'Lieutenant Dan' ripped for using racial slur on livestream after surviving Hurricane Milton on his boat

TAMPA, FLORIDA: Joseph Malinowski, better known as the viral sensation “Lieutenant Dan,” may have ended his streaming career even before it started.

Known for his gritty refusal to leave his boat in Tampa as Hurricane Milton approached, Malinowski recently landed himself in hot water for using a racial slur during a livestream.

Lieutenant Dan's fall from grace

Malinowski, who sports a single leg and a tough-as-nails attitude, tugged at the nation's heartstrings by hunkering down on his boat, even as Hurricane Milton’s 120 mph winds tore through Tampa.

His story quickly went viral on social media, thanks to TikTok user Terrence Concannon’s videos chronicling his journey. Media giants like the Weather Channel and CNN picked up the story, bolstering his newfound fame.

But fame is a double-edged sword, and Malinowski found that out the hard way after a rather problematic slip-up during a livestream, the New York Post reported.

Malinowski was streaming on the platform Kick when dropped a racial slur while airing frustrations about feeling cheated by a TikTok user. He claimed that someone had used his story to gain social media clout and raise money—$46,000 to be exact—but hadn't delivered the funds to him.

Venting on the stream, Malinowski said, “If you want to get back into my good graces, you have to take time,” before adding, “‘Cause once I cut you off, you’re done N-word. I’m sorry.”

Social media backlash against Lieutenant Dan

Many on social media slammed Malinowski for casually spewing the N-word on a live stream.

"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 posted on X.

"Why did they give this random racist felon a platform, because he lives in a boat? Lowest standards possible," a second user fumed.

"'Sorry' yea that dude born a racist," another alleged.

"Went from Lieutenant Dan to Lieutenant Ban real quick," someone else quipped.

"How to speed run the end of your streaming career," read a comment.

"The trash took itself out. Idk why people keep making these types of ppl famous," another chimed in.

Lieutenant Dan's past comes to light

This isn't the first time Malinowski has courted controversy. As his story gained traction, so did his past—one that’s far from squeaky clean. The Orlando Sentinel reported that Malinowski has a criminal record, including a one-year stint in prison for “punching a police officer in the nose.”

He was also accused of setting a park bench on fire and splashing gasoline on a nearby woman, who reportedly “feared for her life.”

More recent allegations include an incident in February 2023, where Malinowski was accused of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. According to a probable cause affidavit, a woman claimed he threw gasoline on her while she was smoking a cigarette. He told police he had simply “thrown the gasoline straight up into the air.”

Despite the troubling accusation, the case was eventually dropped — though it's unclear why. Records confirm that Malinowski was released from prison in Florida in 2022 after serving time for his run-ins with law enforcement.

Malinowski’s latest troubles also include a dispute over ownership of the 22-foot Catalina sailboat he famously rode out the hurricane on. As Hurricane Milton wreaked havoc—leaving 17 people dead and nearly 1.5 million without power—questions arose about whether Malinowski even legally owned the boat he was trying to protect.

And as for the $46,000 raised on his behalf through a GoFundMe set up by Concannon? It remains out of reach for now. Concannon explained in a TikTok video that transferring the funds has been tricky because Malinowski lacks proper ID to access his bank account. However, he assured followers that he’s working to get the money to Malinowski as soon as possible.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.