Former adult film star turned online personality Mia Khalifa faced renewed controversy over a vulgar tweet that seemed to be a dig at Hila Klein, the H3 Podcast star and Israel Defense Forces veteran, whose marriage had recently fallen apart.
The post came after Hila Klein, 38, accused her husband, YouTuber Ethan Klein, of having an affair for over six months, an allegation that put their popular podcast on indefinite hold.
“Cuck” is slang for “cuckold,” meaning someone whose spouse has cheated on them. It’s also used online to mean “weak” as an insult. “Cuck” is used in men’s forums and on the far right.
Hila Klein made the allegations in an Instagram post on Oct. 23, stating that her husband first called their relationship a “kiss,” later referred to as “emotional cheating,” then admitted to an affair lasting for six months.
“The betrayal I feel is immeasurable,” she wrote.
The couple married in 2012 and have three kids. Hila and Ethan Klein met at Yad Vashem, the holocaust memorial museum, in 2007 when Ethan took a Birthright trip there as an Israeli American and Hila, an Israeli soldier on leave, joined their group. Together, they formed the h3h3Productions YouTube channel, and in 2016, the H3 Podcast.
Hila Klein is an Israeli-American. She was born in Israel and served in its military during her youth as part of the compulsory service most Israeli citizens do at age 18.
H3 Podcast team members said that they wouldn’t continue doing the show with Ethan. “We’re disgusted by Ethan’s actions and the hurt that he’s caused,” they wrote.
Ethan Klein has asked everyone to please “respect our family’s privacy,” and is reportedly trying to give up his rights to the podcast, according to Rolling Stone.
Hila Klein has received online abuse after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas and the Gaza War, reported The Forward. Her online critics included Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, the host of the political podcast Leftovers with Ethan Klein, which started in 2021 but eventually separated from him. Ethan Klein, an American-Israeli dual citizen, has himself described the Israeli military’s behavior in Gaza as genocide, according to The Forward.
After Hila Klein announced the affair, Piker posted, “Judge me by my enemies.” Another Twitch streamer, Denims, expressed no pity for Hila Klein on a live stream because of her IDF service.
Khalifa, 33, was born in Beirut and immigrated to the U.S. as a kid. She is a Lebanese-American and has been a supporter of Palestinians for years. Her statements on Israel and its military forces were often the subject of criticism.
Hours after the Oct. 7 attack, Khalifa talked about Palestinian “freedom fighters,” causing Playboy to sever ties with her. Todd Shapiro, CEO of Red Light Holland, also ended his business collaboration and called Khalifa’s post disgusting. Later, Khalifa apologized, stating that she didn’t encourage violence with her post.
Radio host Peter Rosenberg, who criticized Khalifa in a private message later posted by her to Newsweek, said that Khalifa’s response to him was “unhinged and ridiculous.”
Earlier in 2023, Khalifa had received criticism both from Jewish and Muslim online commentators regarding a TikTok video, where she said that Israeli soldiers were taught to target children.
Last November, an Israeli rap song titled “Harbu Darbu” mentioned Khalifa, singer Dua Lipa, and model Bella Hadid in lyrics that people read as a call for their deaths. Khalifa mocked the song’s drill beat.
In June 2024, Khalifa posted on X, “I do not support all women,” specifically mentioning IDF women. This post received millions of views.
It was unclear whether Hila Klein had seen or reacted to Khalifa’s post.
In turn, Ethan Klein faced another round of criticism, including reposts of clips from his podcast in which he condemned cheaters who betray the mothers of their kids. Former Try Guys member Ned Fulmer, whose infidelity Ethan Klein once criticized, ridiculed Ethan Klein over the weekend.
As for the future of the H3 Podcast, it’s on indefinite hiatus, and the team hasn’t yet decided whether to continue.
