It's 2026, and influencers have become like the newest celebrities. But beyond the screens, I couldn't help but wonder what they were like in real life. Do their "brands" really reflect who they are? I asked the BuzzFeed Community if they had ever come across any influencers in the wild, and their answers were quite surprising. Here's what people said:
1. "I have to work with influencers as part of my marketing job. They're just like us, lol. Some are horrible people, and some are the kindest cinnamon rolls ever."
2. "Courtney Cook, the TikTok sweet potato lady, is my third-period English teacher. She acts just like she does in her videos. She's so wholesome."
3. "I haven't actually met one in real life, but I saw one at a family holiday resort. He was at the swimming area with all the slides, and he was obnoxiously loud and really annoying. He had his camera on constantly. In the afternoon, we did mini golf, and he came in with his family and I thought, 'Oh great, they're right behind us.' He lined his family up at the first hole, took a few photos, and they left. Yes, he rented the equipment, got his four children to pose for a photo, and then left without playing. I felt so sorry for his kids."
4. "I was in a long-distance relationship with a TikTok/Instagram influencer for a year a few years ago, so I'm VERY qualified for this question. It wasn't the flying back and forth or the constant travel that was the problem. It was everything else. He was always so focused on what everyone else thought of him that it would get in the way of our relationship. He would spend his free time complaining about negative comments or that his videos weren't getting the right number of views. Another thing I've found with influencers is that they are all so quick to victimize themselves about everything or think everyone is out to get them. When a million people want your job and a million people are doing your job, you become pretty cynical. It's just a very negative environment and career, in my personal opinion."
5. "I'm well acquainted with a female fitness influencer. She gets super ripped for a short time, takes MOUNTAINS of photos, then just goes back to 'normal' mode. She's actually sweet and nice, and struggles with a horrible trauma history that she could totally capitalize on, and chooses not to. Her influencer status is an income, and she's super pragmatic about it, and not some raging egomaniac or narcissist."
6. "They always have this weird social disconnect. Like they can't turn off the 'YouTube personality' at times, and I'm just like, can you not just make an opinion that doesn't go into some wild 5-minute social rant for ads?"
7. And lastly, "One came into a restaurant I own in Austin and asked for free food in exchange for a social media shout-out on her Instagram. I declined because I had no idea who she was. TBH, I still don't. This was two years ago, though, so who knows where she's at."