George Santos trolled for joining Cameo after House expulsion, Internet asks 'who is gonna pay for that'
WASHINGTON, DC: Embattled congressman George Santos became the target of internet mockery as he landed a new gig just days after being expelled from the US House of Representatives.
On Friday, December 01, the 35-year-old Santos was expelled from the House following a looming criminal trial and a scandal-plagued congressional term. In the chamber's history, he is only the sixth member to be removed by other members.
Following his expulsion, the former congressman joined the video-sharing platform Cameo, which allows users to pay for a videotaped message.
Screenshots of his account, which had the bio "Former congressional 'Icon'!" on it, began to circulate online on Monday morning. By the afternoon, users, including several lawmakers, were posting clips of Santos offering advice, blowing kisses, and making cracks about Botox, according to Fortune.
Later, a former staffer for Santos attested to WIRED that the profile is authentic, and his X, formerly Twitter, profile has a link to his Cameo page.
"Botox keeps you young, fillers keeps you plump... If you have haters, that means you're doing something right girl!" -- George Santos on Cameo
— Jenna Amatulli (@ohheyjenna) December 4, 2023
💀 pic.twitter.com/Fb0GXikcgT
A customized video from Santos cost $75 at first, and by Monday night, it was up to $200. He is also selling text messages for $10.
There have been four videos uploaded to the page thus far, with an average duration of 46 seconds. In one, Santos jokes about his recent incident while wishing a happy holiday season to his family, stating, "Please spend some money on yourself on gifts this year. It could be anything, from Botox to luxury goods of any kind, like a trip to Hermès, makeup from Sephora or a subscription to OnlyFans."
In another video, Santos tells a Cameo user, "Botox keeps you young, fillers keep you plump. Haters are gonna hate. And if you have haters, that means you're doing something right," he added.
Former congressman George Santos is selling $200 Cameo videos following his expulsion pic.twitter.com/CUEHE9zSDS
— Pubity (@pubity) December 5, 2023
What is Cameo?
Cameo is a social platform where users can request personalized videos from their favorite celebrities. These videos can be presented as great gifts for holidays, birthdays, or any other special occasion.
Cameo videos feature thousands of celebrities and social media influencers who set up their prices and retain the last say over whether or not to comply with customer requests.
Prices for less well-known talent start at $1, while more well-known stars—such as Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas, boxer Floyd Mayweather, and venture capitalist Kevin O'Leary—charge anything from $900 to $15,000 for each video.
Alongside Santos, former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and Roger Stone have also joined the video-sharing website in recent years.
Internet reacts to George Santos’ cameo account
Santos’ cameo account has garnered immense social media attention, with users mocking the former congressman for landing a new gig just a few days after being ousted.
“George “Kitara“ Santos is broke and not receiving any funds from the rich conservative 😂😂😂,” one user said.
“Politics used to make a little more sense, didn't it? I feel like it did, 10ish years ago? 15, maybe?” a second user trolled.
“Who is gonna pay for that? Seriously,” a third user slammed, while a fourth wrote, “I have no idea what Cameo is but I will definitely be avoiding it!”
“I'd pay him $400 but he needs to dress up like Trump. Hair and all,” a fifth user asserted. “Ew ew ew ew *smart* ew ew,” one more said.
George “Kitara“ Santos is broke and not receiving any funds from the rich conservative 😂😂😂
— Shawn Gilliam #VotingMatters (@JShawnTru07) December 4, 2023
Politics used to make a little more sense, didn't it? I feel like it did, 10ish years ago? 15, maybe?
— 🏳️🌈☽✩☾🏳️🌈 (@aKestra) December 5, 2023
I have no idea what Cameo is but I will definitely be avoiding it!
— Dan Copp (@DanVCopp) December 4, 2023
I'd pay him $400 but he needs to dress up like Trump. Hair and all.
— WazgoodJJ (@martyfly20) December 4, 2023