like, let's say you have like your phone out at dinner, right? And it's facing up, like that your screen's up, like red flag. Red flag. Yeah, but is it any less of a red flag if you have that phone flip like this, or is just knowing that the phone is out, it should never be out on the phone. And it's more important. It that's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_00 8:15

Like that's my that's one role at dinner for me. The phone should not it shouldn't be out facing up, facing down. Even facing down is just the same thing.

SPEAKER_03 8:24

Why is it even out? Like this this little device has so much power over us. Like, put it away.

SPEAKER_04 8:29

Yeah, you know, and it's nice to be able to do that too, and to separate and just be present and especially first thing in the morning, you know.

SPEAKER_00 8:37

I used to have this really bad habit, which I'm still working on of, you know, waking up and immediately grabbing the phone and then just immediately going through your emails and your DMs and everything that all the noise and the chatter. And so now I've made it a point to just kind of wake up in the morning and say everything that I'm grateful for and I'm thankful for. Yeah. And go about my routine and then check the phone. I love that.

SPEAKER_03 9:00

I wonder if we're all three of us gonna get to a point where we're like 50 one day and we're just gonna throw our phones out the window, like completely. Like we're gonna be so tired of posting and the criticism and the backlash and the comments and the hate that we're just gonna say, you know what, fuck this one day. Like, I feel like I'm like so close, but I'm like, I do too well.

SPEAKER_01 9:20

And then there's the part of me that's like, just make sure Steve gets it on video. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:24

You're gonna see like just Corey's phone being chucked chucked out a window somewhere. Yeah, let's talk a little bit about so burnout, I think, is a big topic with all this. Have you experienced burnout? I have. Fuck yes, I have 100%. What? And when you guys get because I know what I do, like when I feel burnout, I have to literally take like an afternoon and just not even look at my phone. Like just the thought of my phone just like makes like my blood curdle. So what do you what do you do for burnout?

SPEAKER_00 9:56

I go to the gym. Yeah, for one, and then two, I I go to the sauna. I'm really big into health and fitness, and so cold plunge, sauna, cryotherapy, IVs, uh meditation has been phenomenal. Just any kind of health and wellness routine. Or also even just taking to um I've been really getting involved into AI lately, so just learning a new tool and a new field to kind of distract from the content burnout.

SPEAKER_03 10:21

Yeah, and you could have the AI do the work for you eventually when exactly. I mean, is AI like capable of doing like these cool fashion walking videos already?

SPEAKER_00 10:29

It is.

SPEAKER_03 10:29

Really?

SPEAKER_00 10:30

It is, and then we've actually done it not on my main page, um, because I want to make sure that my main page stays authentic. Yeah. But we have created we have replicated these videos. And so they you can still kind of tell that they're AI, but I think by next year you or maybe even the next three months you won't be able to tell. Really? Yeah, which kind of sucks because now it's like, you know, back in the day it was really hard for us to create a lot of these images, for instance, like traveling and doing these glamorous shoots. And now anyone can just go out there and do it and say, Oh, you know, I'm a Mykonos or Bali doing this uh sunset photo shoot for Maxim or whatever it is.

SPEAKER_03 11:08

It's crazy. You don't even have to go. Like you could save the 20k getting there, yeah, yeah, and just yeah. And then you see the sixth finger like coming out, and you're like, okay, well, maybe I do need to go to Bali. Yeah, okay. Well, I think I definitely think that AI is gonna be very helpful in in terms of the burnouts for us. But I'm just like, I'm so against AI right now. I'm just like, I talk about it all the time, like because it's just like we work so hard. And like women like us three, like we spend so much money to go to these locations. Yeah. And these hotels and these outfits and these bags and this hair and makeup. And then somebody comes along and they're like, I'm just gonna AI it.

SPEAKER_00 11:46

Yeah. Yeah, you know, that's one thing that really bothers me with AI as well. But there's so many other ways to use AI other than just like these images, for instance, just automating everything and making everything so much easier. Yeah. It's it's like just so powerful. I'm I'm obsessed with it now.

SPEAKER_02 12:02

I'm like, oh, you know, Cory's learning learning how to code and whatnot. Oh, right. True.

SPEAKER_03 12:08

Remember us like during MySpace days, I could be like, I'm a computer expert. Like I'm putting an evanescent song right here. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:18

Creating a massive backdrop photo. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 12:21

Remember those like little dolls that used to have like the different outfits?

SPEAKER_02 12:24

And the little, the little like um, yeah, that's so cute.

SPEAKER_03 12:27

Yeah, yeah. No, I love that.

SPEAKER_04 12:30

Um well the feeling like you always have to be on. Do you feel like that?

SPEAKER_00 12:39

The feeling that I always have to be on. No, like for content, no, because I've I've separated it. Yeah. I should keep it separate. Yeah. And it's I think it's so important. I used to feel like that, yeah, you know, back in the day, but now I'm kind of just like, no, when I have my time with my family and my friends, I'm gonna enjoy it. That's yeah, that's it.

SPEAKER_03 12:59

You know what I've like, it's and it's kind of like a negative, it's worked out in a negative for me because I've always said like I'm just gonna have days where like I don't put makeup on, and that's gonna be like my off day, right?

SPEAKER_02 13:10

And then you know then you throw a filter on.

SPEAKER_03 13:12

And then I throw a filter on, or what's ended up happening is like if like I'm doing like a video call with a fan, they're like, I just love when you don't have makeup on. And I'm like, damn it, like now I don't even have to. Yeah. So I'm like, how do I turn it off when like they love when I'm wearing like a t-shirt and like panties and they want to do a video call? I'm like, I can't even turn this off because now I'm making money not even being on.

SPEAKER_00 13:35

Yeah, you know, I didn't even think about that. Must be especially difficult for Claudia because you're taking live calls constantly.

SPEAKER_03 13:42

Yeah, constantly to 10 to 20 to 30 a day sometimes. Gosh, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:46

So you so for you, I can't imagine what it's like having to do you ever take a day off.

SPEAKER_03 13:51

I it's just it's so tempting. Because like I was like still.

SPEAKER_00 13:54

But then you're like, shit, I just missed out on X amount of money. Literally.

SPEAKER_03 13:57

Because I know if I answer that for five minutes, I have a hundred dollars in my pocket. Like, who wouldn't do that?

SPEAKER_00 14:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:02

And then I think to myself, while the phone's ringing, like, there's a lot of parts of the world of the country where making a hundred dollars in five minutes, it's like I would feel almost like like I'm slapping everybody in the face by not doing it. Cause like that's crazy money. And when I'm 50 one day and I'm looking back, I made a hundred dollars in five minutes. I I think it'd be a pretty good one.

SPEAKER_01 14:25

You're probably still gonna be making that money when you probably more. You're gonna be like, oh, remember back in the day when I would make a hundred dollars in five minutes, I'm making a thousand now.

SPEAKER_03 14:35

I hope so. It's inflation with what's going on in the world, it's probably gonna have to be a thousand for every five minutes now. Okay. Well, so all I've learned is I could also make money without makeup. So I'm always on.

SPEAKER_04 14:47

And that's amazing, you know, to be able to do that. And I feel like they fans feel like they're more, you know, it's more relatable, I guess. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:54

Even though sometimes they like, because I think for our fans, especially like going back to a public life, like they want the fantasy of the girl that's like done up and like hot and like hair and makeup and like boobs out. And because you know, like if if they're at home and they're not happy with what's going on in their home, their wives probably don't walk around with full hair and makeup on all day long. And it has nothing to do with looks, but it's just how you present yourself online. So sometimes they like that full full glam. Yeah, but some of these guys, yeah, costume all the you know, the honey burdette lingerie, because like they think like all we do is walk around the house and like honey burdette all day long. Do you guys know how uncomfortable that is?

SPEAKER_01 15:36

Like how long it takes to put on too. Yeah, the leggings and and everything.

SPEAKER_03 15:41

I had a fan the other day ask me for like one of those like bondage honey burdette sets, and he's like, Can you just throw that on real quick? I'm like, there's no real quick with those like bondage things. I'm like, I don't even know like what connects to what I can't even do it by myself. Yeah, like no, I can't do that real quick. That's gonna be extra.

SPEAKER_01 15:58

Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_03 16:00

Yeah, okay. Well, anyway, Corey, thank you for joining us.

SPEAKER_00 16:05

Thank you, ladies. Thank you so much. And um, you know, I think one cool idea, let me know what you guys think. I think it would be fun if Claudia and Linny did a little public video.

SPEAKER_03 16:15

Oh, a little pu a little public walking.

SPEAKER_00 16:18

In a dynamic trio walking down the street.

SPEAKER_03 16:20

Can you imagine the looks?

SPEAKER_00 16:21

I it would be insane. I know it would go viral.

SPEAKER_03 16:24

I'm or we do it like on the beach, like on the beach where there's like we could do it anywhere.

SPEAKER_00 16:28

Yeah, we could probably just do it off the street. Okay, well, guys.

SPEAKER_03 16:34

Let us know where you want us to be in public videos with Corey. I think that'd be really cool. Yeah, that'd be fun. Well, cool. Thank you so much for joining us. Cheers to your next viral video. Congrats on everything. Thank you. We'll see you guys soon.