Recent years have proven time and again that the Internet loves a backlash, and nothing is free from being targeted by the ire of super-specific Facebook groups. In this case, the new MTV reality series Siesta Key has faced some blowback recently, particularly its leading male Alex Kompothecras. It turns out the star has received a series of death threats (among other things), which led to the cancellation of a premiere party celebrating Siesta Key's Monday night premiere on MTV. Yikes.
With an approach mirroring Laguna Beach's heyday (as opposed to Jersey Shore), Siesta Key centers on eight non-impoverished friends spending some summer days and nights in the idyllic central setting, but it wasn't the group's emotional confrontations or their relationship juggling that earned star Alex his death threats. it turns out the show's backlash stems from a recent viral video depicting a group of men, including the self-publicizing animal abuser Michael Wenzel, dragging a shark to death behind their boat. While it doesn't appear that anyone from Siesta Beach was directly involved with the video, it has come to light that Alex Kompothecras is allegedly close friends with one of the men from the boat.
The Facebook page titled "Boycott Siesta Key MTV" started up recently, with nearly 8,000 followers at the time of this writing. Posts on the page link Alex Kompothecras with Michael Wenzel himself, and investigations into the matter from nonprofit organization Save the Tarpon, and its chairman Tom McLaughlin, have unearthed photos of Wenzel on Kompothecras' own boat. However, it's definitely worth noting that the Siesta Key star has not, at this point, been seen in any offensive images or footage depicting animal abuse. (Wenzel, meanwhile, is no stranger to posting images of himself with dead or dying animals.)
They party on Monday night was meant to take place at the CineBistro in Sarasota, Florida, which isn't far away from the titular Siesta Key and its beaches, and was to include a red carpet press line and a screening of the premiere episode. Its death threat-inspired cancellation was confirmed by Alex Kompothecras' father, Gary. The elder Kompothecras male, who actually conceived the idea for Siesta Key, did tell The Tampa Bay Times that there were other reasons beyond the death threats, but failed to go into further detail about them.
It's unclear what will become of all this as far as any legitimate action being taken against Alex Kompothecras or Siesta Key, although authorities are allegedly looking into bringing charges against Michael Wenzel. It's also unclear if the online backlash and slowing growing boycott will force MTV's hand in any way. It doesn't seem very just for people to condemn a TV show for the actions of others who have nothing to do with it, but anything goes on the Internet, so long as someone is talking the loudest.
Siesta Key airs Monday nights on MTV at 10:00 p.m. ET. (For now, anyway. [Cue tense organ music.]) To see what else is coming to the small screen soon, head to our summer premiere schedule and our fall TV schedule.
