# Hide Yo Kids "Hide Yo Kids, Hide Yo Wife" is a viral catchphrase from a 2010 local news interview with Antoine Dodson, a resident of the Lincoln Park housing projects in Huntsville, Alabama, who passionately warned his neighbors about an alleged home intruder. The interview clip became one of the biggest memes of 2010 after The Gregory Brothers turned it into the "Bed Intruder Song," an Auto-Tuned remix that hit the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over 250,000 copies on iTunes[1]. ## Origin On July 28, 2010, reporter Elizabeth Gentle of NBC affiliate WAFF-48 in Huntsville, Alabama interviewed Antoine Dodson after an alleged intruder attempted to assault his sister in her second-story bedroom at the Lincoln Park housing projects[1]. Dodson spoke directly into the camera with a passionate, vernacular-heavy warning to both his neighbors and the alleged attacker. The alleged intruder was later identified as Rashaad Cooper, though he was never charged for the incident at the time[1]. The interview aired on local news and was uploaded to YouTube, where Dodson's animated delivery caught fire. Some local viewers complained to WAFF-48 that broadcasting interviews like Dodson's reflected poorly on the community, but the station defended its decision, saying that censoring people would be worse[1]. Jonathan Capehart of The Washington Post praised Dodson as an instant internet sensation, writing that "in this age of fake reality TV, he puts the real in reality"[1]. - **Platform:** WAFF-48 News (local TV broadcast), YouTube (viral spread) - **Creator:** Antoine Dodson (interview subject), The Gregory Brothers (Auto-Tune remix creators), Elizabeth Gentle (reporter) - **Date:** 2010 ## Overview The meme centers on Antoine Dodson's July 2010 television interview, in which he addressed the camera directly after an alleged intruder broke into his sister's bedroom at the Lincoln Park housing projects. Dodson's delivery was intense, animated, and quotable, producing lines like "Hide yo kids, hide yo wife, and hide yo husband too, 'cause they rapin' everybody out here" and "You are so dumb, you are really dumb, for real"[1]. The raw emotional energy of the clip, combined with Dodson's flamboyant style and direct-to-camera warnings, made it instantly shareable. The Gregory Brothers then transformed the interview into the "Bed Intruder Song" using Auto-Tune, turning a local crime report into a genuinely catchy pop track[1]. ## How It Spread The original news clip spread rapidly on YouTube in late July and August 2010. The Gregory Brothers, already known for their "Auto-Tune the News" series, released the "Bed Intruder Song" remix, which turned Dodson's interview into a polished musical track. The song climbed to number 89 on Billboard's Hot 100 list[1]. By August 31, 2010, when Dodson appeared on NBC's Today Show, the video had already been viewed more than 16 million times, with hosts calling it "one of the most watched online videos ever"[1]. The remix inspired its own wave of covers, including a punk rock version created by Hayley Williams of Paramore, Jordan Pundik of New Found Glory, Ethan Luck of Relient K, and musician Tony Lucca[1]. Dodson appeared on radio shows in Australia, built a fanbase in London, and became widely recognized in Huntsville[1]. By September 2010, The Gregory Brothers reported selling more than 250,000 copies of the "Bed Intruder Song" on iTunes[1]. Excluding major-label music videos, it was the most viewed YouTube video of 2010[1]. The catchphrase "Hide yo kids, hide yo wife" spread across forums, social media, and everyday conversation, becoming shorthand for any situation where someone should be on high alert[2]. ## How to Use The catchphrase "Hide yo kids, hide yo wife" is typically used to warn about an incoming threat, often humorously exaggerated. Common usage includes: 1. Responding to any news about a threat, danger, or incoming problem with the full quote or a shortened version 2. Quoting "You are so dumb, you are really dumb, for real" as a reaction to someone's foolish behavior 3. Using "Run and tell that" as a call to spread information 4. Referencing the Auto-Tuned melody in conversation or singing the chorus ## Cultural Impact The "Bed Intruder Song" won "Meme of the Year" at the 2010 Urlies, taking both the People's Choice and Editors' Choice awards, while the original interview clip won "Video of the Year" in the People's Choice category[1]. Dodson performed the "Bed Intruder Song" live with Michael Gregory of The Gregory Brothers at the 2010 BET Hip Hop Awards in October 2010[1]. He appeared on Lopez Tonight singing a "Chimney Intruder" parody about Santa Claus, and on Tosh.0 for a "Web Redemption" segment[1]. In late December 2010, he was featured in a Tosh.0 season commercial[1]. The meme crossed into scripted television. On The Cleveland Show, the episode "Dancing with the Stools" referenced Dodson when the character Roberta entered wearing his signature bandana and quoted "you are so dumb, you are really dumb, for real." In another episode, "B.M.O.C.," Roberta listed "'Hide your kids, hide your wife' didn't go to college" when naming famous people without degrees[1]. Korean-American singer Jay Park also mimicked Dodson in an episode of Jay Park TV[1]. The financial impact was significant. Revenue from iTunes sales, merchandise, and donations helped Dodson's family move out of the Lincoln Park projects by September 2010[1]. He launched a website soliciting donations and set up a foundation for Type 1 diabetes, which affected both his sister and mother[1]. In August 2010, Dodson noted the irony of having "a hit on iTunes, but we're still in the projects," though that changed within a month[1]. Dodson parlayed his fame into multiple business ventures: a T-shirt line, a licensed "Bed Intruder Costume" for Halloween 2010, a "Sex Offender Tracker" smartphone app endorsement, and a reality show pilot announced in January 2011[1]. In November 2014, he fought the alleged intruder Rashaad Cooper in a celebrity boxing match hosted by Kato Kaelin, winning in the first round[1]. In September 2022, he announced plans to launch a beer called "Run N' Tell That" with Huntsville brewery Straight to Ale[1]. The meme also sparked debate about race, class, and media representation. The clip originated from a real crime report, and the humor derived from Dodson's delivery raised questions about laughing at or with people from marginalized communities. Capehart's Washington Post editorial positioned Dodson as "one of the strongest people we've seen in a while," pushing back against the idea that the meme was purely mockery[1]. ## Fun Facts - Dodson grew up in Chicago and moved to Huntsville in 2004, where he attended Virginia College and worked as a hairstylist[1]. - The alleged intruder Rashaad Cooper was never charged by police based on the Dodsons' report, and he later contradicted their account of the incident[1]. - Dodson and Cooper eventually faced off in a 2014 celebrity boxing match, with Dodson winning in the first round[1]. - In January 2011, MSN announced Dodson was filming a reality show pilot about his family's move from Huntsville to Los Angeles[1]. - The "Bed Intruder Song" was the most viewed non-major-label music video on YouTube for all of 2010[1]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Hide Yo Kids? "Hide Yo Kids, Hide Yo Wife" is a catchphrase from Antoine Dodson's July 2010 local news interview in Huntsville, Alabama, which went viral and was turned into the "Bed Intruder Song" by The Gregory Brothers[1]. ### Where did Hide Yo Kids come from? It originated from an interview on WAFF-48 News on July 28, 2010, where Dodson warned his neighbors after an alleged break-in and attempted assault at the Lincoln Park housing projects[1]. ### What does Hide Yo Kids mean? The phrase is a warning to protect your family from danger. In meme usage, it's applied humorously to any situation where someone or something poses a comically exaggerated threat[2]. ### How do you use Hide Yo Kids? Quote the phrase when reacting to any "incoming threat" situation, whether serious or absurd. The humor comes from applying Dodson's intense delivery to mundane problems[2]. ### Is Hide Yo Kids still popular? The meme is a classic from the early 2010s viral era. While its peak was in 2010, the catchphrase and the "Bed Intruder Song" are still widely recognized and referenced[1]. ### Who is Antoine Dodson? Antoine Dodson (born June 27, 1986) is an American internet celebrity, singer, and actor from Huntsville, Alabama who became famous after his 2010 news interview went viral[1]. ### How many copies did the Bed Intruder Song sell? The Gregory Brothers reported selling more than 250,000 copies on iTunes by September 2010[1]. ### Did the Bed Intruder Song chart on Billboard? Yes, it reached number 89 on Billboard's Hot 100, making it one of the first Auto-Tuned internet memes to appear on the chart[1]. ### Did Antoine Dodson make money from the meme? Yes. Revenue from iTunes sales, merchandise, and donations enabled his family to move out of the housing projects by September 2010. He also launched T-shirt lines, endorsed apps, and pursued a reality show[1]. ### What awards did the meme win? It won "Meme of the Year" (both People's Choice and Editors' Choice) at the 2010 Urlies, and the original interview won "Video of the Year" in the People's Choice category[1]. ### Did Antoine Dodson fight the intruder? Yes. In November 2014, Dodson and the alleged intruder Rashaad Cooper fought in a celebrity boxing match hosted by Kato Kaelin. Dodson won in the first round[1]. ## References 1. [Antoine Dodson]() 2. [Hide Yo Kids - Urban Dictionary]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/hide-yo-kids Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library