American News Reports as YouTube personality MrBeast admits to making ‘inappropriate’ remarks
YouTube star MrBeast has admitted to using inappropriate language in the early stages of his online career.
MrBeast, known as Jimmy Donaldson, has faced accusations of racist remarks, while his longtime collaborator has been accused of making inappropriate comments to minors.
The 26-year-old’s YouTube career is reportedly valued at $700m (£545m), with content consisting mainly of high-quality videos featuring generous gifts and playful challenges.
Recent uploads include “Ages 1 – 100 Decide Who Wins $250,000” and “I Built 100 Houses And Gave Them Away!” which, like most of his videos, have each garnered over 100 million views from his record 307 million YouTube subscribers.
Donaldson, based in the US, has ventured into various businesses in recent years, including his snack brand Feastables, a burger chain that received negative reviews leading to a lawsuit against the company, and a deal with Amazon Prime Video for a reality competition show with 1,000 contestants.
A spokesperson for Donaldson has acknowledged that he used “inappropriate language” in his earlier years.
The statement reads: “When Jimmy was a teenager, he used inappropriate language in attempts at humor.
“Over time, he has apologized and learned that with increased influence comes increased responsibility to be more aware and sensitive to the power of language.
“After making mistakes in the past, he now focuses on working with the MrBeast community to create a positive impact globally.”
Prior to gaining popularity on YouTube, Donaldson had built a following as a gaming content creator who engaged with viewers through live streams.
‘Racist comments and homophobic slurs’
In a 2017 clip shared by YouTube influencer Rosanna Pansino in a post on X, Donaldson made insensitive remarks in response to a viewer’s comment, using a racist slur and making questionable statements.
Donaldson also used a homophobic slur at various points. When a commenter used a racial slur, Donaldson urged the audience to refrain from using such language.
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Pansino clarified that contrary to popular belief, MrBeast was not always focused on creating “family-friendly content”.
“His early videos, where he portrayed an edgy gamer and streamer, featured inappropriate and offensive language – something I wasn’t aware of,” Pansino shared. “I didn’t know about that history.”
In another clip from May 2017, Donaldson made inappropriate comments about rapper Bhad Bhabie, who was 14 at the time. The video was removed for violating YouTube guidelines.
Allegations involving collaborator
Allegations have emerged regarding MrBeast’s longtime collaborator Ava Kris Tyson interacting inappropriately with minors online.
MrBeast and Ava Kris Tyson at Nickeodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards last year. Pic: Hubert Boesl/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
Concerns have been raised over Tyson’s past conversations with an underage fan, where discussions about nude images and anime pornography were publicized.
The fan refuted any exploitation claims in a post on X, dismissing them as false accusations and misrepresentation of facts.
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Tyson announced her withdrawal from “everything related to MrBeast and social media” last week.
On July 24, Donaldson expressed his disgust and opposition to such unacceptable behavior and has initiated an investigation by independent investigators to look into the allegations.
Another former employee has accused Donaldson of manipulating contests, running illegal lotteries, and deceiving his fans, but Donaldson has not publicly responded to these allegations.
