MTV appears to once again be associating Siesta Key with a controversial figure who has a past that includes possible racism. Controversial social media personality Caroline Calloway recently revealed on her Instagram Story that she was filming with the cast of the MTV reality show. This rumored casting decision is making some people question the network's stance on racism.
Though Caroline has not been officially confirmed as being a part of Siesta Key season 4, which is a Florida-based series, the controversial social media personality posted images of herself with Siesta Key cast member and personal friend Chloe Trautman on her story, following it up with a photo of a book and the caption, "not allowed to 'meet' people until it's on camera." Further social media images posted by various Siesta Key cast members revealed that Caroline was present with the cast on a boat. The vessel is owned by cast member Sam Logan and was apparently being used while filming for the upcoming season took place. To better understand why this is controversial, some backstory is needed.
Caroline Calloway Is Controversial
Caroline Calloway is a highly controversial figure in the world of social media. The Cut featured a memorable piece last year about the self-proclaimed "scammer," with Caroline's ghostwriter Natalie Beach sharing her experience of working with the now 29-year-old. Caroline rose to prominence on Instagram starting in 2012, due to her lengthy photo captions, which Natalie admitted were largely ghostwritten. The story created a buzz on the Internet, bringing new attention to the number of scandals Caroline has been involved in. See the controversial star below:
BuzzFeed News chronicled Caroline’s long list of scandals and controversies, which include a 2015 book deal with Flatiron Publishing that was never fulfilled despite Caroline spending her six-figure advance. Caroline was also in hot water for charging followers for a pricey 2019 workshop that ended up being a big disappointment. Due to poor planning, the workshop tour expansion was canceled and refunded. These days, Caroline seems to embrace the bad press as she still manages to cultivate a sizable social media following.
Caroline has also been accused of alleged racism and anti-Semitism, due to controversial Instagram and @carolinecaloway Twitter posts. She was called out by the Jewish Women's Archive (JWA) for possible anti-Semitism following a controversial cartoon she tweeted in April 2020. Calloway tweeted a cartoon image of a man carrying bags of money with the caption, #ThingsRichPeopleBuy Natalie's talent. “ This hashtag may have been a reference to her former friend and ghostwriter. The JWA, and many others on the Internet, spoke out about finding the image highly offensive since it depicted an alleged caricature of a Jewish man. This prompted Caroline to tweet an apology.
However, that was not the only anti-Semitic accusation Caroline received. Caroline was again accused of possible anti-Semitism the same week when she asked her OnlyFans subscribers on her Instagram which literary hero she should dress up as, and she liked a comment that said, "Anne Frank." Further offensive content includes Caroline sharing a pornographic drawing of a bat engaging in a sexual act with an Asian woman on her Instagram Story earlier this year, along with the caption, “The first human case of the corona outbreak, but make it porn.” She also has also posted controversial captions, such as a 2014 Instagram caption that included the line, "I now date a boy of the blonde super race that is Sweden."
Though not related to possible racism, Calloway also recently offended followers with a November 2020 caption that mused about theoretical rape. The caption read, "I wonder if I were ever raped if the defense could use my OnlyFans as proof that I was slutty, 'asking for it.'" Overall, Caroline has offended a wide variety of people with such content.
MTV is no stranger to controversy, with past shows like The Real World focusing on hot-topic issues to broach important conversations. However, more questionable behavior has been allowed to slide over the years. MTV, which is owned by Viacom, recently appeared to put its foot down against allowing possibly racist figures to appear on shows. However, critics have accused the network of performative activism due to their inconsistent responses to controversies.
The network parted ways with a Siesta Key castmate accused of racism. Despite his father producing the series and pitching it to the network in the first place, MTV decided to cut ties with former Siesta Key castmate Alex Kompothecras following the resurfacing of alleged racist social media content he had posted over the years. MTV also made headlines after announcing they would be permanently parting ways with Dee Nguyen from The Challenge due to controversial comments she made regarding the Black Lives Matter movement earlier this year.
Such a stance on severing ties with castmates accused of racism has been seen on other networks, such as the Bravo series Vanderpump Rules. The reality series, which is owned by NBC, fired show staples Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute for racist actions. Though critics have questioned if such decisions to fire racist reality figures are too little done too late, such decisions do mark a stance taken against racism. That makes it all the more noteworthy and troubling that MTV might be giving Caroline a new platform on Siesta Key.
Will Caroline Calloway Be On Siesta Key?
Siesta Key has been able to maintain its steam by replacing Alex with his ex-girlfriend Juliette Porter as the main character of the reality show. However, their decision to associate with Caroline seems like a step in the wrong direction. As of now, it has not been confirmed that Caroline will be on the reality show. So, what else is known about the upcoming season?
Filming for the fourth season of the series began in late November. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, there is no anticipated date for the premiere of the season and delays can be expected. Excluding Alex and his girlfriend and mother of his child Alyssa Salerno, it appears as though the rest of the main Siesta Key cast will return. This includes cast member Madisson Hausburg, who became engaged to former show producer Ish Soto earlier this year, despite the couple’s announced relocation to Los Angeles. To see if Caroline ends up making the final cut, fans of Siesta Key will have to stay tuned for more information about the upcoming fourth season.
Sources: Caroline Calloway/Instagram, The Cut, BuzzFeed News, Caroline Calloway/Twitter, Jewish Women's Archive