I am perpetually online, immersed in the news cycle, because my job demands it. Yet, I have never heard of “Brilyn Hollyhand” until the last week or so, when he essentially appeared out of nowhere, being promoted across the mainstream Republican media sphere, as a “protégé” of and “replacement” for Charlie Kirk.

Sure Kirk’s murder is a “heartbreaking” event—but not heartbreaking enough to deter an immediate appearance on Fox News for self-promotion, smiling and chuckling your way through an interview, just 76 minutes after we all watched Kirk’s throat explode as he took his last gasping breath in a gory exit from this world.

And as it turns out, no one else had really heard of Brilyn either:

However, as someone who lives in Alabama, what I have heard of is Hollyhand Companies, a massive real estate corporation that specializes in bringing low-income housing (and all that comes with it) to nice, clean Alabama towns, like my own, using our tax dollars. From the company’s website:

Hollyhand Development, LLC, brings a combined 50 years of experience working with all facets of affordable housing development including extensive experience developing, financing, constructing and managing housing utilizing financing through the low-income housing tax credit program.

As it turns out, Brilyn’s dad is the company’s vice president.

On September 18th, Brilyn announced that he was “partnering” with Turning Point to embark on a ten-stop campus tour around the nation, to “carry out Charlie’s legacy” due to his untimely departure. On the 24th, Brilyn filmed himself from the cabin of a private jet, talking about how his upcoming event was “sold out” ahead of time:

Is that his daddy’s private jet paid for by my tax dollars so societal delinquents could turn my neighborhood into their ghetto? Brilyn actually claimed that he “couldn’t afford” a plane ticket, which is why he bummed a ride on a “friend’s” personal plane…while sporting a Rolex. Yeah, okay.

And am I to understand he’s charging people to hear him speak? That’s not how Charlie’s campus tours worked you schmuck.

As it turns out, Turning Point itself was not involved in Brilyn’s little self-promotional stunt:

Now @aidanxitter on X had a superb and comprehensive take, which is a must-read:

My big issue with you @BrilynHollyhand is that, my entire teenage and adult life, my peers and I have been fighting against the skin suit GOP that just uses buzz words and daddy’s money to solve things

Your book was ghost written and propped up. Nobody has heard of your show, or you, despite all your appearances on Fox. I’ve asked producers about you and I see that you just beg the whole time. The RNC thing is because your dad’s a donor. The NYP article and the Ben Shapiro thing make it more obvious, followed by the fact you’re reading off a script

To top it off, your daddy’s money comes from welfare kickbacks and tax handouts!

We fought a long way to remove people like you and then the RNC picks you and these other no names who just do what they’re told. You have more moderate politics than Charlie Kirk and you have no real beliefs. Your beliefs are whatever gets you in front of a camera and some attention

Your career is everything we hate about the GOP: fake, donor-controlled, shallow, aloof, subversive, and regressive

The more you try to go this route the more it’ll hurt in the long run. Short term success won’t buy you out of this because the distrust of you is organic

You don’t get to ‘awe shucks, golly gee, pinch me!’ your way out of criticism. If you’re in the arena you’re open to attacks. You might be a nice kid but that has nothing to do with your career

You have alienated all of your peers. My best advice is to take a step back, figure out what you’re in this for, and be authentic. If your brand genuinely is 2003 GOP then pack up shop because that ship has sailed

You are a toy for old grandparents to watch on Fox to say “it’s so nice these young kids care”

Take it or leave it. Charlie Kirk earned his career. In blood. We earned ours in sweat. You had yours handed to you and you knew how to game the GOP

Brilyn Hollyhand is a Trojan Horse, and I don’t trust him one bit (and you shouldn’t either).

Image from Grok.