In this article, we explore five influencer workplace dismissals that made the headlines in 2025. This includes a top chef who faced termination of employment for insulting an influencer and a pilates instructor who was dismissed for shaming people with ‘a gut.’
You’ll also read about an OnlyFans model who was sued after a follower was fired for copying her racy ‘office siren’ outfit. And an AFL coach who got fired for calling a well-known Gold Coast influencer a “c** bucket.”
1. Influencer gets ‘condescending’ chef dismissed
This story from the US involved an influencer collaboration gone wrong. In July 2025, TikTok influencer @itskarlabb, otherwise known as Karla Marcotte, arrived at recently opened San Francisco restaurant Kis Café for a pre-arranged promotional collaboration. At the time, she had around 15,000 followers, making her a “micro influencer.” Ms. Marcotte, however, ended up leaving the restaurant “crying,” as she recounted in a TikTok not long after, branding the ordeal as her “nightmare SF restaurant experience.”
In her video, Ms. Marcotte claimed that shortly after her arrival she overheard the host and the chef, Luke Sung, talking about her. Mr. Sung reportedly looked up her TikTok account and expressed his displeasure with her follower count. Ms. Marcotte claimed to have overheard him telling the host that the collaboration was a “mistake” and that she never should have been invited.
Credit: TikTok
Dismissed chef allegedly got uppity about influencer’s lack of clout
The encounter became directly hostile when Ms. Marcotte attempted to introduce herself. She recalled Mr. Sung asking if she had done “any research on this restaurant?” He then allegedly watched her videos at “full volume” in the restaurant. Mr. Sung then told Ms. Marcotte that her content was not “at the level” at which he wanted his restaurant to be represented.
Ms. Marcotte alleged that MR. Sung implied that her followers were not the “kind of people” that would go to Kis Café. She claimed the chef then bragged about his daughter, a fellow content creator, having a far superior following of 600,000.
Influencer led to chef’s termination of employment, restaurant closure
In her TikTok published in the aftermath of the incident, Ms. Marcotte never named the restaurant. However, her followers quickly worked out that it was Kis Café and that the chef was Mr. Sung. The video went on to gain 21 million views and saw Ms. Marcotte’s follower count grow to over 400,000. Many of her followers were outraged at the way she had been treated.
Days later, Kis Café announced its permanent closure. This meant that every single employee faced termination of employment.
Chef gave his side of the story
Mr. Sung responded to the backlash by offering an apology to Karla, admitting his actions were “condescending, hurtful, and intimidating.” However, he later told media his version of events. Some of the tensions between he and Ms. Marcotte stemmed from his old-school culinary expectations and her perceived lack of respect for them. Mr. Sung explained that he came out of semi-retirement to work at Kis Café. In his career, he had been nominated for prestigious culinary awards and had worked under top chefs.
Mr. Sung admitted that his tone was challenging but maintained his actions stemmed from a perceived lack of professionalism from Ms. Marcotte. Mr. Sung explained that his business partner, Eric Lin, had agreed to the “collab” without his prior knowledge. When Karla arrived at the empty dining room at 5pm on a Tuesday, Mr. Sung was already frustrated. He expected Ms. Marcotte to approach him with enthusiasm. Instead, he claimed she “showed up and sat down and didn’t say hi.”
Credit: Instagram
Dismissed chef thought influencer had unsophisticated palate
Mr. Sung’s frustration reached a peak when he looked at her TikTok content. He came across a video showing “creamy spaghetti in a pan with sliced, overcooked New York steak.” Mr. Sung said that Kis Café served more sophisticated cuisine. That night, it was serving a “beautiful” oho salmon dish. Mr. Sung said that he was concerned Kis Café would be “misrepresented” by someone who didn’t know the “difference between Atlantic salmon and king salmon.”
He then approached Ms. Marcotte and told her that there “may have been a mistake” in the collaboration coming about. Mr. Sung told her that he wasn’t sure if they had the same audience. He then asked Ms. Marcotte if she had done any research on Kis Café. She said she could not find their website, but knew that it was a wine bar. Mr. Sung replied that “you have to do your research.” He claimed his high expectation was based on how hard his own daughter, also an influencer, works to prepare for collaborations.
Influencer allegedly made threat to dismissed chef
Mr. Sung alleged that as Karla left in a huff, she said “The restaurant world is really small. There will be consequences.” He told media that the experience went sour as he and Ms. Marcotte had different ideas about professional respect. Specifically, it was the pride of a veteran chef versus the preparation of a content creator. He stated he felt disrespected that, as a collaborator, she had not done her research and didn’t know the chef’s background.
Mr. Sung said that after his termination of employment and the public backlash, Ms. Marcotte’s TikTok led to his children being targeted with hate comments. Faced with 3,000 negative reviews and an overwhelming “hate army,” Mr. Sung said he had no choice but to close Kis Café to protect his staff and his family. He has since also stepped back from another restaurant he owned.
Mr. Sung was left to grapple with the consequences. He questioned why a young chef would dedicate years to their craft only to have their business taken down by an “inexperienced anybody” who doesn’t understand the work behind a plate of food. His family has sought therapy as they attempt to “pick it up and glue it back together.”
2. ‘Nasty’ pilates influencer dismissed for fat-shaming
In May 2025, a US pilates influencer was dismissed after telling her TikTok followers that people shouldn’t be allowed to be a pilates instructor “if you have a gut.” The “pilates girl” influencer, known only as Monica, posted a series of videos in which she body-shamed individuals over 90kg. The controversy began with a since-deleted video where Monica declared, “If you’re 200lb (90kg), you shouldn’t be in a pilates class.”
The video quickly went viral, drawing widespread condemnation from viewers and fitness enthusiasts. Fellow pilates instructors branded her comments as “pathetic and nasty.” Under the weight of public backlash, Monica posted a tearful apology video, also now deleted. She admitted that her videos were “nasty” and claimed they stemmed from “some insecurities in me and some self-hate.” She confirmed that her pilates membership had been revoked and that she had faced termination of employment.
Backlash didn’t end with termination of employment
Monica’s apology did not stop the backlash, however. Many viewers said she was “only sorry because you got fired” and labelled it “the most unapologetic apology I’ve ever heard.” Club Pilates Quarry Market, Monica’s former studio, publicly addressed the incident. It confirmed her termination of employment and permanent removal from their member base. The studio said “we believe Pilates is for everyBODY” and that its mission is to foster a “welcoming, inclusive space” for those of all sizes.
The incident also prompted educational responses from within the pilates community. Pilates instructors created videos on the true origins of Pilates, highlighting its invention by Joseph Pilates to rehabilitate wounded soldiers during WWI. They stressed that the core principles of pilates is inclusivity and accessibility.
3. Adult influencer gets woman dismissed for racy ‘office siren’ outfit
In March 2025, US TikToker and OnlyFans model @xqueenkalin, otherwise known as Kalin, was sued by a woman who claimed she got her dismissed. In between posting racy content of herself, Kalin often shares fashion content inspired by the “office siren” aesthetic. This is a recent mode of fashion that blends classic professional wear with revealing elements.
Credit: TikTok
The drama began when one of Kalin’s followers, who worked in a traditional office environment, took one of her style tips “too literally.” She wore the siren look to her office and later faced termination of employment for violating her employer’s dress code policy.
Kalin’s response to the legal threat
Kalin claimed that the dismissed employee sent her the “angriest message” she had ever received, threatening a lawsuit. The woman claimed Kalin was somehow responsible for her dismissal since her content inspired the outfit choice. Kalin addressed the situation in a TikTok. “Babe, I don’t wear those outfits for fun,” Kalin stated, making it clear that the provocative nature of the clothing was necessary for her profession as an adult model.
“You’re on your own on this one, girl” she added. The outfit in question was later revealed to be a long, figure-hugging black cocktail dress paired with stilettos.
4. Footy coach dismissed for calling influencer a ‘c** bucket’
In August 2025, the coach of a regional Western Australian AFL club faced termination of employment for an outrageous slur aimed at Gold Coast-based influencer Tammy Hebrow. John Baggetta had posted a comment on a Facebook post that announced Ms. Hebrow, who has over 16 million Instagram followers, had been spotted on a date with Geelong star Bailey Smit. Mr. Bagetta, who coached the Harvey Brunswick Leschenault Football Club, commented on the post, ‘He’s trying to keep his relevance and she’s a c** bucket.”
After the comment went viral and caused a backlash, previous offensive social media posts by Mr. Baggetta surfaced. These included a comment from March 2023 directed at West Coast Eagles’ AFLW senior coach Daisy Pearce. Mr. Baggetta wrote that she “obviously can’t cook or she be in the kitchen.” About six years earlier, he made a social media post featuring a homophobic slur related to the same-sex marriage plebiscite.
Apologised after termination of employment
Speaking to media, Mr. Baggetta said that he had “owned my mistake and have apologised unreservedly” for the comment. After firing him, the football club’s board issued a statement. They said that they did not condone the remarks, and they “do not reflect the values or standards” of the club. The club also highlighted its commitment to women in AFL. It said it was “incredibly proud” to have a women’s team and women on the club’s board.
5. Healthcare workers face termination of employment for ‘dehumanising’ TikTok
In September 2025, a team of US healthcare workers faced a huge online backlash for a TikTok that showed them mocking the bodily fluids of patients. The since deleted video was filmed at an urgent care facility in California. It featured a slideshow of photos showing clinic staff smiling, posing and pointing at soiled examination beds and chairs. Some of the photos had captions like “Are patients allowed to leave you guys gifts?” and “Guess the substance!”
Dismissed staff ridiculed ‘sweet gifts’ left by patients
In one photo, an employee gave a thumbs-up gesture over what appeared to be discharge. The staff also posed for a final group photo. They had gathered around a stained exam table with a caption instructing viewers to “make sure you leave your healthcare workers sweet gifts like these!” The user who initially uploaded the video was identified as a former employee of the clinic, having resigned two months prior to the post going viral.
However, the internal investigation confirmed that the other individuals pictured were current employees. The video quickly went viral, with many branding it as “unethical” and “dehumanising.” Some former nurses described the “second-hand embarrassment” and disappointment they felt. They noted that such behaviour erodes public trust in healthcare settings.
All staff faced termination of employment
Sutter Health, the parent organisation of the clinic, placed all the employees involved on administrative leave within 24 hours of the posts becoming viral. The organisation later confirmed the termination of all employees responsible for the video. It condemned their actions, stating that the behaviour was an “outright violation” of its policies and that it showed a “lack of respect” for its patients.
Read more: Dismissals and Self Respect in the Workplace
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