The CEO of a telemedicine firm was rapidly recognized and criticized after a viral video appeared to indicate him accosting a male highschool senior for selecting to put on a costume to his promenade – in the end costing the person his job.
VisuWell CEO Sam Johnson discovered himself trending on social media on Monday after the video prompted many activists to accuse him of homophobia and harassment.
Within the footage, filmed in Tennessee and initially posted to TikTok, highschool senior Daniel Stevens tells Johnson, who just isn’t named within the video, that he “selected” what he wished to put on and Johnson can “f**ok off.” Stevens is seen sporting a purple costume.
Johnson then follows Stevens and tells him he appears to be like like “an fool.” At one level, he seems to attempt to push away the digital camera recording him, however misses. In direction of the tip of the trade, individuals may be heard pleading with Johnson to “cease.”
“It’s a particular evening,” one says to Johnson.
Stevens then says he’s “beautiful,” to which Johnson replies, “are you?”
Sam Johnson, homophobic CEO of @VisuWell, is about to undergo some issues.
What a depressing creep. https://t.co/HrmohAsK8o
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) April 26, 2021
Johnson’s title, town he resides in, and his job have been rapidly recognized and unfold on social media as critics blasted the 46-year-old for his conduct.
“If that is Sam Johnson in Nashville, Tennessee, the CEO of @VisuWell, healthcare-tech-growth strategist, married to Jill Johnson the place they could reside in Franklin, Tennessee, it looks like he’s dying to be on-line well-known,” liberal comic Kathy Griffin tweeted.
With zero proof, we're advised that trans ladies are someway a public security risk. In the meantime, cis males like Sam Johnson, CEO of @VisuWell, are harassing LBGTQ youngsters in public. https://t.co/havw9QN1Ys
— Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈 (@cmclymer) April 26, 2021
Johnson’s ‘Meet the CEO’ web page on the VisuWell web site was pulled amid the controversy, and his private Twitter and Fb accounts have been deleted.
Afterward Monday, the corporate introduced that Johnson was ousted from the CEO place following a call from its board, saying his actions “contradicted the excessive requirements we set for ourselves in selling the well being of those that use our platform.”
“After investigating the matter and talking to people concerned, the VisuWell BOD has chosen to terminate Mr. Johnson from his place as CEO, efficient instantly,” the agency mentioned in a tweet, including that its president and chief working officer Gerry Andrady would take over within the meantime.
We unequivocally condemn the conduct exhibited by Sam Johnson in a current video broadly circulated on social media.
Put up 2/four: After investigating the matter and talking to people concerned, the VisuWell BOD has chosen to terminate Mr. Johnson from his place as CEO, efficient instantly. Gerry Andrady, our President and COO, will lead the corporate by means of this essential time.
— Visuwell (@VisuWell) April 26, 2021
Previous to his termination, Johnson insisted in his personal protection that his drawback was not with Stevens’ costume, however reasonably the conduct of the kids in a public place.
Johnson advised Newsweek that he was consuming along with his household and confronted the prom-goers about loudly cursing with youngsters round.
“We had simply sat down for dinner at this restaurant that we frequent, and I used to be getting back from the restroom after I was introduced with their loud cursing,” he mentioned. “Making it in regards to the costume was their concept they usually edited out a lot of the trade. I’ve no in poor health will in direction of anybody or their private decisions, as long as it doesn’t hurt me or my household.”
Video of the altercation was filmed by Stevens’ boyfriend, Jacob Geittman whose account of the story differs vastly from Johnson’s.
Geittman claims Johnson approached him and Stevens and instantly requested in regards to the costume.
“This man comes up and he’s about an inch away from my boyfriend and he says, ‘What are you sporting?’ And he’s like, ‘A costume, why?’ And he’s like, ‘Why are you sporting that? You shouldn’t be sporting that,’” he mentioned. He additionally claimed Johnson was faraway from the constructing by resort employees, however Johnson denies this and says he left of his personal volition.
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Geittman additionally claims they have been advised the police have been being known as on the “clearly drunk” Johnson, although it’s unclear if the police have been ever truly known as.
Some critics additionally dug into Johnson’s Twitter historical past, in search of extra controversy. Although he deleted the account, screenshots have been taken and revealed. Within the tweets, Johnson criticizes “mask-theater.” His bio additionally had the popular pronouns “thee/thou/thine,” together with a laughing face emoji.
The Tennessee Holler, a left-leaning native information web site, additionally got here ahead to accuse Johnson of creating “homophobic” feedback to them on social media.
Appears like @sjohnsontn of @VisuWell (who has hopped in our mentions many instances to be homophobic however has now deleted his account) seems to have now achieved some real-life homophobia to some younger males at a promenade in Nashville 👇🏽🏳️🌈
The complete story, on Tik-Tok: https://t.co/fLJptero2E https://t.co/pccSITvHzH
— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) April 25, 2021
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