Everything to Know About 'What Are Those?': Meaning, Creator, and Lasting Pop Culture Impact
In 2015, the modern infrastructure of creator monetization simply did not exist. There was no TikTok Creator Rewards Program, no automatic YouTube Shorts ad-revenue rev-share, and no straightforward marketplace connecting viral originators with global brand sponsorships.
Moore watched third-party clothing manufacturers churn out unauthorized T-shirts, baseball caps, and novelty goods bearing his catchphrase. Corporations deployed the line in Super Bowl commercials and social media campaigns without paying licensing royalties. Because copyright law treats short colloquial phrases with severe skepticism, trademarking three everyday words proved legally exhausting and prohibitively expensive for an independent comedian without high-end management.
Moore continued to pursue local stand-up comedy and digital skits, but he never realized the life-changing generational wealth that his viral moment generated for corporate platforms. His sudden death in late 2018 cut short his efforts to translate internet notoriety into sustainable artistic stability.
