Sparkly pink car. Food hauls. Meet the Charlotte-area TikToker showing you what’s for dinner
Picture this: 30 year old Huntersville Tiktoker Dakota Wright and husband Jackson are sitting in their sparkly, pink Toyota 4Runner, using the Tiny Decisions app to decide where to go on date night.
Jackson chose Sonic Drive-In for the appetizer — Jackson ordered a corn dog, French toast sticks and a Cherry Limeade; and Dakota got a grilled cheese with bacon and jalapenos and an Ocean Water.
Dakota chose both entrees and desserts. For the entree, they went to McDonalds — Dakota got a Spicy Chicken Sandwich meal with a Diet Dr. Pepper, and Jackson, a Quarter Pounder with cheese, French fries and a Diet Dr. Pepper.
For dessert, they went to Culver’s — Jackson ordered a Banana Split, and Dakota got a mini Vanilla Concrete with Butterfingers and marshmallow cream.
And, through the elaborate three-course meal, you get to go along for the ride, eating your way through the Charlotte area and laughing at the couple’s jokes.
How?
By following Wright’s TikTok account, where he has become famous posting his meals with Jackson and their friends. In fact, Wright has become so TikTok famous that he was named one of the social media platform’s 2022 Trailblazers for Pride Month. As a Trailblazer, the North Carolina native attended the Pride parade held in Los Angeles.
“We just waved, screamed, shouted, and you know, got the energy out for the rest of the people on the parade,” Wright said.
His rise to fame
Wright started making TikTok videos in April 2021, featuring him and Jackson, his husband of two years, doing “food hauls” — videos where someone will show the food they got, where they got it from and eat it on camera.
He started making these videos after he saw one with Jackson and their friend. “We saw the videos where people just showed what food they were eating,” Wright said. “And they said their name, and that was it.”
That video of Wright’s large meal — a three piece chicken strip tray with a Diet Coke, hush puppies, a Cajun chicken wrap and two sides of white cheddar cheese bites and Cajun fries — hit 1 million views that same night.
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When he was starting, Wright uploaded one video a week, now he uploads 2-4 times per week. Some of his more popular videos feature him and Jackson using the “Tiny Decisions” app to choose where to get appetizers, drinks, entrees and desserts.
Prior to his TikTok fame, Wright told us he was diagnosed with two eating disorders: One when he was 19, and the second recently. His TikTok journey has been very therapeutic and beneficial for his mental health and growth, he said. Wright often gets direct messages from people telling him that his videos have helped them with their relationship with food.
The origin of @printfairy
Wright’s username “printfairy” was created in 2013, when he got his first PlayStation. It is a combination of his obsession with animal print when the hit reality show “Jersey Shore’‘ was popular and the slur “fairy” that was used against him in high school.
He came out as gay at age 14. “The ‘fairy’ part was just a slur that I was trying to take back and embrace,” he said.
His username is always a point of conversation with everyone he encounters and plays games on the PlayStation Network.
“So, I’m just kind of taking that on, I guess as an alias,” he said.
The jelly bean pink Toyota 4Runner
Wright has a Toyota 4Runner wrapped in a pink jelly bean gloss wrap with Fuel Hostage rims. One of his most popular TikTok videos featured him showcasing the car.
“As a kid, I’ve always wanted a pink car,” he said in the video. “And it’s super crazy to think that I have one.”
Wright purchased his last car in 2020 and paid it off in June 2021. “I get a car. Two years later, I get another car. Two years later, I get another car — you know, it’s a never-ending cycle,” Wright said.
After the last purchase, he invested in the famous pink wrap to stop himself from getting a new car. “I just said you know what? I paid my car off. Let me reward myself,” he said.
When he’s not making TikTok videos, Wright is selling houses at Premier South Real Estate. “It has actually went over very well with my current clients, past clients, new clients — people love it,” Wright said.
Real estate
Wright got his real estate license in 2018, after he spoke to one of his friends in his hometown of Winston-Salem about her career as a Realtor. “I basically just had one of those moments where I’m like, you know, you’ve got to find something you enjoy and do for the rest of your life,” he said.
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While some other real estate agents treat customers like transactions, Wright treats them like people. He said he becomes like family with each of his clients.
“I really do enjoy being a part of such a big step in anyone’s life now, whether it’s like their first home, or they’re downsizing or they’re moving across the country or they’re moving up and all,” he said.
The Future of @printfairy
“I think I’m gonna do social media part time,” Wright said. And then he said: “But I think I’m gonna end up doing it full time because I really, really am very passionate about it.”
On his account page, a community has formed. His videos showcasing his personality draws followers, and he gets direct messages from viewers pouring their hearts out and asking for advice.
His advice for anyone interested in creating social media content is to be themselves. “Somewhere out there, there’s a community that will resonate with that, and they will build itself around you like they have me,” Wright said.
This story was originally published July 27, 2022 at 6:05 AM.
