Adin Ross Addresses Claims of Cancelling Lieutenant Dan’s $100,000 Kick Offer

Adin Ross, co-owner of Kick, has addressed the circulating rumors that he had withdrawn his proposal for a new boat and a Kick contract for viral TikToker Lieutenant Dan.

Just before Hurricane Milton struck Florida on October 9, 2024, Joseph Malinowski, age 54, gained significant attention on TikTok.

Nicknamed ‘Lieutenant Dan,’ after the iconic character from Forrest Gump, he remained on his 20-foot sailboat throughout the storm, which surprised many online viewers.

During the hurricane, Adin Ross featured Malinowski on his live stream, where he presented an offer that included a new boat and a full-time Kick deal, enabling him to stream his adventures.

Ross stated, “We’re going to cover the cost of a boat for you, within the range of $50,000 to $100,000. Additionally, we’ll set you up with a comprehensive Kick deal to live stream all of your journeys.”

Adin Ross real af for this he’s getting Lieutenant Dan a $100,000 boat and a Kick deal 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZknAB42t7y

— juju 💰 (@ayeejuju) October 10, 2024

After the call with Dan, Ross found out about the man’s past run-ins with the law, which left him somewhat surprised.

Social media buzzed with speculation following a clip of Adin showing a shocked expression, suggesting that he had rescinded his offer to Lieutenant Dan.

A TikTok user named ‘Ohthatsnesh’ shared a video featuring Malinowski on October 10, claiming that “as far as he knows,” Adin had taken back the offer, which quickly gained traction and generated extensive discussion in the comments.

@ohthatsnesh
Adin Ross shouldn’t make promises he couldn’t keep. 😭 Lieutenant Dan survived Hurricane Milton in a BOAT!! #hurricanemilton #foryoupage #viral

♬ original sound – Nesha 👑🇧🇸

In response to the speculation, Adin promptly took to his secondary account on X to clarify that he never announced a withdrawal of his offer.

He expressed, “I stated this right after I reacted to Lieutenant Dan; I never said I would retract the offer, the internet tends to twist my words.”

“Everyone should be considered innocent until proven otherwise. Frankly, I don’t care. Until I get solid proof and facts, it means nothing to me,” he added.

I said this right after the clip where I reacted to lieutenant Dan, I never said I was taking the offer/deal/boat away, the internet loves to make me look badpic.twitter.com/Z0QM33zZ7O

— AR15THEDEMON (@AR15thed3mon) October 10, 2024

As for when Lieutenant Dan’s debut on Kick will happen, that remains uncertain, but he certainly isn’t the only viral figure to transition to the Stake-owned streaming platform.

Haliey Welch, known as the “Hawk Tuah girl,” did her first live stream on Kick at Dreamhack, showcasing her experience at the event on October 5, 2024.

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