Pokimane reveals how she deals with annoying online “simp” comments

Imane “Pokimane” Anys is one of Twitch’s biggest streaming stars, boasting over four million followers on the platform due to her humorous broadcasts — but being internet famous isn’t always the cakewalk it’s made out to be.

Despite her blossoming career as an online entertainer, Poki is often met with criticism online, with many spiteful comments under her social media posts accusing her fans of being “simps.”

“Simp” is an insulting term that has skyrocketed in popularity in online circles as of late, referring to men who are viewed as too submissive toward women, especially online personalities, from whom they hope to achieve some kind of romantic attention for their efforts.

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Anys is no stranger to these sorts of comments, as evidenced by her various social media platforms, and was even asked about it for a Q&A video in celebration of reaching five million subscribers on YouTube — including “annoying” comments from children online.

“I gotta admit, it can be kind of disturbing, the stuff that people say,” she said of the topic, with her video referencing the viral before-and-after makeup photos of the star that continue to circle the net. “I also understand that kids especially say things without fully understanding the weight of their words.”

“Sometimes, just the worst side of people will come out online,” she continued, “because they know that they can’t really be held liable for it. Either way, I kind of try to avoid my exposure to peoples’ comments all the time because I don’t think it’s too good for my mental health.”

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She went on to address the viral “simp” comments underneath her social media posts, admitting that while she thought the memes spawning from the term were once funny, now feels are “overused” and make her less than cozy when used in rude ways.

“It kind of makes me uncomfortable when people use it in an aggressive way,” she explained. “Like, if someone is remotely nice to me, and they’re just like, ‘Simp, simp!’ I think that’s a little bit weird.”

(Topic begins at 7:22)

Ultimately, Pokimane is of the school of thought that “it is what it is” in regards to “uncomfortable” comments — but at least she’s taking it in stride, despite their sometimes overwhelming presence on her Twitter posts.