Photo: Getty Images
OnlyFans model Skyler Simpson faces backlash after sharing a post of herself doing a mock weather report as Hurricane Helene made its way through the southeast.
Simpson, 25, wore a pink string bikini while acting like a reporter in the Tampa Bay ocean water in the post shared on her social media accounts.
“Live, reporting from Tampa Bay, on Bayshore Boulevard, I think everybody’s been a little…,” Simpson said before being pelted in the face by ice cubes thrown by someone off-camera.
“I like to go for a walk with my family,” she said before again being hit by an ice cube.
Simpson laughed as she struggled to hold an umbrella, which was turned inside out by the storm's winds, while standing at an intersection of the causeway above Hillsborough Bay.
“As you can see, I think people got a little dramatic with how the weather was gonna be here, the storm obviously passed and went up to Tallahassee. I think it’s a beautiful night out here on Bayshore. Perfect for strolling with your family, and having a nice nighttime walk,” Simpson said as the person holding the camera splashed water into her face.
“I feel great, Tampa Bay feels great,” Simpson added.
Simpson's TikTok post garnered more than 1.8 million views and her X and Instagram posts combined to get more than 23,000 likes, though numerous commenters were critical of the joking tone she took in relation to Hurricane Helene, which killed more than 160 people.
“Hope a portion of the benefits you got through the likes on this reel you sent some help to the families in need,” one Instagram user wrote.
“All for the clout… Good for you – bet dad is proud,” another wrote.
“Hilarious. People died so let’s make jokes,” another commenter wrote
“Disgusting. Selling content while others are suffering. Karma will get you," another user wrote.
Simpson claimed that “plenty of people actually affected by this have commented and laughed" and that she personally had "family affected" by the storm.
“This is satire of news reporters. If you don’t get it feel free to unfollow,” Simpson wrote, specifically responding to a commenter.
Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on September 26 and resulted in record flooding for the Tampa Bay area, while at least 166 people were killed throughout the southeastern region of the United States, making it the second-deadliest storm of the past 20 years behind only Hurricane Katrina in 2005.