As millions of Floridians evacuated ahead of Hurricane Milton, Mike Smalls Jr. ventured into the storm in Tampa, armed with a blow-up mattress, an umbrella, and a pack of ramen noodles.
Streaming live on the platform Kick, he promised viewers that if he reached 10,000 views, he would launch himself and his mattress into the water.
Once he hit that milestone, Smalls took the plunge but quickly became alarmed as the winds intensified. “I don’t know how to swim…so I had to grab onto a tree,” he admitted during his livestream.
Despite being under a mandatory evacuation order, his hour-long stream attracted over 60,000 views on Kick and went viral across other social media platforms, including X.
Many criticized Smalls for endangering himself for views, with some accusing him of trivializing serious risks.
Acknowledging the backlash, Smalls described his actions as “controversial” but argued that audiences are drawn to “edgy” content. He indicated he would consider repeating the stunt “if the price is right.”
The Tampa Police Department warned that ignoring evacuation orders not only puts individual lives at risk but also complicates rescue efforts for first responders.
Hurricane Milton, which reached Category 5 status, has resulted in at least 16 fatalities, widespread power outages, and thousands of rescues.
Smalls, who livestreams full-time, has a history of risky antics, including setting off fireworks indoors.
While he claims to prioritize safety, he remains unapologetic about his choices. Kick stated they do not influence content but may take action if it violates guidelines. TikTok added that certain risky content is ineligible for monetization.
In his final remarks, Smalls stated, “If I do another hurricane? Don’t save me. I don’t want to put your life at risk.”
