Famend health influencer Joey Swoll vowed to not be canceled by critics in his return to social media following backlash over his tribute to late wrestling icon Hulk Hogan.
Swoll, the “CEO of Gym Positivity,” was again on-line on Friday — 4 days after he was run off his platform — as he known as out health club bullies, however not earlier than he lashed out in opposition to critics over his now-viral publish.
“Love me or hate me, I am not going anywhere and you are not going to cancel me,” Swoll informed his 8 million TikTok followers.
“I am not quitting and I am done apologizing,” he declared, ending the short-lived social hiatus.
Swoll, whose actual identify is Joey Sergo, stated a few of his followers confronted him for dressing up because the mustachioed wrestling icon in an outdated video he reposted in tribute to Hogan, who died on July 24.
The costume was an obvious reward from the Hulkster, born Terry Bollea, to Swoll.
Hogan died of a coronary heart assault, in line with the Pinellas County Forensic Science Heart information obtained by Web page Six.
On-line critics have been appalled by the health influencer for honoring the WWE legend, not realizing the scope of his numerous scandals.
Swoll, 42, deleted the video and apologized to the mob for not understanding all the “horrible, horrible things that man has done,” he stated in an apology video to his numerous accounts.
He had stated he was “done” along with his web persona in a goodbye message posted on July 29.
“All the good I’ve done, all the people I’ve helped, all for nothing. I truly hope all the people I’ve inspired do great things in their life and pay it forward to help others and carry on my message,” he wrote. “But no matter how much good you do, people just wait for a reason to hate you and tear you down. You either die a hero, or live long enough to be the villain. Thank you for your support. I am done.”
The influencer’s numerous social media platforms, which boast practically 17 million mixed followers, have been silent till he returned Friday afternoon to name out one other health club bully who mocked a girl figuring out behind her.
“Don’t you wish we had someone to call out bullies in the gym?” a textual content bubble requested inside Swoll’s empty automobile, which served a well-recognized backdrop for his movies.
Swoll appeared in body and proclaimed he was the one to name out the bullies and was not going wherever.
“I just needed a few days to step back, to breathe, to get my mind right,” he stated.
The influencer stated he obtained hundreds of messages from individuals telling him to not stop, as others informed him he was an inspiration to them.
“Messages giving me the good kick in the a– that I needed to get back up,” Swoll stated.
Swoll warned his haters that he would proceed to name out “bullies,” being a voice for the defenseless and advocating for the health club group and the world to be a greater place.
“My message is do better, NOT be perfect,” Swoll captioned the publish.