Just about 24 hours ago, Nico Hines (pictured) became the Internet’s most hated man, and the fury shows no signs of dying down anytime soon.
Hines, who is white, straight and married with a kid, has been in Rio covering the Olympics for The Daily Beast. As part of his reporting, he thought it would be hilarious to create a fake Grindr profile and bait closeted gay athletes then write all about it. Apparently, his editors thought this would be hilarious, too, because they signed off on it.
Well, very shortly after the article was published Thursday morning, a backlash ensued. The Daily Beast quickly updated the story and issued an apology (it has since been removed from the site entirely), and Hines went radio silent on Twitter. But people are still infuriated, and understandably so.
Check out what they’ve have been saying…
shame on @NicoHines/@thedailybeast. LGBTQ+ people deserve respect. we are not your zoo animals. so infuriating. https://t.co/wgCXgTtFyU
— Tyler Oakley (@tyleroakley) August 11, 2016
Straight dude cruises Grindr in Rio, then all but outs gay athletes. Who at @thedailybeast OK'd this crap? https://t.co/YYtrq0Ch1l
— Adam Goldenberg (@adamgoldenberg) August 11, 2016
i fixed this @NicoHines pic.twitter.com/KDIGTuUvmC
— Bec Shaw (@Brocklesnitch) August 11, 2016
Heard @NicoHines is curious about why gay guys use hookup apps. Just a guess, but maybe it's to evade attention and exposure.
— Matt Baume (@MattBaume) August 11, 2016
to be fair, @NicoHines & @thedailybeast were only trying to *mock* LGBT ppl, not *out* them. totally not the very definition of homophobia.
— jeffrey cranor (@happierman) August 11, 2016
Straight journalist joins Grindr to bait gay Olympic athletes, compromises identities, says “I didn’t lie to anyone.”https://t.co/PRXGbaI9ED
— Heidi N Moore (@moorehn) August 11, 2016
I assume it's fair game to peek in @NicoHines's windows and comment publicly on his sexual practices with his wife now?
— Adam McMahon (@adammc123) August 11, 2016
What in the hell was @thedailybeast thinking? @mjs_DC, on its gay-baiting Grindr story that outed Olympic athletes. https://t.co/PgU24UoGW9
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) August 11, 2016
That white middle-aged Daily Beast reporter allegedly scored three Grindr dates with Olympians and I can't get someone to take me to Nando's
— JuanPa (@jpbrammer) August 11, 2016
Dear @Olympics,
Yank this guy's press credentials.https://t.co/4LlHZ75uzl
— Dan Savage (@fakedansavage) August 11, 2016
Time to play with his life!
Hines needs a little punch in the face time..I hate the pig….
He should be fired.
Has he been fired and blacklisted yet?
What a fuck’n dick..!