Internet sensation Joey Swoll might’ve just alienated a large part of his fanbase, specifically his Black fans. And they’re wasting no time calling him out about it!
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For context, Swoll sparked outrage on social media after he reposted an old video of him wearing a Hulk Hogan halloween costume on the day the wrestling star passed away in an attempt to honor his legacy. Given Hogan’s racist past, Swoll understandably drew ire from more than a handful of fans who took issue with the fact that he’d choose to highlight someone so problematic.
However, instead of listening to the people who were trying to tell him what deal was, Swoll became defensive and doubled down on the post during a TikTok live session on Monday, citing the fact that he was only trying to celebrate what Hogan meant to the larger wrestling community–not anything else.
While that alone was enough to to get folks mad, things took yet another turn for the worst when Swoll said:
“If you’re going to attack me, you better go after the colored athletes and the people that are Black and minority who posted him [Hogan] as well. The man was nice to me, he made a mistake. I’m not God. People make mistakes in life. If you got a problem with that, look at yourself. It’s not one single person in here that hasn’t made a mistake in their life.”
Oof. Referring to racism as a “mistake” and calling folks “colored” in the year of our Lord, 2025? Yeah, that’s what you call a true recipe for disaster and a swift way to get packed up by your Black fans. As you would expect, by the time clips of Swoll’s livestream began to circulate, his goose was as good cooked.
“I’m mad disappointed in Joey Swoll… But he’s proof that no matter how cool white folks are, no matter how much they claim they respect Black people and/or Black culture they will ultimately side with they own… even when they own is dead ass wrong,” wrote one user on X/Twitter.
“Joey Swoll building his platform off of ensuring the Gym is a safe space for Gym goers but he don’t give a damn about racism,” one other user wrote.
Added another: “Joey Swoll justifying racism and using the term “colored,” in 2025 is clearly the greatest indication that the brain is actually NOT a muscle.”
“Joey Swoll apologizing because he didn’t know you don’t call black people “colored” in 2025 is the funniest thing I heard today. For someone constantly telling people to do better, he’s a shitty person. Fucking meatheads. Smh,” said another.
TikTok user Petite in Motion added: “He’s so quick to correct people when it comes to gym etiquette, but he’s not quick to correct or respond to any of the comments in his section. All of the comments underneath his videos are extremely racist, they’re extremely sexist and extremely homophobic. But he doesn’t say one word about that. Don’t you find that interesting? I sure do.”
In the days following the ordeal, Swoll issued an apology on Instagram, noting the error in his post, the message in his lives, and the use of the word “colored.” He also removed the aforementioned video honoring Hogan and said that he’d be taking a break from social media for awhile due to him and his loved ones experiencing harassment and threats.
“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,” Swoll wrote on X/Twitter on Tuesday. “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.”
He later added in part: “So yea, maybe I am done with social media or need to take a break and get my head right. But I will say there so many incredible people being supportive and telling me how much I’ve helped them, to be stronger, and keep fighting. Thank you to everyone even those giving me a kick in the ass telling me to stop being weak and a quitter. You need to hear it once in awhile. I just need to breathe.”
Straight From 
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