TikTok star Larri Merrit – better known by his screen name Larray – has recently received backlash after a video surfaced of him hitting best friend and fellow influencer Charli D’Amelio over the head.
Larray has already made quite a name for himself in influencer circles. With a 16.1 million following on TikTok, he is known for his comedic and relatable videos aimed at teenage audiences.
He is also part of content collective the Hype House, whose residents include TikTok royalty Chase Hudson and Addison Rae. Even though Charli (along with her sister Dixie) has since left the Hype House, the two remain good friends, with the younger D’Amelio sister frequently appearing in Larray’s Instagram posts.
However, the two’s close-knit bond was called into question after a video captured by reporter Kevin Wong, which appeared to show Merrit hitting Charli over the head.
The move was followed by gasps and jeers by the crowd, with the papparazzi trying to goad D’Amelio into “hitting him back”. She politely refused, however, and continued to take photos of fans.
Since the video surfaced, a lot of people have had mixed feelings about it. In a viral TikTok including the tagline “Annoying Larray slaps Charli D’Amelio”, user Lilsmize can be seen shaking his head disdainfully as the video plays in the background.
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One user commented on the TikTok, saying that 16-year-old D’Amelio “had to get used to this” if she is “hanging with 20-year-olds”, to which Lilsmize responded by asking: “So that makes it okay for him to slap her around?”
Another said that Charli “looked embarassed” after being hit, with a further user remarking that they didn’t know “why people like Larray”.
However, it didn’t take long for Larray himself to respond to these accusations, as he clapped back in a comment on the video to defend himself. He claimed that Charli “asked [him] to do it”, and that Lilsmize needs to “find a better hobby than being bitter at everyone else living their lives”.
A lot of fans in turn rallied in support around Larray, sharing his sentiments. Some users remarked that he didn’t even hit Charli “that hard”, while several others pointed out that “this is normal in lots of friendships.”
It is clear to see that the TikTok star won’t put up with any drama being spread about him, and that is just another reason why we love him.
