The internet shame waltz, a dance as old as time: first comes the Bad Deed, then the claim that I Was Hacked, and then the Bad Apology. Vine “celebrity” Carter Reynolds is in hot web water after a leaked video purportedly showed him trying to push an underage girlfriend into sex. Now he is “very sorry.”

The apologia came via Twitter, of course, and is a perfect blend of defensiveness, excuse-making, and contrition:

When you’re sorry for something sexual in nature, it’s a bad idea to begin your apology with “couples do stuff like that all the time.” Also unwise to follow up a Twitter apology with whatever this is:

Reynolds’ management company, 26MGMT, did not return a request for comment.


Contact the author at biddle@gawker.com.
Public PGP key
PGP fingerprint: E93A 40D1 FA38 4B2B 1477 C855 3DEA F030 F340 E2C7