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‘Chewbacca Mom’ Candace Payne Reveals the Best Part of Her Viral Video Experience
May 23, 2016
Last Updated: May 23, 2016
Candace Payne, the mom who posted a viral video of her wearing a growling Chewbacca mask, told “Good Morning America” about the best part of her experience.
The video shows Payne bursting into laughter after trying on her new Chewbacca mask in her car, while still in the parking lot at Kohl’s.
“I’m a happy Chewbacca,” she said.
“I can’t stop!” she said laughing hysterically.
Payne stumbled onto the mask, which makes the noise of Chewbacca when you open your mouth, while looking for toys for her children at Kohl’s.
Originally, she had set out to buy yoga pants for herself, she told “Good Morning America” on on May 23.
“I need to get that,” recalled Payne thinking when she saw the mask at the store, “I don’t think my kids need that, I think I need that.”
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Viewers found the Chewbacca mask hilarious, but Payne’s reaction even more so.
“So much better than a video where someone is TRYING to be funny, and we just giggle a little. This right here…pure inner joy…radiating from within!,” wrote a Facebook user.
“I’m not sure what I love more…the super cool amazing mask or the level of your joy!!!” wrote another.
The viral video has been viewed over 130 million times.
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“I think the world, as a whole, is in need of a good laugh. I think we are in need of somebody to lift our spirits to not take ourselves so seriously, and maybe break some cynicism, worldwide,” said Payne about why she thinks the video got so popular.
“It just needs to stop, and somebody needs to have a good belly laugh with somebody, and it happened to be me that day,” she said.
WATCH: “The best part is being able to share joy with people.” – @candacepayne on her Chewbacca mask video https://t.co/RxrPUoLMRN
— Good Morning America (@GMA) May 23, 2016
But Payne says the best part of everything was “being able to share joy with people.”
“I had one lady message me and tell me that she has an autistic daughter that hadn’t laughed in two months and she said every time she showed her that video she laughed and laughed,” Payne told GMA.
“And from one momma heart to another momma, to see a child laugh that you hadn’t seen laugh, those are the stories I’m going to take with me,” said Payne.
Payne, who will soon celebrate her 15-year-anniversary with her husband, said she also received messages from people who were coming out of depression.
The Star Wars-loving-mom was awarded a gift card by Hasbro of $2,500 and a collection of Star Wars toys during the show. Previously, Kohl’s representatives had given her $2,500 in gift cards, rewards points, Star Wars toys, and two extra Chewbacca masks for her kids.
Candace didn’t want to share her Chewbacca mask. So we showed up to make sure she didn’t have to! #AllTheGoodStuffhttps://t.co/8gvLaj9VeF
— Kohl’s (@Kohls) May 21, 2016
After the video was posted on May 19, the Chewbacca mask sold out online.
The mask, priced at $44.99, is out of stock at Kohl’s, Target, Walmart, and Toys R Us. It’s still available from private sellers on Amazon—but prices start at $207.