The gay dads targeted in a fake CNN street interview have appeared on the real CNN to speak about the attack on their family and condemn the exploitation of LGBTQIA+ people for viral content.
“When someone inserts themself into a specific community with the intention of triggering people, it’s not freedom of expression. It’s exploitation,” David Vulin told CNN.
David and Anthony Vulin have made headlines after they were duped into taking part in a street interview by a conservative influencer. The encounter ended with David punching the interviewer and later being charged with a felony.
Couple targeted while walking with their baby
Video posted online shows MAGA influencer Ryley Niemi approaching Anthony Vulin and his husband, David Vulin, while they were walking through West Hollywood with their baby.
Niemi apparently initially identified themselves as being from CNN when they approached the couple.
In the video, Niemi asks a series of hostile questions about the couple raising a child.
“Have you ever heard about the statistics coming out that gay men are much more likely to commit child molestation?” he asks.
He also asks: “Don’t you think it’s weird that you guys have a child but neither of you are a woman?” and later: “You paid a woman $50,000 to be pregnant?”
David Vulin was charged with felony vandalism relating to alleged damage to camera equipment valued at $400 or more and spent a night in jail.
The couple disputes the allegation and has since raised almost $200,000 through a GoFundMe to support their legal costs.
“Exploiting us for viral content”
Speaking to CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan, David said the couple quickly realised they had been manipulated.
“I realised that we were manipulated into having this interaction with someone who was exploiting us for viral content.”
He said the issue extends beyond one individual influencer and reflects a broader online ecosystem that rewards content designed to provoke marginalised communities.
“I don’t really think this is about him. This isn’t about one specific content creator; this is about an incentivised institution. This is about large platforms telling youthful audiences what works and not being held accountable.”
For the Vulins, the incident has become part of a wider conversation about harassment, misinformation, and the way LGBTQIA+ families are targeted online for engagement.
Their appearance on CNN has given them a chance to reclaim the narrative and call attention to the real-world harm caused when queer people are baited, filmed, and exploited for clicks.
