Credit: Laina Morris via YouTube
Woman Behind ‘Overly Attached Girlfriend Meme’ Reveals ‘Deep Secret’ Nobody Knew
The woman behind the ‘Overly Attached Girlfriend’ meme has revealed a deep secret she kept hidden from everyone during the height of her viral fame.
Laina Morris became an internet sensation overnight in 2012 when a screenshot from her parody video for Justin Bieber’s ‘Girlfriend’ fragrance contest went viral.
Meant as a lighthearted joke, the video morphed into the infamous ‘Overly Attached Girlfriend’ meme – her wide-eyed stare quickly becoming a symbol of clingy obsession across the web.
Now, years later, Morris has opened up about the experience that changed the course of her life.
The viral video, uploaded on June 6, 2012, featured Morris satirizing possessive romantic behavior with intentionally absurd lyrics, such as: “If I was your girlfriend, I’d never let you leave without a small recording device taped under your sleeve.”
It caught fire after being shared on Reddit, and her image was suddenly everywhere.
Although the meme brought her internet fame and opened doors – late-night appearances, VidCon invites, and a burgeoning YouTube channel – Morris reveals the intense pressure of keeping up with an audience took a heavy toll.
In an interview with People, Morris said: “It was crazy. It was in the hands of the internet almost immediately.
“I didn’t name this character ‘Overly Attached Girlfriend,’ I didn’t make any of these memes – it was kind of like I was in on the joke, but also, I don’t know, I was just following along with everyone else as well at the same time.”
At just 20 years old, Morris had been studying to become a teacher. However, the viral moment rerouted her path toward digital content creation.
Though the views came pouring in, she admits the reality behind the scenes wasn’t so glamorous.
In a 2019 farewell video to her YouTube channel, she shared: “Starting around 2014… I landed myself in a real deep depression, and I was keeping it a real deep secret from everyone around me.
“I felt ashamed and I felt guilt for being stressed and overwhelmed in a world and with the job and opportunities that were so great.”
Though her fans saw polished, humorous content, Morris was privately battling anxiety, burnout, and overwhelming self-doubt.
In her candid goodbye video, she included personal footage of breakdowns and tearful moments filmed between takes – showing the emotional cost of her online persona.
Morris eventually sought therapy and began medication in late 2018.
Reflecting on that time, the viral star said: “It just feels very selfish to be this upset because I can’t be successful and what I wanna do when I’m fine. I own a house and a car and I’m doing fine.”
Since stepping away from YouTube, Morris has been freelancing, editing for other creators, and exploring new creative pursuits.
Now, with over a decade of perspective, she acknowledges the complex legacy of the meme that launched her into fame.
She said: “I am where I am because of [‘Overly Attached Girlfriend’], but I do think if I could go back and just tell myself to chill a little bit… I think I let myself get really overwhelmed.”
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