Back in 2023, Seattle Kraken center Alex Wennberg and his wife Felicia found themselves snared in the occasionally lurid world of BookTok.
BookTok, a section within social media video site TikTok, itself has a popular community devoted to adult hockey romance. (Typical book title: Pucking Around.) Some users like to assign real-life hockey players to these fictional stories, a practice known as “face claiming.” And a small minority indulge in lewd commentary about these real players.
Wennberg was one of the players used by BookTokers to make these racy fantasy stories seem more real.
Wennbergs Fight Back
Initially, the Wennbergs expressed understanding that reduced privacy, however unseemly, is part of the cost of attaining fame and fortune.
Felicia Wennberg played along, initially, with gags about her undeniably handsome husband. Either she genuinely found the comments innocent-enough fun, or she knew the dangers keyboard warriors can inflict on objectors.
But influential BookToker Kierra Lewis – and many others – took so many liberties that Felicia felt compelled to respond.
Wennberg wrote on her Instagram Stories, “Videos and comments made… crossed the line of what it means to fancy someone… when it actually sounds predatory and exploiting.” She also wrote she could tolerate women who try to entice a married man – her married man. “What doesn’t sit with me is when your desires come with sexual harassment.
“We get sent videos of Alex on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Every game I’ve been to and talked to fans, I get in my head about not knowing if these are genuine hockey fans or the people who comment that they masturb@te with his jersey on. Everyone we meet talks to us about it, so it makes it extremely hard to continue to hope that this would all calm down.”
‘People Ride BookTok For The Clout’
While Ms. Wennberg didn’t mention Lewis by name, her name was visible on the post (image at left).
Some in the BookTok community turned their ire on Mrs. Wennberg. Others began attacking Lewis, and suddenly being the subject of social media attention wasn’t as much fun.
“I always say people want to ride BookTok for the clout, and then switch up,” Lewis responded in a video.
“If you’re posting this on your story, saying your issue is with me, Kierra Lewis, because you didn’t cover up my name, why not DM (direct-message) me and say ‘Hey, I had an issue with it.’
“Me being the chill f***king person, I’d literally be like, ‘Oh my God girl, I’ll delete the video. We’re good. I’ll see you this October.'”
Kraken Forward Enters Fray
Just like he would for a Kraken teammate on the ice, Alexander Wennberg came to the defense of his wife. “We can all take a joke and funny comments,” he posted on Instagram, “but when it turns personal and into something bigger that affects our family, we need to tell you that we have had enough. Enough of sexual harassment and harassment of our character and our relationship.”
Kraken social media, sensing a PR nightmare, wisely erased all connections to Lewis and to BookTok. That caused Lewis to post again, because creator outrage – genuine or ginned-up hardly matters – equals clicks.
“I just found out that I was un-followed by the Seattle Kraken. Unless you know me, don’t have me on your social media. Don’t have my name in your f***ing mouth.
“Like, go back to Facebook if y’all not liking this BookTok s**t. But don’t try to come over here and tell us what to f***ing do.”
Felicia Weinberg made a follow-up Instagram post of her own. “My issue was never with her (meaning Kierra Lewis), but with the toxic collective. With that said, I don’t want people to go after her. However, if you post videos that make people uncomfortable, maybe the videos are the issues and not the people that are made uncomfortable by them.”
Takeaways
For all thirsty BookTokers: what they say and write may be in jest. Public figures must allow a certain latitude of expression. But just because people like Alex and Felicia Wennberg are well known, no amount of clicks justifies crude, vulgar comments directed at them or their family.
For the NHL, a one-word suggestion: vetting. Research who you’re inviting into the corporate tent. Media and fan reaction from a potentially sketchy partnership can cause more trouble than benefit. Especially for any organization (like the Kraken) that has worked hard and done a good job building its positive reputation as a good corporate citizen.
(Editor’s Note: The NHL just recently reversed course and decided against pursuing a “Hot for Hockey” relationship with BookTok)
