Social media influencer Alix Earle has sparked intense online backlash after confessing during an interview in Milan that she has never read a book.
The 25-year-old content creator made the admission during a quick-fire question session with Interview Magazine while getting ready behind-the-scenes for a photoshoot in the Italian fashion capital.
Interview Magazine was founded in 1969 by artist Andy Warhol and is known for its unedited Q&A conversations with celebrities. Milan, located in northern Italy, is widely regarded as a global center for high fashion and design.
In the video clip, which was shared to Instagram on Monday, Earle sat in a white robe while fielding a wide-ranging series of questions.
She discussed several hot topics during the chat, including whether it is acceptable to bring iced coffee to a job interview and her current relationship status.
However, viewers reacted with anger when the interviewer asked Earle to name the last book she had read.
Earle let out an exaggerated giggle before responding, "I've never read a book."
She then added, "Maybe Dr Seuss?" referring to the famous American children's author known for classic books such as The Cat in the Hat.
Dr Seuss was the pen name of Theodor Seuss Geisel, an iconic author and illustrator who published dozens of beloved children's titles, including Green Eggs and Ham and How the Grinch Stole Christmas!.
The interview continued with Earle sharing other personal confessions, including her statement that she would never get back together with an ex-boyfriend.
When asked why life cannot be magic all the time, Earle replied, "because people suck."
Her response to the reading question quickly went viral across social media platforms and sparked widespread outrage among viewers.
One user shared screenshots of the interview video to Reddit alongside the caption: "Embarrassing but not surprised."
Other online commentators were equally unamused by the influencer's admission.
"Being dumb isn't a flex. Being ignorant isn't cute," wrote one critic on the forum.
Another user suggested her publicity team should have prepared her better, writing, "Her publicist or team should have told her to lie and fed her a book title. This is so gross."
A third commenter expressed concern over her influence on young fans, stating, "Wow it's embarrassing how she influences young women."
A fifth social media user added: "I generally don't mind her but this is f**king humiliating."
The Daily Mail has reached out to Earle's representative for comment regarding the negative reaction.
Backlash Follows Controversial Skincare Advert
Earle first achieved widespread fame on TikTok, building a follower base of millions through her candid beauty tutorials, lifestyle vlogs, and get-ready-with-me videos before launching her own brand ventures.
The reading controversy comes just days after Earle made headlines for a commercial promoting her skincare brand, Reale Actives.
In the short promotional clip posted to her Instagram page, Earle appeared to poke fun at her past romance with retired NFL star Tom Brady and her public feud with podcast host Alex Cooper.
The advertisement was created to promote Go Calm, a 10 percent azelaic acid anti-redness calming serum from her beauty line.
During one scene in the advert, Earle snatched an American football from the hands of a man wearing a sports jersey.
"Thanks babe," Earle said as she took the football from him and strutted around what was set up as an outdoor barbecue.
She then asked the camera, "Do things blow up from time to time? Sure," before deflating the football in her hands and throwing it into the barbecue, causing it to burst into flames.
The deflated football appeared to be a cheeky reference to Brady's 2015 "Deflategate" scandal during his time with the New England Patriots.
That controversy involved accusations that Brady and the Patriots intentionally under-inflated footballs used during the 2015 AFC Championship Game.
The investigation resulted in Brady receiving a four-game suspension and the Patriots franchise receiving a $1 million fine.
Brady played 23 seasons in the National Football League, winning six Super Bowl titles with New England and a seventh with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before retiring in 2023.
Later in Earle's promotional video, a live goat walked across the screen.
The appearance of the animal was a clear nod to Brady, who is frequently called the "GOAT," an acronym for "greatest of all time," in professional football circles.
References to NFL Exes and Media Feuds
Earle was previously seen looking flirty with the 49-year-old former quarterback in St. Barts on New Year's Eve.
The pair were subsequently spotted getting cozy together at a Super Bowl party.
The football theme in the advertisement could also have been a reference to her ex-boyfriend, New York Giants player Braxton Berrios.
Berrios was born in the year 1995, matching the number 95 printed on the jersey worn by the actor in the commercial.
"This serum keeps it from showing on my face," Earle continued in the video clip. "And keeps me prepared for whatever comes next."
At the end of the video, she answered a vintage pay phone and held the receiver up to her ear.
She said into the phone, "Call her calm," which was a direct play on Cooper's hit podcast, Call Her Daddy.
Alex Cooper originally launched Call Her Daddy in 2018, growing the show into one of the most listened-to podcasts in the world before establishing her own talent network.
Cooper and Earle have been embroiled in a bitter public feud over the past year.
Earle previously addressed the collapse of their professional relationship on her Netflix reality television series, Earle Meets World.
She was among the initial group of digital talents signed by Cooper as the podcast host expanded her media business beyond Call Her Daddy.
However, Earle revealed during episodes of her reality show that she learned she had been dropped from Cooper's network "through the media" rather than directly from company executives.
