Fitness influencer Bailey Smith and fashion entrepreneur Tammy Hembrow have found themselves at the centre of online mockery following the release of a promotional video for dating app Tinder. The clip, which the pair described as a 'hard launch' of their friendship, has been widely panned by followers as painfully awkward and poorly produced.
A Cringe-Inducing Coaching Session
The video, shared to Tammy Hembrow's Instagram on Saturday, features 25-year-old Bailey Smith attempting to coach 31-year-old Hembrow on crafting better opening lines for dating apps. Smith is seen critiquing Hembrow's suggestions, with lines like 'Heyyy' dismissed as 'shocking'. In a awkward twist, Hembrow is tasked with doing a shoulder press for every subpar line she offers.
The scripted exchange took a particularly uncomfortable turn when Smith questioned Hembrow's query, 'What are your thoughts on marriage?' – a line many interpreted as a subtle dig at her past divorce from ex-husband Matt Zukowski. 'Tammy, have you learned nothing?' Smith asked in the video. The segment concluded with Hembrow expressing newfound confidence in her chat skills, prompting Smith to reply, 'Go get 'em, tiger.'
Fans and Fellow Influencers Voice Their Disdain
The reaction in the comments section was swift and largely negative. One fan bluntly stated, 'This looks so awkward,' a sentiment echoed by another who wrote, 'This has to be a joke.' The criticism wasn't limited to the wooden acting; viewers also pointed out technical flaws, with one commenting, 'The lighting on this is awful.'
Fellow influencer Simone Anderson threw notable shade, commenting 'Fab ad,' accompanied by a string of crying-laughing emojis. Another user responded to Anderson, writing 'Stop lying.' The harshest critique declared, 'This is the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life,' to which another added, 'And she’s still being paid a lot of money for it.'
The Official 'Friendship' Launch
This collaboration follows an announcement from Bailey Smith on Monday, where he confirmed the pair were officially teaming up as friends to become 'Tinder coaches' this summer. The partnership is timed for January 4, dubbed the busiest dating day of the year. The video quickly fuelled existing speculation about the nature of Smith and Hembrow's relationship, following months of rumours about an on-again, off-again dating era earlier this year.
While the backlash was dominant, a handful of fans praised the pairing as an 'ICONIC collab'. However, the overwhelming consensus labelled the promotional effort as a misfire, branding it cringeworthy and awkward for all the wrong reasons.
