Tampa’s ‘Lieutenant Dan’ — who refused to leave boat during Hurricane Milton — facing backlash over racial slur during livestream
By Matthew Sedacca,
8 hours ago
Viral hurricane sensation “Lieutenant Dan” is facing backlash for allegedly spewing a racial slur during a livestream.
Joseph Malinowski, a one-legged sailor who rocketed to social media stardom for refusing to leave his boat in Tampa ahead of Hurricane Milton, fired off the racial epithet on the livestream platform Kick after claiming he may have been swindled by a TikTok user for social media clout and cash.
“If you want to get back into my good graces, you have to take time,” Malinowski mused Friday, adding, “‘Cause once I cut you off, you’re done n—a. I’m sorry.”
Viral hurricane holdout Joseph Malinowski has come under fire for dropping a racial slur during a livestream. Getty Images
Malinowski was featured in viral social media posts and articles detailing his decision to ride out Hurricane Milton on his boat. Getty Images
Malinowski, whose nickname stems from his resemblance to the one-legged Forrest Gump character, fell into the limelight after millions followed his saga via TikTok user Terrence Concannon’s videos, along with features in the Weather Channel and CNN, shortly before Hurricane Milton made its destructive landfall Wednesday with 120 mile-per-hour winds.
Concannon set up a GoFundMe to raise money for a new boat for Malinowski, although during the livestream, he said he has yet to receive any of the $46,000 donated, sparking the racist rant.
“Lieutenant Dan really went live on Kick and ripping the N-word,” one user wrote , using a crying emoji.
The livestream bomb isn’t the first controversy Malinowski has faced in recent days.
He came in for criticism after his voluminous rap sheet surfaced, which included arrests for allegedly decking a cop and trying to set a woman on fire last year after covering her in gasoline.
He also has an open criminal case in Tampa over whether he even owns the 22-foot Catalina he hunkered down during the storm, which killed at least 17 and has left nearly 1.5 million without power as of Saturday afternoon.
“That Lieutenant Dan dude in Tampa is a prime example Of why Everybody you come across on social media with a ‘sad story’ does not need a GoFundMe,” one user wrote.
Malinowski has a lengthy rap sheet — with crimes including allegedly assaulting a cop and attempting to set a woman on fire.
Concannon shared in a TikTok video on Friday that he had issues getting Malinowski the GoFundMe cash because the disgruntled sailor does not have any ID to access his bank account, but is working to help him obtain the money.
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It's about context, he used the a variant so I'm not offended. Dude doesn't really even look white also, ppl need to stop being so sensitive.
ssgt39
2h ago
Oh no! The disabled homeless guy that lives in a boat is catching flak from the social justice warriors! I bet he gives a crap, too! I'm sure he's terrified of being canceled! LoL!!
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