Vine made Rickey Thompson famous overnight, taking him from a bullied high school underdog to a sensation. But what really happened when he moved to Hollywood and the initial hype faded? Years later, he revisits his viral rise, the promises of LA, and the moments that changed his life in ways he never expected. Rickey looks back at the trauma of growing up gay when his own father told him it was against the Bible, and the relentless bullying he endured while desperately dreaming of becoming an actor. He reflects on the whirlwind of sudden wealth, cashing a $50,000 check right out of high school, and the devastating reality check that followed when a four-year acting job came to an end. From being completely dropped by his agency and manager, to running out of money and being forced to move in with a friend, Rickey opens up about the darker reality of life after going viral. He reveals the moments he felt completely "over life," and how he had to lock himself in a room to rebuild his career from scratch on Instagram. Looking back at the videos where it all began, this is a raw and vulnerable look at the true cost of internet fame, told with the hindsight he never had at the time. Rickey Thompson, We Need To Talk Follow us here: https://www.instagram.com/needtotalk https://www.tiktok.com/@weneedtotalkpod Sign up to our newsletter https://linkly.link/2eXHX Brand partnerships enquiries: partnerships@flightstory.com Follow Rickey here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rickeythompson TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rickeythompson Sponsored by: Huel - http://uk.huel.com/WNTT use code WNTT for £10 off Cometeer: https://cometeer.com/PAUL for $20 off your first order Anthropic - https://www.claude.ai/talk Sync-ID: MB01MZIO5KQM7XF