The Rise and Fall of a Social Media Marriage: McKinley Richardson Opens Up About Jack Doherty’s Viral Vows

In the ever-evolving world of social media fame, few stories capture the complicated intersection of personal relationships and public performance quite like the brief marriage of McKinley Richardson and YouTube prankster Jack Doherty. Their whirlwind romance, which began in early 2023, culminated in a Las Vegas wedding last November that was livestreamed to Doherty’s 15.3 million followers. Now, at just 22 years old, Richardson is speaking out about the viral moment that defined their union and the aftermath of their separation. The young OnlyFans creator has shared her perspective on what happened when her digital romance became all too real—and ultimately fell apart just months after saying “I do” in a ceremony that blurred the lines between authentic commitment and content creation.

The wedding itself became instantly notorious for one particular moment: when Doherty surprised Richardson at the altar with a set of “vows” that many viewers found shocking. “So, shawty gets absolutely nothing when I divorce her, even if I cheat,” he declared to his audience. He continued with statements that Richardson would owe him $10 million if she cheated, that he would receive “100 percent of her OnlyFans revenue” even after divorce, and that she couldn’t speak to or date other men for “250 years” following their split. Perhaps most controversially, he added that she would “still have to cook, clean and do my laundry” regardless of their marital status. These statements, delivered in front of Richardson’s father and broadcast to millions, left viewers unsure whether they were witnessing a genuine prenuptial agreement or simply another of Doherty’s infamous pranks. For Richardson, however, the impact was devastatingly clear.

Speaking recently on Camilla Araujo’s podcast, Richardson described the moment as “humiliating,” despite the fact that the ceremony wasn’t legally binding. “The vows that he wrote in front of my dad, he made my dad stand up center stage and he read out these disgusting vows,” she revealed, adding that her father was brought to tears by the experience. “My dad actually cried that day, after we left he said, ‘that was so humiliating,’ and I felt horrible.” Richardson emphasized that she “didn’t know” what Doherty planned to say, having never seen his prepared vows. The humiliation didn’t end with the ceremony, as she claims Doherty later said on camera, “Thank God that they are gone,” referring to her family—people she describes as “the sweetest people ever.” The revelation paints a stark contrast between the public performance and private pain experienced by those involved in what many assumed was simply content creation.

The social media response to Doherty’s vows was swift and largely critical, with many commenters pointing out that regardless of whether the wedding itself was genuine, the disrespect shown to Richardson and her father was real. “Even if the wedding is fake, it’s still his real girlfriend, and that’s her dad,” noted one observer, while another commented, “As a father, that is sad, she deserves the world not to be joked on.” These sentiments echo Richardson’s own description of the complexity involved in dating someone whose career revolves around performative content. For her, the relationship was genuine and meaningful, not just material for videos. “He was amazing in the beginning,” she reflected during her podcast appearance. “He was respectful, protective, and treated me so well. But the person he became. It wasn’t the same guy I fell for.” This evolution from private connection to public spectacle appears to have been central to the relationship’s demise.

Throughout their time together, Richardson became a fixture in Doherty’s content. The couple shared their lives across various platforms, appearing in livestreams, collaborating on videos, and documenting their vacations together. Their relationship seemed to progress quickly, culminating in their Vegas wedding and the subsequent purchase of a $3.5 million waterfront mansion in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Despite these outward signs of commitment, the relationship ended just months after the wedding ceremony, with Richardson moving out of their shared home. Fans first noticed her absence from Doherty’s content before he confirmed the breakup in May 2024, suggesting that the line between their authentic relationship and their on-camera personas had become increasingly blurred over time.

When addressing the split on the George Janko Show podcast, Doherty maintained that despite appearances, the relationship had been “real” but acknowledged the unique pressures they faced. “I dunno, if I didn’t livestream as much as I did, there was a lot of mixing relationships with business, it was fast, we were doing a lot,” he explained, adding, “She was really amazing throughout our whole relationship, I just don’t think people will ever fully be able to understand it.” His comments highlight the distinctive challenges faced by couples whose private lives become content for public consumption. Richardson’s willingness to share her experience offers a glimpse into the personal cost of social media fame—where relationships can be simultaneously genuine emotional connections and valuable content opportunities. Their story serves as a cautionary tale about the potential consequences when the boundaries between performance and reality, between private commitment and public entertainment, become too difficult to navigate.