It was a huge surprise to see 65-year-old Olympian Rowdy Gaines comment on Instagram posts with phrases like “Ok CONTENT!!!” or “Toyota said icons only,” it is very obvious that he’s not the one behind the post but his 34-year-old daughter, Madison Gaines.
“We need to make you relatable to the younger audience,” Madison said to her father, who in turn answered, “Yes, yes, dear, right away, dear.”
Gaines is a swimming commentator for the NBC Olympics for this year’s Games. Gaines did not go alone to Paris but went with one of his four daughters, Madison, who ensures that her father’s social media is not left without engagement.
Madison became her father’s social media handler last year after he advocated for water safety legislation before Congress.
Madison felt that her father’s absence on social media denied him some untapped potential, which Gaines had previously neglected, to drive grassroots action, like calling on citizens to reach out to their local senators.
Madison has since last year become her father’s creative director, giving him every day content ideas and teaching him to do some viral TikTok dances like Chappell Roan’s “Hot to Go!”
Gaines refers to it as “hip.” Madison describes the tone of Gaines’ content as “lighthearted,” noting that he now receives more feedback on his social media presence than his actual Olympic commentating.
