A toddler with a big bouffant who is TikTok's golden girl just won even more hearts on TODAY.
One-year-old Evelyn Mae of Dallas has a "wet set" coiffure, styled by her hairstylist grandmother Trina King for the TikTok account Lil Evie Mae.
In her videos, which have millions of views, Evelyn Mae saunters down the sidewalk, drives a toy car wearing a purple sparkly top and carries a purse to hold her Werther’s Original and Strawberry Bon Bon candy. Evelyn Mae also makes a landline call, serves baked goods, and delivers a birthday card with some cash inside. Her favorite perfume is Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds.
On March 7, Evelyn Mae wore a pink pantsuit to appear on TODAY with her mom, Autumn Mathas, and King. To the tune of the "Golden Girls" theme song, they walked onto a set decorated like the famous Miami house.
"We've been waiting to meet Evelyn Mae for a long time," said Hoda Kotb.
Mathas explained that Evelyn Mae was the perfect model with a hair shape that looked like Betty White's (the actor who played Rose Nylund on the sitcom).
Hoda asked if Evelyn Mae minded wearing shoulder pads and brooches, adding, "This child is the most well-behaved child."
“The world is heavy,” Hoda said. “We are tired. And you know what Evelyn Mae just did? She just made everything a little bit brighter.”
Hoda gave Evelyn Mae a TODAY clutch bag packed with Werther’s Originals. “Y’all brightened our day,” said Hoda, adding, “She’s going to look back when she gets older and just crack up — or she’ll be really mad!”
The "Golden Girls" hairstyle began (where else?) in the salon. King, 52, was missing her beauty school days when she learned how to create "wet set" hairstyles.
"It's when you put gel in the hair and wrap it in small rollers and (set it) under a dryer," King tells TODAY.com. "When it's done, you tease it and smooth it out."
With mom Mathas' blessing, King decided to try a wet set on Evelyn Mae. "It was like riding a bike," she says.
King loved her granddaughter's hair so much, she posted a video of her on TikTok — then another and another. Everyone got the joke in the comments section.
- "Omg I knew I recognized her. She sold me some Mary Kay last week! She also makes a mean pot roast."
- "I took a Jazzercise class from her in ‘89."
- "Evelyn Mae was my first grade teacher! She hasn’t aged a day!"
- "Evelyn Mae is running for her third term as chairwoman of local Board of Realtors."
- "When Evelyn Mae organizes the church potluck dinner, people at other churches bring food too."
- "My Granny said Evelyn Mae copied her Pound Cake recipe when she won first place at the county fair."
- "Evelyn Mae always had a handkerchief in the wrist of her coat whenever I cried."
- "Evelyn Mae knows all the neighborhood stories! she doesn’t call it gossip."
- "I just know she has a cookie tin full of sewing supplies!!"
- "I need to place an Avon order when she has time."
Evelyn Mae's videos have millions of views. "I was not expecting that," says King. "It's made so many people happy."
King says Evelyn Mae needs to be in the right mood for styling.
"We have to make sure she's in a good mood, has a full belly and takes a nap," says King, adding that YouTuber Ms. Rachel is a "savior" for getting Evelyn Mae to sit for the 20-minute treatment.
King says she's read TikTok messages that express how Evelyn Mae's videos cheer up people who have lost their grandparents and parents.
"One woman wrote me a private message that brought me to tears," says King. "She was struggling with her mom's death and ... (after) she asked her mother for a sign ... she opened TikTok and saw (Evelyn Mae’s) Werther Originals, her mother's favorite candy."
"That touched me," says King.
“We have so many ideas for videos,” says King. “What a fun ride.”