Reality television star Gabby Allen has left history buffs and fans alike utterly bewildered after making an audacious historical claim on her podcast.
The former Love Island contestant, known for her time in the infamous villa, boldly declared that the 26th President of the United States, Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt, was essentially the world's first influencer.
Allen drew parallels between the rugged, adventurous president and today's social media stars, suggesting his larger-than-life persona and prolific output were precursors to modern digital content creation.
The 'Bully Pulpit' To The Instagram Feed
Allen's reasoning centred on Roosevelt's relentless self-documentation. She pointed to his vast literary legacy – writing an astounding 35 books – and his habit of chronicling his every exploit, from cattle ranching in the Dakotas to leading the Rough Riders cavalry.
'He was documenting his life, he was putting it all out there,' Allen argued on her podcast, 'The Power of Now'. She perceived his actions not as historical record-keeping but as a form of early personal branding and audience engagement.
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The comparison, while certainly unique, has been met with a mix of amusement and scepticism. Roosevelt, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, trust-busting progressive, and conservationist, is an unconventional choice for a title usually reserved for Instagram and TikTok personalities.
Yet, Allen stands by her analogy, emphasising his mastery of what he himself called the 'bully pulpit' – using his platform to shape public opinion and promote his ideas, a concept not entirely foreign to today's influencer marketing strategies.
The segment has since gone viral, sparking a lively debate online about how we define influence across different centuries and whether historical figures can be retroactively fitted into modern cultural boxes.
