Paige Spiranac’s $100K TikTok scare: “Almost famous” drama in real life

Tiktok’s brief blackout left the internet in a frenzy, and even Paige Spiranac couldn’t resist joining the chaos. As news of a potential U.S. ban swirled, users found themselves staring at a dreaded error message, sparking panic across the nation. But just as quickly as it disappeared, TikTok returned, leaving many-Spiranac included-shaking their heads and cracking jokes.

The golf influencer and social media star didn’t hold back her humor. “The TikTok drama the past 24 hours reminds me of the scene in Almost Famous where they thought their plane was going to crash, so they told each other their deep dark secrets, then seconds later the turbulence was over lol,”Spiranac tweeted. While the internet sighed in relief, Spiranac’s playful response masked a reality: the blackout nearly cost her a significant payday.

For Spiranac, TikTok is more than just a platform for entertainment-it’s a moneymaker. Her creative content and sponsored posts rake in nearly $100,000 annually, a figure that underscores her unique position as a crossover star in both golf and social media. A prolonged ban would have delivered a major hit to her earnings, but Spiranac didn’t let the scare dampen her spirits.

The temporary shutdown stemmed from ongoing pressure on TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. stake. With Congress setting a January deadline, the app voluntarily went offline, leaving users with a blunt message: “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now.” Although it returned within hours, the moment reignited debates about the role of social media and the potential fallout of its absence.