While millions in Florida evacuated to escape the wrath of Hurricane Milton, content creator Mike Smalls Jr. ventured straight into the storm in Tampa, Florida. Armed with a blow-up mattress, an umbrella, and a pack of ramen noodles, he set out to capture attention.
On Wednesday evening, as the hurricane battered the US state, Mike went live on the streaming platform Kick. He promised his online audience that if he reached 10,000 views, he would launch himself and his mattress into the stormy waters.
As soon as he hit the viewership threshold, he followed through on his risky pledge. However, reality soon set in: “The wind started picking up, and I don’t know how to swim… so I had to grab on to the tree,” he admitted.
Despite Tampa Bay being under an evacuation order, with local officials advising residents to leave for their safety, Mike’s stunt went viral. His hour-long livestream racked up over 60,000 views on Kick, and millions more saw the clips shared across other social media platforms, including X.
Livestreaming has become a lucrative venture for content creators, with many seeking to make quick money by pushing boundaries. But with rising competition, some streamers have resorted to dangerous stunts to capture attention.
Mike’s risky behavior drew widespread criticism, with many on social media condemning him for risking his life for clicks and cash. Still, he emerged unharmed and stated he would consider doing it again, “if the price is right.”
When confronted about the backlash, Mike acknowledged that his actions were “controversial” and admitted he was aware of the potential risks to both himself and any potential rescuers. However, he defended his actions: “From a content creator standpoint, people like to see kind of edgy things.”
Mike Smalls Jr. is one of many content creators on social media platforms, including Kick and TikTok, who are livestreaming risky stunts in hurricanes to make money and gain fame.
For Mike, livestreaming is a full-time job. He has built his online persona around daring acts, which include previous stunts like setting off fireworks inside a bedroom and pranking staff at fast-food restaurants. But with hurricanes like Milton, he found a new way to draw viewers.
Ahead of Hurricane Milton, Mike planned to “get some nice clips” during the storm. His strategy was simple: “If things get too wild, I can, just, you know, track my little five, 10-minute walk back home,” he explained.
This wasn’t Mike’s first encounter with danger. Just weeks before, he livestreamed in the middle of Hurricane Helene—another storm that battered Florida—carrying a tent as a prop and streaming for over five hours. In one clip, he can be seen holding up the tent in an underpass, confidently declaring, “I’m going to survive the hurricane. Why? To entertain the people.” Meanwhile, the ocean surged just meters away.
Mike defends his risky behavior, saying, “It’s my job to entertain and think of creative ways to engage my chat. If people are inspired by what I do, I respect it.” However, he admits, “You have to gauge and do things at your own risk.”
Livestreaming platforms like Kick offer incentives for streamers, including earnings based on view counts and donations from viewers who enjoy the content. While Mike didn’t specify how much he made from his Hurricane Milton stream, he hinted that streamers can earn between $300 to $400 per hour. He noted that his latest stream brought in enough revenue to cover a few bills.
As the competition among content creators intensifies, many are resorting to extreme measures, putting their safety on the line for clicks, cash, and online fame. But Mike Smalls Jr. is willing to take the risk, as long as the rewards keep coming in.
