Two years later, Heather randomly called into the H3 podcast to set the record straight.
In 2019, Cut dropped another video pitting seven strangers against each other to decide who among them would win $1,000. This time around, it was seven high schoolers.
After several rounds including speeches, a test of balance, and even a drawing contest, a high schooler named Heather won the whole pot.
But, many doubted her initial sob story of hardship, one that garnered her enough pity and guilt among the other competitors for her to secure the dub.
Three years and more than 10M views after the video went viral, Ethan Klein and the H3 podcast finally got around to watching this infamous video.
Coincidentally, Heather, the winner, was actually watching and called in to H3’s podcast to set the record straight.
If you haven’t seen Cut’s video, here it is below. Heather’s story starts at 2:55.
“In my current home, I’m pretty much left to find myself, basically.” Heather says.
“And it really sucks because the school that I go to, they don’t supply buses to my house area, So i have to take Ubers, like, everywhere. And, it’s like…that’s expensive. It’s a lot of stress on me.”
“It’s like I’m being forced to grow up so fast and I’m only 16.”
When asked what she’d do with the $1000, Heather replied,
“I would probably use it to buy a car because my main thing is transportation and getting around…because for school.”
Most watching the video, Ethan Klein included, could not believe Heather lived in a place with an inadequate school bus and public transportation system.
On top of that, if Heather had enough money to Uber from school and back to work, was she really all that poor?
As mentioned, Heather called in to H3’s podcast, H3’s call screeners confirming her identity that it was indeed Heather on the other line.
The clip starts at 3:20:55
“Basically, the whole story is I was working at Dominos full time.” Heather told Klein.
“I stepped into management when I was only 16, and I was working 30 hours a week. The minimum wage in Washington was $12 or something, so per paycheck I was making around $500.”
“Working full-time, I was also a student and, where I live, Ubers and Lifts are around 15 to 20 dollars per ride. So, for example, in the mornings I’d go to school, 15 bucks. I’d come back from school, 15 bucks.”
“It was all my hard-earned money, and it went all towards rides because I couldn’t get them from friends and family. It was just me myself and I”
“A lot of other skepticism that people had was why didn’t you take the bus?” Heather continues.
“What people don’t realize where I live in Washington, it’s in a rural area and not a lot of buses run in my area. So, I’d have to actually get a Lift to the bus station and then get on the three dollar bus ride to drop me off a mile away from where I was going, so it was really inconvenient.
“On my Instagram there’s a highlights real where you can see a Q and A.” Heather explains.
“I put a lot of my receipts (on there.) Basically, all my money was going towards Ubers.”
Heather then goes on to explain how The Cut gave her the run around awarding her the money. Supposedly, it took over a month for someone “to cut” Heather her rightfully earned check.
Heather eventually says she used the $1,000 towards a “new to her” car.
Ethan Klein, being the magnanimous guy that he is, one ups “The Cut” and ends their call by gifting Heather another $1000 out of the kindness of his heart.
“You tell The Cut that Ethan pays on time!” Klein says.
So, there you have it. According to Heather, it wasn’t a case of being privileged and, in order for her to work full time AND go to school, using ride-share was the only viable option.
Also, props to the H3 podcast for that extra thou-y.
