Every so often, TikTok latches onto a forgotten moment and turns it into a full-blown meme. This is precisely what happened with “A barbershop haircut that costs a quarter,” a line from the musical Newsies.
Featured VideoIt first went viral after a clip from an amateur theater production was posted on TikTok in 2021. The phrase resurfaced on TikTok this summer, years after its original viral debut, sparking reenactments and edits across the app.
The clip featured actor Kevin James Sievert (@kevinjamessievert) delivering the line during the song “King of New York” in a Wisconsin production. He emphasized the word “quarter” with a heavy New York accent, stretching it into “qwarta.” Audience cheers followed instantly, and the moment became a highlight for viewers. Initially, the video went viral in 2021, but reposts in 2025 gave the meme new life.
AdvertisementThe origin of the viral theater clip
The first viral upload appeared on March 3, 2021, when TikToker @jordanarrasmith shared footage of the scene. Text overlay predicted the moment would steal the show, and it quickly took off. It gained more than 152.3K likes and now has over 1.1 million views.
@jordanarrasmith Ok but why did @kevinsievert make this whole song way better than it was written in just 2 measures? #theatre #newsies #fyp #actor #musicaltheatre ♬ original sound – Jordo
It was reposted again in December 2023 by @shawndholmes, clarifying that it came from his recording of his little brother Kevin’s performance in Milwaukee. His post of the recording has been viewed over 18.8 million times.
Advertisement@shawndholmes Since @Jordan L. Arrasmith didnt give me video AND end laugh credit…WORLD, this is my little brother @Kevin Sievert, and he is AMAZING!!! #disneytiktok #newsies #newsiesthemusical #kingofnewyork #kingofnewyorknewsies #tenor #optionup ♬ original sound – Shawn Holmes
TikTok resurrects the “barbershop haircut that costs a quarter” meme
The meme’s resurgence in 2025 came with a twist of Accuracy Meme Reenactments and brainrot edits. On May 14, TikToker @mokamochaa recreated the delivery with exaggerated flair, earning more than 210,000 likes in just two weeks. Other creators followed, staging theatrical versions of the line or weaving it into skits. They are similar to the recent reenactments of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton attempting to sneak out of the house.
AdvertisementPeople aren’t only doing reenactments; they are remixing the video, creating edits, and following other brainrot trends.
@tonsiltiggla Adrien doesn’t give eeffoc #abarbershop #haircut #adrien #eeffoc #fyp ♬ original sound – TonsilTigglaAdvertisement
Kevin James Sievert himself even responded to the clip of himself going viral again in a video where he sang, “If you don’t love me at my, ‘A barbershop haircut that costs a qwarta,’ then you don’t deserve me at my, ‘wooah-oh-oh,’” giving a sliding riff at the end.
@kevinjamessievert try explaining this to your straight friends @VoskInTheCity #abarbershophaircutthatcostsaquarter ♬ original sound – Kevin James Sievert
The resurgence is further evidence of how TikTok constantly retools old material. Some memes thrive for weeks, others resurface years later with new contexts. The “barbershop haircut” moment now joins the growing list of niche performance clips that social media users have transformed into a popular TikTok trend.
The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s newsletter here.
Bluesky blocks service in Mississippi over age assurance law