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Addison Rae ‘fired’ from UFC reporting gig after backlash

TikTok star claims she was fired after backlash from industry veterans

Roisin O'Connor
Monday 12 July 2021 09:11 BST
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Jimmy Fallon addresses Addison Rae controversy

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Addison Rae has reportedly been dropped from her short-lived role as a UFC correspondent, after a backlash from professional journalists.

The TikTok star received criticism after sharing a tongue-in-cheek post about her new gig as a UFC hire on social media.

“I studied broadcast journalism in college for three whole months to prepare for this moment,” the 20-year-old wrote, sharing two photos of herself “at work”.

The caption was a reference to her studying at Louisiana State University for three months before quitting to focus on her career as an influencer.

However, the joke didn’t go down well with journalism veterans, who accused her of privilege and of taking up space where a young professional would have loved the opportunity.

Shortly after, Rae tweeted the simple comment: “Nvm [nevermind] y’all got me fired.”

Deadline suggests Rae was not actually an official UFC hire and had instead only conducted one interview of a fighter from her hometown.

Rae has been involved in controversy before, including when she appeared on Jimmy Fallon’s late-night show to demonstrate a number of viral TikTok dances.

It was noted that many of the routines had been created by Black dancers. Fallon later invited the creators on his show to perform the routines themselves, while Rae said it was not her intention” to present the dance moves as her own.

Rae is starring in a forthcoming remake of the 1999 comedy She’s All That, which is being reinvented as a gender-flipped version, He’s All That.

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