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After the release of a video clip in which Bobbi Althoff and Trevor Wallace joked about height and race being the main topics of their dating preferences, there was a huge online discussion about the matter. The statements that the social media influencer made have raised thousands of reactions, from protecting her to completely condemning her, which only shows how intimate attraction is and how huge the societal reaction to it can be.
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While trying to promote his partnership with Trevor Wallace, Althoff claims men would be ok for her, which is followed by a pause and Wallace’s joke, “White.” The description for Althoff’s own post suggests her initial thought as “under 5’7,” to which she answers, “I was going to say under 5’7″ .. Not This Again.” It seems that this format acts as the core of a massive argument that is going on through various social media platforms.
The audience response was immediate and came with quite different opinions. Many people came forward to support Althoff, arguing that dating preferences are a universal right. One person described this view as follows, “As a non-black man I don’t see why others having a type should be a problem? We all have a type… Bobbi do you girl remember if they are not hating then you are doing something wrong.” Another commentator held the same opinion, saying, “Hey u guys u do know ur allowed to like certain things about people more than other things… It’s your life and we can’t tell u who to date #funfact.”
On the contrary, there was a significant number of negative comments. Some were pretty personal, for instance, one user asking, “Your daughters must be so proud bobbi,” and, “Go be a mom and get off the internet,” was the advice one other user gave her. The topic also included Althoff’s past with one person stating, “Wasn’t her baby dad white? Lol,” which in turn led to a long thread of comments discussing the reasons for her break-up.
In the midst of discussions about the preferences, some of the comments were noticeable for their humor or peculiarity. One user compared short men to a good case and the whole story ending up being a deed done for a minute: “I’m with a man of 5.5 and he climbed Mount Everest… he was the tallest man in the world for about five minutes… and he is a hottie. Want to change a lightbulb? Let him use a ladder. They all are the same height in bed.” This particular utterance got a lot of reactions, ranging from laughter in support to more jokes and even some criticism for being so direct. Another user commented on Althoff’s wing gestures in the video, writing, “ain’t seen bobbi smile that hard before LMFAOO oookkkkk,” and another person jokingly responded, “Good dick would do that.”
The actual way of delivering the line was also questioned. One user made a joke, “Bro said white like it was a plot twist,” and another noted, “He said it as if he was rehearsing in the car mirror before this.” This indicates that the timing and the way the topic was presented played an important role in its viral spread and mixed reception. Some of the criticisms were countered by others, with one supporter noticing the negativity, and writing, “It’s a real shame you have so much hate and so many nasty comments from people that don’t know you.” Another defender pointed to the critics’ irony, saying, “they can’t wait for the person they don’t like that they follow to post something so they could run straight to the comments.”
Bobbi Althoff has already been at the center of online debates. Her career has been highlighted by viral interviews, a very strong comic presence, and sometimes even the fine line between satire and sincerity which often makes her a topic of public discussions. Her unforgettable interview with Kevin Gates is another example of her viral content. To some extent, this recent event has once again emphasized the constant and intense scrutiny that public figures have to deal with regarding their private lives and opinions, especially when humor is involved. The dialogue that emerged around her video touches on more or less standard dating criteria such as racial preferences, and the extent to which people can be made to feel free in their personal choices by being filmed or the opposite; thus the debate.
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The number of comments, as well as their diversity, are irrefutable signs that although Althoff’s remark was made in a joking way, it reached a much deeper and broader ongoing cultural discussion. The divided reaction is a clear indication of how deeply personal and often controversial such discussions about attraction and dating preferences are when they take place in public. Whether criticized or praised, Bobbi Althoff has once again shown her ability to captivate the internet’s attention and to ignite a multifaceted conversation that goes far beyond the original video clip.