Influencer Alix Earle Says She’s ‘Never Read a Book,’ Sparking Fierce Online Backlash

Influencer and entrepreneur Alix Earle, 25, is facing widespread criticism after admitting she has never read a complete book.In an interview with Interview Magazine this week, Ms. Earle was asked about the last book she read. The 25-year-old Gen Zer laughed before replying, “I’ve never read a book,” adding, “maybe Dr. Seuss?” The exchange, filmed behind the scenes of a Milan photoshoot and posted to Instagram, quickly drew outrage online.One Reddit user who shared screenshots of the interview wrote: “Embarrassing but not surprised.” Another commented, “Being dumb isn’t a flex. Being ignorant isn’t cute.” A third user suggested Ms. Earle’s team should have intervened, writing, “Her publicist or team should have told her to lie and fed her a book title. This is so gross.” Others expressed concern over her influence on young audiences, with one writing, “Wow, it’s embarrassing how she influences young women.”Despite the criticism, Ms. Earle appeared unbothered. She reposted a tweet about the backlash with the caption, “This is sending me.”Ms. Earle — whose father infamously had an affair with an escort known for her involvement in the Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandal that resulted in Mr. Spitzer resigning as governor of New York — rose to fame in late 2022 through viral “Get Ready With Me” videos on TikTok, where she discussed her college life, struggles with cystic acne, and partying. Since then, she has built a reported $12 million fortune, according to Forbes, and amassed roughly 15 million followers across Instagram and TikTok. Her skincare brand reportedly sold $3.8 million worth of products on its launch day, and she now stars in her own Netflix reality series, “Earle Meets World.”The controversy also caught the attention of “Today” show co-host Jenna Bush Hager, who addressed the comment in a broadcast this week. “Alix, you’ve been on the show. We know that you’re smart, so you know what we want to do? We want to give you a little syllabus,” Ms. Bush Hager said.The host went on to explain the cognitive benefits of long-form reading compared to social media consumption: “With social media, you have to use your mind quickly, but when you sit in a book and you’re there for a while, it uses a different part of our brain. … Reading fiction brings about the rise of empathy because you’re sitting in the shoes of somebody else,” she said.Ms. Bush Hager then offered Ms. Earle a reading list tailored to her entrepreneurial background, starting with “The Baby-Sitters Club” by Ann M. Martin. “This talks about females getting together, starting a club, empowering each other. Let’s start here, Alix,” she said. Her list also included “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” by Judy Blume; “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck; “Pachinko” by Min Jin Lee; and “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins.The incident has reignited broader conversations about declining reading habits, particularly among younger generations. According to the National Literacy Trust, just 36 percent of children and young people aged 8 to 18 say they enjoy reading in their free time, down from 51 percent two decades ago.

Influencer Alix Earle Says She’s ‘Never Read a Book,’ Sparking Fierce Online Backlash

Influencer Alix Earle Says She’s ‘Never Read a Book,’ Sparking Fierce Online Backlash

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