Viral 'Chewbacca Mask Lady' Sets Records, Causes Run On Chewbacca Masks

If you’ve even glanced at social media in passing over the weekend, you’ll have seen that Candace Payne from Texas is now roughly as famous as Kim Kardashian.

Previously unknown, the 37-year-old mum-of-two has set a new Facebook record after the video of her laughing hysterically through a Chewbacca mask she’d just bought from a Dallas toy store was watched more than 50 million times in a single day.

- Ken Loach movie scoops Palme d’Or
- Shane Black Reveals His Idea For Lethal Weapon 5
- Olivia Munn Reveals Gruelling X-Men: Apocalypse Regime

At the time of publishing, it’s clocked up over 135 million views in all, and been shared well over three million times.

“I feel like I really helped people and that’s all that matters,” she said.

“People reach out to me and they say, you know, ‘I battle depression’ or 'I haven’t laughed out loud since such-and-such event.’ And that’s been so great. I’ve only been seeing positive feedback.”

She added to the BBC: “That’s just crazy. I’m just laughing - in all honesty, that is ridiculous. I’ve looked at the number of views and it just seems like someone is just playing with a calculator.

“I could see myself in the camera, and I saw this view and I could not stop laughing at how gleeful Chewbacca looked. I thought 'Chewbacca’s found his joy!’

“When you are a stay-at-home mom, every now and then you just need an adult conversation. Like 'Please someone else out there in the universe or Internet tell me I’m not the only one who finds this funny.'”

Last night, she recorded another Facebook Live post from a hotel in New York, where she’s been flown specially to appear on 'Good Morning America’ later today.

As a result of the video, there’s now been a run on the electronic masks, having been listed as completely out of stock on major US websites including Walmart, Target and Toys R Us.

Cashing in rather shamelessly on the publicity, the manager of her local Kohl’s store in Dallas, where she bought the mask, turned up on her doorstep with more gifts for the family (and handily, someone to capture the moment on video).

He presented the Payne family with more of the now sought-after Chewbacca masks (surely she should get a Stormtrooper cameo too now), and $2,500 in gift cards, and even that video has racked up nearly 30 million views so far.

“We have received an overwhelming amount of interest in the Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens Chewbacca Electronic Mask by Hasbro since Candace posted her funny and lighthearted video,” a Kohl’s spokeswoman told CNBC.

“The mask is currently sold out on Kohls.com.”

According to reports, some sellers on Amazon in the US are now asking for as much as $299 for the masks (just over £200), despite the pre-Candace price tag of between $20 and $30 (about £15 to £20).

On Amazon in the UK, some sellers are charging in excess of £80, while Toys R Us, Asda, and the Disney Store have sold out completely.

Image credit: Facebook/Walmart