Football star Tara Mae Kirk continues to embrace her growing online following as another viral video draws praise from her supporters.
West Brom footballer Tara Mae Kirk has channelled her inner Paris Hilton with a playful but defiant message aimed at critics after another one of her social media posts went viral.
The 23-year-old Baggies star recently shared a video of herself wearing West Brom’s training kit while Azealia Banks’ hit song “212” played in the background. However, it was the message attached to the video that quickly caught the attention of her followers.
Kirk appeared to have a simple response for anyone who does not enjoy her increasingly visible presence on social media.
The video featured the words: “If you’re not having fun, then just leave. That’s hot.”
Kirk then mimed along to the message before flashing a peace sign toward the camera and moving closer to the lens.
She also added another message to the post, joking about the extraordinary reach of one of her previous social media moments.
“Proof of life after 12 million views on X lol,” the text read.
Her caption made the inspiration behind the message even clearer.
“In the words of Paris Hilton,” Kirk wrote, accompanying the caption with a shrugging emoji.
The reference immediately connected her post to one of Hilton’s most recognizable catchphrases and her long-standing approach to fashion, fame and having fun.
Hilton’s famous “That’s hot” expression became closely associated with her public persona during the 2000s and has remained a popular reference on social media years later.
Kirk’s use of the phrase gave her latest post a distinctly playful and nostalgic feel while also sending a message to anyone questioning her online presence.
Her followers appeared to approve of the attitude.
One fan responded by calling Kirk beautiful and adding heart and heart-eyes emojis, while another simply described her as a “Worldie.”
A third supporter went even further, declaring: “Our Goat Tara.”
The reaction is another indication of how quickly Kirk has built a loyal online following alongside her football career.
Kirk currently has more than 66,000 followers on Instagram, with her social media popularity increasing significantly during her time at Peterborough.
The footballer spent four years with Peterborough before making the move to West Brom in February.
During her time with the club, she became a popular figure among supporters of women’s football and developed a substantial following online.
Her popularity has not always been straightforward, however.
Earlier this year, Kirk spoke openly about the attention she receives online and admitted that some of the comments surrounding her social media presence had crossed a line.
She explained that she initially struggled to understand why there was suddenly so much attention surrounding her content.
While she recognized that much of the reaction was positive, she also said some comments had become sexist and sexualized.
That experience forced Kirk to learn how to manage both sides of having a large social media audience.
Rather than allowing the negative attention to dominate, she has continued to embrace the positive response from supporters while concentrating on developing her football career.
Her latest post appears to reflect that attitude.
Instead of directly addressing individual critics, Kirk used humor and a famous Paris Hilton-style phrase to make her point.
The message essentially suggested that people who are not enjoying her content do not have to watch it.
The timing is particularly notable given her previous viral success.
With one of her posts reportedly reaching more than 12 million views on X, Kirk has become increasingly familiar with the enormous reach that a single social media video can generate.
For a professional footballer, that level of attention can bring both opportunities and challenges.
Kirk has nevertheless continued to maintain her personality online, sharing videos and photos that give followers an insight into her life away from the pitch.
Her latest West Brom training-kit video is another example of the way she blends football with entertainment and social media.
The post also demonstrates why Kirk has developed such a strong connection with her followers.
Rather than presenting a strictly professional image, she appears comfortable showing a more relaxed and humorous side of her personality.
That approach has helped her stand out in an increasingly crowded social media landscape surrounding women’s football.
As Kirk continues her career with West Brom, her online following is likely to remain an important part of her public profile.
Her ability to generate viral attention means even a short Instagram video can quickly reach an audience far beyond traditional football supporters.
For now, Kirk seems determined to focus on enjoying the moment.
By borrowing one of Paris Hilton’s most famous phrases and turning it into a message for her critics, the West Brom star has once again shown that she is comfortable embracing her personality online.
And judging by the reaction from her supporters, plenty of fans are more than happy to come along for the ride.