In case you missed it, Veronica B has found herself at the centre of a social media storm following her comments at the TikTok Awards this year, where she shared her thoughts on the struggles of being an influencer. But, it’s her response to the backlash that is making people double take.
When asked by ABC News how hard it really is to be an influencer, Veronica said, “I know it looks fun, but it’s hard work. You have to think of content, you have to edit it, you have to film it, you have to be constantly relevant and that is not easy.”
The only other influencer to agree with her was JoJo Siwa — do with that what you will – adding that being an influencer means “giving your vulnerability up”. But, not everyone was on board.
Anna Paul didn’t hold back, stating bluntly, “Do you know other people wake up and they work 10 hours straight on their feet? You’re laying in bed, you post a little video and you’re complaining; get a different job.” Ouch!
Leah Halton, who boasts an impressive 12 million followers and won TikTok Video of the Year, also weighed in with a different video.
“I actually used to work in a fish and chip shop during high school and was also a makeup artist,” she shared. “For me, I think 9-to-5 is harder because, if you’ve seen my TikToks, it’s just like, selfie videos.”
A self-aware queen.
The online reaction to Veronica’s comments was swift and harsh.
Many users accused her of being “out of touch” and urged her to “touch grass”. Australian model and fellow content creator Jeff Kissubi was not impressed by Veronica’s sentiment, Jeff Kissubi added fuel to the fire saying, “There are so many people out there that are so desensitised from reality, because if you ask them would they ever work a 9-5, they would say no,” he said in a TikTok video.
“They know damn well the privilege of working for themselves… This conversation is tiring.”
In response to the backlash, Veronica took to TikTok with what you could technically call an apology. “I’m gonna assume that everyone by now has seen the viral interview at the TikTok Awards where I said that for me, being an influencer is hard work,” she began.
She continued by acknowledging the online bullying she faced: “I’ve been coping a lot of online bullying through all my comments and DMs…
“I wanted to say I’m sorry for being honest and sharing my honest experience. I forgot that it’s 2024 and if your opinion doesn’t align with the loud minority, then your opinion is wrong.”
She then went outside, literally sat on some grass, and said, “Um, a lot of you guys have been telling me to touch some grass. Wow, this is so nice. I don’t know why everyone was telling me to touch grass like I guess I feel more connected to Earth. Thanks for recommending you.” Totally!
The reactions to this ‘apology’ were mixed. Supporters defended her with comments like, “Every job is hard in different ways—why is that hard for people to get?!”
Others were less impressed: “This probably took five long minutes to film,” one user pointed out sarcastically.
Another quipped, “Time consuming does not equate to hard,” while one commenter simply stated, “This is not an apology ahahhaa.”
Veronica opened up to PEDESTRIAN.TV and said, “I’ve never received so much online hate in my life, all because I shared my honest opinion about my own personal experience.”
She clarified, “I never said I had the hardest job in the world, nor did I discredit or compare myself to anyone else’s job, but yes, my job is hard work,” noting that ‘hard’ is a subjective word.
“Also, you cannot just categories all influencers as one. We all create different content, have different workloads and put in different amounts of efforts.
“I don’t have a manager or an editor; I run four successful social accounts all alone, plus I do many extra tasks behind the scenes that add to my online presence. It took years to build a loyal online community and constantly entertain them; that’s not easy, so yeah it is hard work but I absolutely love it.”
So there you have it! Whether you agree with her or think she needs a reality check, one thing’s for sure: this drama doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon.
Lead image: ABC News/ Veronica B/ TikTok
The post Veronica B Responds To Backlash Over Viral TikTok Awards Interview: ‘Yes, My Job Is Hard Work’ appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
