Hand Model Orders Steak At Restaurant On Night Out. Then She Makes An Unusual Request: ‘Can’t Take The Risk’

It’s the kind of  thing that wouldn’t seem out of place in an SNL skit, a six-second TikTok features an objectively attractive woman out at a restaurant. She’s dressed nicely, smiling, and appears to be having a good time.

But here’s the twist: Instead of behaving like a normal diner, she’s got her hands far away from the table, crossed in her lap. Meanwhile, her dining companion cuts up the steak on her plate and feeds it to her. Los Angeles-based content creator Kiitywan (@kiitwan) has placed a caption explaining what’s going on in the camera shot, “POV: you’re a hand model, so you can’t use a knife.”

A Hand Model, Really?

It totally looks like absurdist-inflected rage bait. But a perusal of Kiitywan’s TikTok reveals that not only is she actually a hand model, but she also seems to be very successful. In fact, another of her videos showcases a little glimpse “behind the scenes” of a billboard shoot, then cuts to the giant billboard itself. In it, the hand model is wearing a stack of colored diamond cocktail rings.

George Costanza Jokes

With over 12 million views, it’s no surprise that almost every TikToker is telling a joke.

“George Costanza , the greatest hand model of all time, ” quips Jeffrey Binder (@jeffrey.binder). He’s referencing the Seinfeld episode in which the iconic character George Costanza is “discovered” as a hand model.

It’s a short-lived gig since he almost immediately injures his hands.

But the real joke is how the show insinuates that Costanza’s personality flaws are embodied in his “one in a million” hands. Since true to form, the character immediately positions himself as an expert on the aesthetics of hands. He informs Jerry Seinfeld (the titular character), that his “knuckles are all out of proportion,” and they’re hairy, too.

Back in the comments section come gags about which body part users “model” and how they protect it. Like Vinny Teno, who says,”I’m a Brain model. I can’t think.”

Or Jayden’s (@jaydencmatthews) assertion that he’s an “eye model so I can’t open my eyes.”

But perhaps the harshest statement comes from the guy who purports to be married to a surgeon. “You’ll be fine,” writes DDaysSFC (@ddayssfc). “My surgeon wife uses her hands like a normal person.”

Protecting The Assets: Life As A Hand Model

It’s possible that Kiitywan is exaggerating in her TikTok for the views. After all, she’s also a beach volleyball player, and that is a notoriously hard-on-the-hands sport.

Nonetheless, it’s still true. She and other models need to protect their hands. Interviews with two of the top hand models in the business, Ashly Covington and Brooke Coleman, reveal how much goes into caring for one of the most abused parts of the body. Hint: Moisturizer and cuticle care are paramount.

Though neither goes so far as to advise avoiding knives, Coleman does say that in the kitchen, she always wears hand protection. She wears “glovens” when she’s working with heat, and when handling knives, she dons “no cry” gloves. Because while a cut or bruise on the hand might not mean anything for most of us, for a hand model, it can end up costing them thousands.

It’s niche work, but it is surprisingly well paid. In a later hand-modeling-focused video, Kiitywan gives a quick peek into her hands’ earning power. The numbers are substantial: $1,600 for an eight-hour shoot, $1,250 for a four-hour shoot, and another $500 for a five-hour shoot. The payments vary based on the clients. But she asserts that hand modeling can be just as lucrative as regular modeling.

Not bad for someone who purportedly can’t cut up her own steak.

BroBible reached out to Kiitywan via email. We’ll update this article if she shares any tips about cuticle care.