Timcast IRL · February 4, 2024 · 2h 0m
Sunday Uncensored: Brandon Straka Members Only Podcast
Episode Recap
Tim Pool and co-hosts discussed the controversy surrounding Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and a TikTok comment he allegedly made on an OnlyFans creator's video in 2022. The comment, which simply said "wow" with two emojis, resurfaced and RFK Jr. claimed it was actually his 33-year-old social media manager from Georgia who had used his account when it didn't meet TikTok's 1,000 follower threshold for going live. The panel debated whether this scandal makes RFK Jr. more relatable to voters or harms his presidential campaign. They compared it to DeSantis' "Bootgate" controversy and discussed how politicians can no longer escape scrutiny in the internet age where past comments and actions are easily searchable. The discussion also explored generational differences in social media usage, with arguments that a "wow" comment with emojis is actually more characteristic of older internet users than younger ones who would use different language. They noted RFK Jr. has been posting workout content and what some call "thirst traps" as part of his campaign strategy, and speculated about how he could have turned the scandal into a positive by leaning into his appreciation for fitness and physique.
TL;DR
- →RFK Jr. faced controversy over a TikTok comment allegedly found on an OnlyFans creator's video from 2022
- →RFK Jr. claimed it was his 33-year-old social media manager who posted the comment using his account
- →The panel debated whether the scandal makes RFK Jr. more relatable or hurts his presidential campaign
- →Discussion compared this to DeSantis' Bootgate controversy and how politicians handle scandals in the internet age
- →Generational differences in social media behavior were debated, with arguments that 'wow' comments are boomer-style
- →RFK Jr.'s social media strategy including workout posts and fitness content was analyzed as part of his campaign approach
Key Moments
- 0:01:32TikTok Controversy IntroductionDiscussion begins about the RFK Jr. TikTok comment scandal and his explanation involving a staffer
- 0:04:33Media Strategy AnalysisPanel discusses RFK Jr.'s podcasting presence and social media manager situation
- 0:05:31OnlyFans SpeculationHumorous speculation about RFK Jr.'s potential OnlyFans strategy and wife Cheryl's modeling history
- 0:06:11Boomer Internet DebatePushback on whether TikTok is complicated and analysis of generational internet behavior
- 0:07:08Generational Media AnalysisComparison of Biden's lying style to internet-era accountability and final thoughts on the comment style
- 0:07:40Finding the CreatorDiscussion about locating the TikTok creator and further investigation of RFK Jr.'s whereabouts in 2022
Notable Quotes
“There's people I know, women who find him really attractive and when like the whole shirtless thing, well he posted that workout routine, he's posting thirst traps, he's liking thirst traps, this is his whole thing allegedly”
— Tim Pool · discussing RFK Jr.'s social media strategy
“I got to push back on that. I don't think that TikTok is that complicated. And I think that if you're an older married guy who wants to find videos of sexy women dancing around, like you go to TikTok and it's not that difficult to figure out how to create an account and start commenting on the videos”
— Ian Crossland · arguing that an older person could easily use TikTok
“The wow comment with two emojis is a boomer comment. I'm sorry. It's not some young guy comment. Young guy would say something like, damn girl, you're looking fine”
— Tim Pool · analyzing the style of the comment to determine age of poster
“He started his career pre-internet so he could just say whatever and no one could really fact check him that efficiently, whereas now we're able to go back and be like, two years ago, you said this thing, we have it on video”
— Ian Crossland · comparing Biden's era to current internet accountability
“Maybe this would make him more endearing to many people. He's already like, there's people I know, women who find him really attractive”
— Tim Pool · debating whether the scandal helps or hurts RFK Jr.