James-Charles comes under fire after now-deleted post TikTok rant targeting a woman who allegedly asked for financial help following the collapse of Spirit Airlines. The budget airline reportedly shut down operations last week, leaving around 17,000 employees jobless. According to Charles, a former employee sent him a direct message including a GoFundMe link and a request for donations after she lost her position. Instead of quietly ignoring the message, the beauty influencer recorded a profanity-filled response mocking the woman and questioning why she was asking celebrities for help.
James Charles called woman ‘lazy’ in viral video
In the clip now circulating, Charles sarcastically read the woman’s message out loud before launching into an aggressive rant. “I’m sure they do, honey. I’m sure they do,” he said after reading that “any donation helps.” “You know what else might help? Find another job. Yeah, try that,” Charles said.
Charles went on to accuse the woman of sending mass messages to influencers instead of applying for job opportunities. “But you didn’t, because you’re a lazy asshole and you’re entitled,” he said.
The influencer also seemed particularly upset that the woman allegedly unfollowed him on social media. “You’re not a fan, you don’t even follow me,” Charles said. “And you think I’m going to send you money because you lost your job?!”
The video quickly spread on social media through screen recordings after it was deleted, sparking intense backlash online. Critics have called Charles “privileged,” “out of touch” and “elitist,” especially given reports that the influencer has amassed a fortune worth millions.
“I just couldn’t stop showing these true colors,” one user responded after someone else asked why he would post such a thing. “This is so wild lol why is he in such a hurry?? Ignore it and move on!!!” said another.
A third chimed in: “Holy shit he’s cruel, I only watched for 30 seconds but my god.” As someone else put it: “Yeah, he’s never applied for a job in his life if he thinks it takes 30 seconds.” »
James Charles later issued a public apology
Following the backlash, Charles returned to TikTok with a second video apologizing for his behavior and admitting the rant was inappropriate. “That video was really stupid,” he said. “It was rude, it was obnoxious, it was privileged, and most importantly, it was completely unnecessary.”
Charles acknowledged that he could have simply ignored the message instead of publicly humiliating the woman online. “It was abhorrent and I shamed her for asking for help in a situation where she was clearly in great difficulty,” he admitted. “This could have been his absolute last resort.”
The influencer also directly apologized to the woman involved and admitted that the situation hurt many people who watched the clip circulate online. “I feel really bad because that wasn’t my intention,” Charles said. “I’m really sorry, especially to the woman from Spirit Airlines.”
Spirit Airlines shut down operations after financial rescue efforts failed
The controversy surrounding Charles’ comments comes just days after Spirit Airlines officially announced the complete shutdown of its operations. On May 2, the airline confirmed that it would cancel all flights and cease operations “with immediate effect” following failed restructuring efforts and ongoing financial difficulties.
According to the company, rising fuel costs and an inability to raise additional funds ultimately pushed the airline past the recovery point. “For more than 30 years, Spirit Airlines has played a pioneering role in making travel more accessible and bringing people together while driving affordability across the industry,” Spirit President and CEO Dave Davis said in a statement.
“Maintaining the business required hundreds of millions of dollars of additional liquidity that Spirit simply does not have and cannot procure,” Davis added. “This is extremely disappointing and not the outcome any of us wanted.”
Spirit Airlines customers scramble for refunds after sudden shutdown
The company said customers who book flights directly through Spirit using credit or debit cards will automatically receive refunds, although some transactions may take longer to process. Meanwhile, travelers who purchased tickets from third-party services or travel agencies were advised to contact those suppliers directly for refunds.
Spirit also confirmed that customers holding vouchers, loyalty points or travel credits would have to file a claim as part of the airline’s ongoing bankruptcy proceedings.
