I livestreamed myself camping in a tent during Hurricane Helene it wasnt just a dumb stunt

It was no small feat for Mike Smalls.The Florida influencer is getting dragged online for bizarrely camping outside during Hurricane Helene so he could film the deadly storm.Originally posted to the video platform platform Kick, footage of the “Jackass”-style stunt is currently blowing up across X.“I knew some may find shocking, entertaining, dumb, comical or even off-putting,” the 26-year-old Tampa resident told Jam Press.The Darwin Award candidate frequently films himself performing outlandish and harebrained feats, including trolling people at McDonald’s and on college campuses.For his latest challenge on September 26, Smalls attempted to brave the Category 4 storm, which battered the Gulf Coast last week, leaving more than 160 people dead across six states including Florida (although White House Homeland Security Adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall said the toll could be as high as 600).This makes Helene the second deadliest hurricane to pummel the mainland US in the last 55 years, eclipsed only by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.Nonetheless, Smalls, who was in the coastal neighborhood of Bayshore when the storm rolled in, said he wanted to film himself camping out during the hurricane because it was “something creative and new [that] the live streaming industry hasn’t really seen before.”“I’ve always liked storms growing up so the idea of ‘storm chasing’ really appealed to me,” the live streamer explained.

“And I’m always looking for ways to increase viewership just like any other creator.”Accompanying footage shows Smalls trying to pitch a tent during the ferocious winds, which reportedly blew at up to 130 mph in some areas of the Sunshine State.“I’m going out with bang,” declares the Floridian while huddled in his tent as it’s getting buffeted by the howling gale.Moments later, the clout-seeker can be seen calling for help as water threatens to engulf his campsite.The Florida man was subsequently slammed for the only-in-Flor...