Latest news with #GymPositivity
New York Post
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Fitness influencer Joey Swoll fires back at critics, returns to social media after Hulk Hogan tribute backlash: ‘Not going to cancel me'
Renowned fitness influencer Joey Swoll vowed not to 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 back online on Friday — four days after he was run off his platform — as he called out gym bullies, but not before he lashed out against critics over his now-viral post. 'Love me or hate me, I am not going anywhere and you are not going to cancel me,' Swoll told his 8 million TikTok followers. Advertisement 'I am not quitting and I am done apologizing,' he declared, ending the short-lived social hiatus. 5 Fitness influencer Joey Swoll addresses his followers in his return to social media on Aug. 1, 2025. Joey Swoll/X Swoll, whose real name is Joey Sergo, said some of his followers confronted him for dressing up as the mustachioed wrestling icon in an old video he reposted in tribute to Hogan, who died on July 24. Advertisement The costume was an apparent gift from the Hulkster, born Terry Bollea, to Swoll. Hogan died of a heart attack, according to the Pinellas County Forensic Science Center records obtained by Page Six. Online critics were appalled by the fitness influencer for honoring the WWE legend, not realizing the scope of his various scandals. 5 Swoll wears a Hulk Hogan costume in a tribute video posted on July 25, 2025, a day after the WWE legend's death. on Joey Swoll/X Advertisement 5 Hulk Hogan riles up the crowd during a WWE event at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee on April 27, 2007. George Napolitano / Swoll, 42, deleted the video and apologized to the mob for not knowing all of the 'horrible, horrible things that man has done,' he said in an apology video to his various accounts. He had said he was 'done' with his internet 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.' Advertisement My message is do better, NOT be perfect. — Joey Swoll (@TheJoeySwoll) August 1, 2025 The influencer's various social media platforms, which boast nearly 17 million combined followers, were silent until he returned Friday afternoon to call out another gym bully who mocked a woman working out behind her. 'Don't you wish we had someone to call out bullies in the gym?' a text bubble asked inside Swoll's empty car, which served a familiar backdrop for his videos. Swoll appeared in frame and proclaimed he was the one to call out the bullies and was not going anywhere. 'I just needed a few days to step back, to breathe, to get my mind right,' he said. 5 Joey Swoll addresses his social media followers following backlash to his tribute to Hulk Hogan in a video posted on July 28, 2025. Joey Swoll/X 5 The New York Post front cover on July 25, 2025. csuarez Advertisement The influencer said he received thousands of messages from people telling him not to quit, as others told him he was an inspiration to them. 'Messages giving me the good kick in the a– that I needed to get back up,' Swoll said. Swoll warned his haters that he would continue to call out 'bullies,' being a voice for the defenseless and advocating for the gym community and the world to be a better place. 'My message is do better, NOT be perfect,' Swoll captioned the post.
New York Post
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Fitness influencer Joey Swoll quits social media as Hulk Hogan tribute sparks backlash: ‘I'm done'
A renowned fitness influencer and bodybuilder was chased off social media over the vitriol he received for his tribute to Hulk Hogan following the WWE legend's death. Joey Swoll, the 42-year-old 'CEO of Gym Positivity,' declared Monday that he was 'done' with his online platforms as he apologized for dressing up as the mustachioed wrestling icon, which he claimed was a gift from Hogan himself. 'I owe my followers, my community and all of social media an apology,' Swoll told his 8 million followers in a recorded message from the front seat of his car. Swoll had paid tribute to the late Hogan in a now-deleted video in which he wore a Halloween costume resembling the famed wrestler during a workout at Gold's Gym in Venice, Calif. Hogan, born Terry Bollea, died at the age of 71 on July 24 after suffering a 'serious medical issue' at his Clearwater, Florida home. 5 Fitness influencer Joey Swoll addresses his followers after taking down his Hulk Hogan tribute on July 28, 2025. Joey Swoll/X Swoll was known for making videos where he outed 'gym bullies' and held them accountable for the way they treated others on a mission to create a positive gym environment. The social media influencer said he faced backlash from upset followers during a livestream a day after posting the tribute. 'I would be a hypocrite if I didn't hold myself to the same standards. I am human, I am still growing and learning and I promise to all of you I will do better,' he said. 'I have nothing but love and kindness in my heart, I will continue to try and make the world a better place.' Swoll, whose real name is Joey Sergo, then returned to social media on Tuesday to say he was 'done' and that 'people just wait for a reason to hate you.' '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. '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.' 'Instead of listening and understanding like I should've, I became defensive and said 'I was posting to celebrate the wrestling icon, the person so many of us looked up to as kids that we grew up with. That made us tear off our shirts and take our vitamins and say our prayers,'' Swoll said. Swoll had often recycled the workout video dressed as Hogan. In October 2020, he posted the same clip as Hogan's 'Real American' theme song served as the background music. Swoll claims he was unaware of the extent of Hogan's scandals and later researched the wrestler. 'Since last night I have done a lot of research and learned all of the horrible, horrible things that man has done, which is way more than just making a mistake and being human,' Swoll said. 5 Joey Swoll wears a Hulk Hogan Halloween costume in an old video he reposted to pay tribute to the wrestling icon on July 25, 2025. Joey Swoll/X 5 Hulk Hogan at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee on April 27, 2007. George Napolitano / The WWE star was fired from the company in 2015 when video resurfaced of him using racial slurs in 2007. Hogan admitted to steroid use during his early professional career and was caught in a sex-tape scandal with the wife of his former friend, Bubba the Love Sponge. A clip from the video was published by gossip blog Gawker and Hogan sued the company, settling for $31 million and the site's eventual demise. 5 The New York Post front cover on July 25, 2025. csuarez 5 Hulk Hogan poses for photos before a show in Memphis, Tennessee. George Napolitano / Swoll removed the Hogan tribute from all his social accounts and apologized. 'To anyone that I offended, I am sorry,' he said. Swoll said he was met with backlash again, moments later, when he used the word 'colored' instead of the term 'person of color' during the livestream. 'It is a very outdated, very offensive term. Someone educated me and told me that it wasn't ok to use that, which I immediately apologized to everyone and said 'I would never do that again,'' he added.
