Latest news with #KalaniSmith
Daily Mail
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
American tourist in the UK goes wild over popular British snack and says it's 'needed' in the US
An American tourist visiting the UK has divided his followers after sharing which British snack he believes should be available in the states. Kalani Smith, known online as Kalani Ghost Hunter, lives in Tennessee but has been spending some months travelling around the UK and has clearly picked up a taste for the local delicacies. In a recent TikTok the influencer recorded himself sat in a car munching on a Gregg's sausage roll, before telling his followers the US 'needs it'. However, British fans were quick to dismiss it - saying there are much better snacks on offer in the UK. One person wrote: ' Greggs is probably the worst bakers I've ever had, can't beat regular bakers.' Pointing out how unhealthy he snack is, another said: 'Greggs is probably the worst bakers I've ever had, can't beat regular bakers.' However, other viewers completely agreed with Kalani and several Brits applauded his great taste. One supporter said: 'Greggs sausage rolls can't be matched.' Another added: 'Everyone should have access to Greggs as a human right.' Referencing the content creator's other videos another follower wrote: 'I am convinced he works for British Tourism as he is champions our cuisine better than anyone in Britain.' Kalani has previously made videos about the different phases used in Britain which he doesn't hear back home in the states. In a recent video titled: '3 phrases I NEVER used Until visiting The UK,' the influencer shared that his family and friends were confused when he returned home from his time away with several new phrases he had picked up on his travels. Revealing the three phrases he first highlighted the word 'fancy,' adding that 'Number one is "I fancy a takeaway". Now, to a Brit, this sounds absolutely normal, but in America, we would never call it a takeaway. It's always take out, and I would never say I fancy something.' Moving on to the second phrase he said: 'The second one is "put the kettle on". This is a very common saying in the UK [...] this one, I feel like, is a household phrase. Someone's coming over to your house, you're going to tell them you'll put the kettle on. If you're craving a cuppa, you'll put the kettle on.' He then revealed the third phrase he had picked up, which was something a little ruder, 'I can't be a****". ' Kalani continued: 'The US version of this is "I can't be bothered". But it essentially means you don't want to do something, or you're too lazy to do something or care about something.' The anglophile also admitted the UK has admitted that British weather ' feels different' and the heat is more severe. Americans have been known to poke fun at Brits who complain about the weather with some calling them 'dramatic' and claiming they wouldn't 'survive in the US' - where the temperatures are generally much hotter. Kalani admitted that though he had 'doubted' Brits at first, he now believes that the heat in the UK 'feels different' - and he doesn't know how people ' survive' without aircon. He told his TikTok page: 'I always thought British people were lying when they were saying how hot it gets here but for some reason, it feels like you're melting. 'It honestly feels like my b******s are sweating out of my pants every time I walk somewhere I have sweaty b***s. 'I know it gets hotter at home and the humidity is just as bad at home but for some reason walking in these streets and walking into my hotel room it feels like I'm in a f***ing sauna.' Kalani - who has 3.2 million followers on TikTok - said he simply does not know how Britons cope in the blistering temperatures without having air con their homes or at work - as is commonly seen in the United States. He added: 'I know you don't need it all year around but let me tell you at home, I get that nice relief from going into some cold air. 'Here, it's just misery everywhere and you wonder why Brits complain about the weather so much, it's because it can be f***ing miserable.' Throughout his time in the UK, Kalani has found that it's easy to strike up a conversation with almost any Brit, simply by mentioning the weather. He gave some advice to tourists, adding: 'Honestly, if you want the best small talk with a Brit, just look around and start talking about the weather. It's the easiest way to start a conversation with someone here - it's a British pastime. 'I never knew why until I came over here and experienced how s*** this weather can actually be.' Kalani's clip racked up 1.7 million views on TikTok in less than a day with thousands of comments from Brits who felt validated. One wrote: 'Wait till you try and sleep with no ac on Thursday night when it hits 28.' Kalani's clip racked up 1.7million views on TikTok in less than a day and thousands of comments from Brits who felt validated Another penned: 'Every American that comes over and experiences our weather has an "Ahhhh I get it now" moment.' A third said: 'When we say "It's a different kind of heat", we mean it!' A fourth commented: 'Well - for someone from the Philippines, I cannot handle summer in the UK. I have been here since 2009.' In another video, Kalani visited a local supermarket and even put his head in the fridges to cool down. He also revealed the three culture shocks he experienced when he moved to the UK. One thing that surprised him was the different portion sizes, admitting when he first ordered a large drink in the UK, he mistook it for a small. Kalani said, 'My mind was like "this is a small". If you're not familiar with drink sizes in the US, you can get a small state-sized cup for like a dollar 50. It's absolutely mind-blowing. Taken aback by UK standards, he added, 'When you travel out of the US, you realise that it's not the norm.' He also hadn't realised how different the tipping culture is. 'When you get your check at the end of dinner, and they don't ask for a tip, and they don't even give you an option to tip, it's really weird,' he said. 'For example, when you go out in the USA and you get dinner, let's say it's $60, it's customary to leave an extra 20 per cent on top of that for your service staff.' The content creator continued, 'But in the UK, it's not the norm to leave anything extra on top.' The internet personality said that he sometimes still tips waiters and waitresses, but he no longer 'feels the same pressure' to splash out the cash. The third adjustment Kalani had to learn to adapt to was the British humour, which he described as 'very dry, very dark and very passive aggressive'. However, once the social media star started to understand the British sarcasm, he admitted that it became 'really funny'. He said: 'They have so many different ways to insult you and so many different ways to say things that it's almost like translating another language at times.' The clip racked up almost 800,000 views and over one thousand comments - and some Britons ranted about having to tip staff when holidaying in the States Kalani described British comedy as 'elite' and said he was first exposed to it when reading comments on his posts. 'I have grown to call a lot of people "melts" and really enjoy it,' he added. The clip racked up almost 800,000 views after two days and over one thousand comments, with Britons ranting about having to tip staff when holidaying in the States. One wrote, 'The reason you're not expected to tip in the UK is because service staff actually get paid a wage and tips are extra, not like in the US where servers only survive on tips.' Another penned, 'Been to America and hated the fact that I had to tip for someone that literally just sat me down and took my order.' A third said, 'Our banter is the best, the more you like someone the worse the insults.' A fourth commented, 'I wouldn't be able to tip in the US. Couldn't afford it.'
Daily Mail
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
American visiting the UK reveals the essential 'proper and posh' British phrase he NEVER used at home before
A US-based content creator currently visiting the UK has revealed three phrases he never used before he crossed the pond. Content creator and Native Hawaiian Kalani Ghost Hunter, real name Kalani Smith, has spent months travelling around Britain in a bid to immerse himself in the culture. It's believed he usually lives in Tennessee. Throughout his travels, he has picked up a notable amount of classic British language, some of which, he has ended up using with his US friends and family - leaving them confused. He shared these in a recent video which was titled: '3 phrases I NEVER used Until visiting The UK.' The clip was accompanied by a similar caption, which read: '3 phrases I NEVER used, as an American, until visiting the UK The last one is CLASSIC British.' Speaking in the video, Kalani - who has more than 3million followers on TikTok - started by introducing himself to viewers. He said: 'My name is Kalani, and I've spent a lot of time traveling in the UK. And something I've picked up on is I come home with phrases I never said before.' He added that when he then uses these phrases with his friends and family back home, they 'look at [him] with confusion'. Delving into the three phrases, he said: 'Number one is "I fancy a takeaway". Now, to a Brit, this sounds absolutely normal, but in America, we would never call it a takeaway. It's always take out, and I would never say I fancy something.' Kalani noted that the more time he spends around Brits, the more his vocabulary and phrasing change. He continued: 'So "I fancy a takeaway", just means that you want some takeout. But the way that they say it sounds so nice and proper and posh and in the US, we just don't say it that way.' The content creator moved onto the next phrase - one which is likely to be very familiar with any Brit. He said: 'The second one is "put the kettle on". This is a very common saying in the UK [...] this one, I feel like, is a household phrase. Someone's coming over to your house, you're going to tell them you'll put the kettle on. If you're craving a cuppa, you'll put the kettle on.' He then discussed cultural differences between the US and the UK when it comes to the prevalence of kettles. Kalani explained: 'If you've seen my videos in the past, [you will have seen] we do have some kettles in the US, but it is not like the UK. '[The] kettle is something you will find in almost every Brits house. The only other thing that's consistent with a kettle is probably a brolly - or an umbrella, and it's a big part of British hospitality. 'So if someone's selling you, they'll put the kettle on, you're in good standing.' The third phrase he shared used a uniquely British pronunciation of a word used in both the US and UK. 'The final one today,' Kalani revealed,' is 'I can't be a****". ' He continued: 'The US version of this is "I can't be bothered". But it essentially means you don't want to do something, or you're too lazy to do something or care about something.' Concluding the clip, the content creator said: 'To my American friends and family that do not know all of this British lingo I am bringing back home, I say these things and they look at me dumbfounded. 'It's honestly like speaking another language in some ways, but the more I come home, the more I realize you guys are influencing me.' A number of TikTok viewers left comments on the video after watching it, discussing their take on the lanuguage differences A number of commentators shared their own thoughts on the unique qualities of UK slang. One wrote: 'Put the kettle on, isn't a saying or a phrase, it's an instruction. No Brit has ever uttered that particular sentence, and not expected to be presented with a cup of tea, 5 or 6 minutes later.' Another added: 'British swearing is absolutely top tier as well.' Meanwhile a third simply said: 'American English. Is a different language.' 'I love your posts and I am so pleased you have picked up on our them with pride my friend! You are always welcome here!,' said a further TikTok user. In a similar vein, another wrote: 'you should move to the UK it's now your true home my friend and I believe you and your wife will feel so at home big man and please put the kettle on.'
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
American TikTok star planning another visit to 'beautiful' Bradford
A SOCIAL media star from America says he is already planning his next trip to Bradford after visiting the city for the first time. Kalani Smith - who posts under the social media handle 'Kalanighosthunter' and 'Kalani Vlogs' - is most known for making food and travel videos across the UK. The 26-year-old, who lives in Tennessee, fell in love with Yorkshire after tracing his ancestry back to different parts of the UK. His travels take him all over the country, having recently explored Blackpool, Nottingham, and Sheffield. Kalani Smith - who posts under the social media handle 'Kalanighosthunter' and 'Kalani Vlogs' - visits Bradford (Image: UGC) His latest adventure to Bradford was inspired by a satirical comment left under one of his recent videos. Kalani and his wife Savannah took up the offer and stopped by Bradford city centre for a day trip. He is now hoping to return and explore other places in the district. 'It was a place people told me not to go to, I guess - the comment was obviously satire,' Kalani told the T&A. 'I wanted to go because I heard it's the best place to get a curry. Up until that point I just knew Bradford was the place for a curry. Kalani Smith - who posts under the social media handle 'Kalanighosthunter' and 'Kalani Vlogs' - met up with Yorkshire's own Danny Malin from Rate My Takeaway (Image: UGC) 'Yorkshire has really cool history and architecture. Bradford really surprised me how much architecture is still there in the city centre. That combined with the people up North are just really nice and a lot of good food. 'Whitby is one of my favourite places. 'You can definitely tell there's a lot of diverse culture in Bradford - there's so many different groups of folks there. You can see why it won the City of Culture. Not in a bad way either, there's not many spots you can go into like that. London feels like that, there's so many different people melding in one spot. I thought that was really cool.' The couple decided to ask RateMyTakeaway's Danny Malin for his recommendations. 'Danny's a good friend of mine,' said Kalani. 'I asked him, being a Yorkshire lad, where he recommended in Bradford. He said the Sweet Centre for a curry. 'I will say it's different than ones I've had around the UK. The Sweet Centre ones are more authentic to Kashmir, they don't have all of the gravy sauce that I call them British curries now would have. I had lamb on the bone and spinach and chicken. You can really taste the protein and spice better that way. I enjoyed it. At the Sweet Centre (Image: UGC) 'I still like dunking my Naan in some chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, but it was really nice to get an authentic taste of what the curry was supposed to be like - or what it evolved from. 'In terms of authenticity, that's probably the most authentic curry I've had in the UK. It was very tasty.' He added: 'A few of my fans actually came up to me while I was streaming, people from Bradford that were super grateful I showed up. They were excited because they said not many people travel to Bradford.' Speaking about what he's learned on his explorations around the UK, he said: 'I've learned especially here if someone's telling me not to go somewhere, odds are they've never even stepped foot in the place. It's just a lot of predisposed opinions. Kalani Smith - who posts under the social media handle 'Kalanighosthunter' and 'Kalani Vlogs' - exploring Bradford city centre (Image: UGC) 'My goal is to try and go somewhere and find the bright spots and positives about where I'm at. I feel like after going to Bradford and some of the other places people tell me not to go, there's always really nice people to be found. 'Me and my wife both made a comment that it was absolutely beautiful, especially by City Hall and other spots. It kind of reminded us of some other cities we really enjoy. That wasn't something I was expecting, especially with the comments that people leave about Bradford, it was a nice surprise. Kalani Smith went shopping with Bradfordian Daniel at JD Sports for a Bradford makeover (Image: UGC) 'We'll come back to Bradford and do some more exploring. 'It makes a difference as a content creator being able to highlight places that maybe wouldn't be an American's first choice or even tenth choice to go. 'One thing I am happy my platform has done is its shown Brits they can travel within the UK to places they haven't been, see stuff that is absolutely beautiful, or food that's incredible, and it's been in their backyard and they just never really opened their eyes or knew what was there. "Although the trips to Spain are great, there's also spots here in the UK that you never knew existed.'
Daily Mirror
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
American reveals 'three things he can no longer live without' after spending time in UK
Kalani Smith spent months travelling the UK sampling the finest foods in Britain - and now he's back in the United States there are things he is ordering online that he 'can't live without' After spending months travelling the UK sampling it's culture cuisine, an American foodie has revealed the "three things he can no longer live without" after returning to his native US. Kalani Smith, who hails from Tennessee, has built up a following of more than 3 million on TikTok, largely thanks to his online reviews of food on this side of the Atlantic. After being met with the realisation about what his homeland is lacking, he recorded a video detailing his dilemma. The first item on his list, however, isn't a food or drink item at all - but an electrical appliance. "Number one - an electric kettle," Kalani began. "I never knew in 26 years that I needed a kettle so bad, until I started going to the UK and becoming a real tea addict." And who could blame him? Kalani went on to reveal his tea preferences - namely the brands, Yorkshire Tea, Scottish Blend, Ty-Phoo Tea and Make Mine A Builders. "These are just a couple of them in my pantry, but my favourite is probably still Yorkshire," Kalani admitted. Number two on his list, meanwhile, is "British condiments" - as Kalani revealed: "HP Fruity, Worcester Sauce from Asda, Daddies' Brown Sauce, and some normal HP Sauce. Not including the Henderson's Relish or all the other things we have in our fridge - the UK has a lot of different condiments that I'm now a big fan of." Kalani closed his list declaring: "If you know me then this isn't going to be a surprise." Again, it came in the form of a beverage, with the American confessing he "didn't know what he was missing for 26 years". That drink? Irn-Bru. "The pride of Scotland," Kalani said, brandishing a can of Irn-Bru 1901 - a variation using the original recipe. "The best way to get this is out of a glass bottle," Kalani added. "But I can only get access to cans through Amazon here." "I'm flabbergasted that kettles aren't in every US kitchen," admitted one British TikTok user in response. A Scottish woman added: "I cannot help the smug grin on my face whenever an American tries Irn-Bru and loves it. As if I invented it!" A third person said of the same drink: "Irn-Bru is the best of it all. And delighted to see the 1901 is your fave. That new fangled rubbish since the sugar tax is minging. It does not fix hangovers like the original did." A fourth TikTok user hailed Kalani: "You are now officially British. Yorkshire Tea too one! Irn-Bru I thank you sir. Condiments you need to add English mustard - top condiment." Whilst a fifth individual quipped: "The first American to say Worcestershire sauce correctly. Amen."
BBC News
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
TikTok star travels 4,000 miles to try a Staffordshire oatcake
A TikTok star from America returned to Staffordshire to sample an "absolute monster" of an oatcake after getting a taste for the local delicacy last reviewer Kalani Smith, known as Kalani Ghost Hunter, first travelled to Stoke-on-Trent from his home in Nashville in 2024 as part of a UK-wide tour to try the country's signature had an oatcake at Captain Kooks in Burslem, but since then has been inundated with comments begging him to try other eateries in the recently returned to the area and went to Oatcakes 'n' Milkshakes in Stone, to tackle the ultimate oatcake breakfast. The dish is a whopping five layers of oatcakes filled with three hash browns, bacon, sausage, fried egg, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, black pudding and melted cheese. "You can probably not even call it an oatcake because normally you put everything in it and fold it over," he told BBC Radio Stoke."This thing was an absolute monster."Giving his verdict, Mr Smith, who is from Nashville, said it was "delicious" but he and his wife were only able to get through half of also followed it up with a cookies-and-cream chocolate egg sundae and a monster shake. Asked why he visited the area in the first place, Mr Smith said: "The first reason I went to Stoke-on-Trent was for an oatcake. My first trip was all strictly based on recommendations of stuff I had to try."I wanted to travel all around the UK and have what areas are known for."Mr Smith, whose TikTok channel has amassed three million followers, has also travelled to York, Whitby, Warrington and Liverpool during his the success of his channel and the videos he has recorded in the UK, he said: "What people appreciate is you can see the level of knowledge, research and effort I put in to understand British people, food and culture." Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
